HIS REVENGE HER HEART

THE MARRIAGE HE NEVER WANTED ELENA'S POV "You don't expect me to marry a worthless thing like that, do you?" I stopped outside the half-open office door. For a second, I thought I had heard wrong. Then the man spoke again, and I knew exactly who it was. Damien Cole. "I am not a child, Dad. You cannot wake up one morning and decide that I should marry someone because it suits your business plans." I tightened my grip on the folder in my hand. I had come to discuss the marriage proposal with his father, not to stand outside an office listening to Damien talk about me as if I were some unwanted item. "I am not asking you to do this for no reason," Mr. Cole replied. "Elena's family needs help. Our companies can benefit from this arrangement, and the marriage will strengthen the relationship between both families." "Then let the companies have a relationship. Why must I marry her?" "Because I have already discussed it with her father." Damien laughed, but there was no humour in it. "And you forgot to discuss it with your own son?" "I know what is best for this family." "No, Dad. You know what is best for your business. There is a difference." I looked down at the folder. My father had warned me that Damien might not welcome the arrangement, but I had hoped he would at least listen before making up his mind. Apparently, that had been too much to expect. "I am not ready to settle down," Damien continued. "I never told you I wanted a wife. I never asked you to find one for me. So why are you making decisions about my future without asking what I want?" "Sometimes, being the heir to a family business means making sacrifices." "Sacrifices?" Damien repeated. "You want me to marry a woman whose family business is collapsing, and you expect me to believe this is good for me? How does that benefit me?" "Watch your words." "Why? Because you do not like hearing the truth?" I closed my eyes briefly. I knew what people said about me. Proud. Outspoken. Too confident for my own good. I was the woman who questioned figures that did not add up, challenged proposals that could hurt our company, and refused to agree with someone simply because they had more money than I did. And I was still that woman. I had earned that reputation through years of hard work. At business meetings, I spoke when I had something to say. At seminars, I asked questions others were too afraid to ask. During negotiations, I defended my position when I believed I was right. I had never seen the need to pretend to be someone else just to make powerful people comfortable. But I had made a mistake. One mistake that was about to change my entire life. Three months ago, I approved a contract that I believed would help our company grow. I had checked the figures, questioned the risks, and trusted the people who presented the proposal. I thought I was making the right decision. I was wrong. The contract had turned into a disaster. The losses were worse than anyone had expected, and the debts kept growing. Our suppliers wanted their money. Our employees depended on us, and my father had spent weeks trying to find investors willing to help. Nobody wanted to risk their money on a struggling company. Nobody except the Cole family. And now, the price of that help was a marriage to a man who clearly despised the idea. "You have to understand that this arrangement is important," Mr. Cole said. "I understand perfectly. You want me to give up my future to rescue a business that is not mine." "I am trying to protect both families." "Then find another way." "I have already given my word." "And what about mine? Did anyone ask whether I wanted to get married?" I had heard enough. I knocked twice. The conversation stopped. "Come in," Mr. Cole called. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Mr. Cole sat behind his desk, while Damien stood beside the window with his phone in his hand. He wore a dark suit that fitted him perfectly. His hair was neatly styled, and his expression was as cold as I remembered. I had met him at business seminars, corporate events, and meetings where our companies had been represented. He was always confident, sometimes arrogant, and never short of an opinion. Neither was I. His eyes moved from my face to the folder in my hand. Then a slow, mocking smile appeared. "Look who we have here," Damien said. "The woman who always has something to say." I met his gaze. "And the man who always thinks he is right." His smile widened slightly. "Some things never change." "I'm glad we agree on something." His father sighed. "Can we please keep this conversation professional?" "I have no problem with that, sir," I replied, taking the seat he offered. "I came here to discuss the proposed agreement." "Of course you did," Damien said. "Straight to business. That is what you do best, isn't it?" "Enough," his father said. "We are here to settle an important matter." I faced him again. "Elena, as I explained to your father, we are prepared to provide the financial support your company needs. In return, our families will enter into a formal marriage arrangement between you and Damien. We will also establish a long-term business partnership." "Yes, sir. My father explained the proposal." "And you understand what it means?" "I do. But before I sign anything, I want to review the agreement carefully. I need to know the amount of financial support, the responsibilities of both parties, and every condition attached to the arrangement." Mr. Cole nodded. "That is reasonable." Damien shook his head. "This is unbelievable." I looked at him. "What is?" "You are sitting here discussing signatures and conditions as if this is an ordinary business deal." "Then tell me what part of the discussion you find difficult to understand." His jaw tightened. "You really cannot stop talking, can you?" "And you seem to think insulting people makes your arguments stronger." "Damien," his father warned. "What? You want me to pretend I am happy about this?" "I have listened enough." I turned back to the documents. I had no intention of spending the entire meeting arguing with him. Whatever Damien thought of me, the situation was serious, and I needed to understand exactly what my family was being offered. I read through the proposed financial support, the conditions, and the responsibilities expected from both families. I made a few notes and turned to the last page. "Once my lawyer has reviewed the agreement, I can sign the necessary documents," I said. "I would also like a copy of every clause for my records." Mr. Cole nodded. "Of course. We can arrange that." I picked up the pen and looked at the signature line. Then Damien spoke. "You are talking about signing documents with me?" I looked up. His expression had changed. The mocking smile was gone. "Did I tell you I was ready to marry you, Miss Elena?" For a moment, I said nothing. He walked towards the desk. "I have not agreed to this marriage. I never agreed to it. My father may have discussed it with your family, but that does not mean I have accepted." "Damien," his father said sharply. "No, Dad. You have made promises, arranged meetings, and discussed my future without even asking what I want. You expect me to marry a woman I barely know because her family needs money." He glanced at me. "I will not do it." The words hurt more than I wanted to admit, but I kept my face still. I had heard his complaints outside the door. I knew he was unhappy about the arrangement. Still, there was something humiliating about sitting in front of a man who spoke as if marrying me would ruin his life. He turned towards the door. "Damien, sit down. We are not finished." "I am." He pulled the door open and walked out. His father called his name, but Damien did not turn back. The door closed behind him. I stared at the empty space where he had been standing. The pen was still in my hand, and the agreement lay open in front of me. Mr. Cole leaned back in his chair. "Stubborn, just like his father," he muttered. I lowered the pen. "Elena, I will speak to Damien, but I cannot force him. All I can do is talk to him and hope he listens." "Thank you, sir." "And you must be careful too. If the two of you keep fighting every time you meet, nothing will change." I wanted to tell him that Damien was the one who had started it. I wanted to remind him that I had come to discuss an agreement, not to beg his son for a chance to marry him. But I swallowed the words. A person who needed help could not always afford to speak their mind. I was beginning to understand that. "Yes, sir." "One more thing. My company will not provide that support without this marriage. I am prepared to help your family, but only on those terms. And I would advise you not to wait too long. Your father's company does not have much time left." That was the last thing I needed to hear. "Thank you, sir." I gathered the documents, returned them to my folder, and walked out of his office with my head held high. I did not want anyone to see how much the conversation had affected me. I had spent years building my confidence, and I hated the thought that one man's rejection could make me question myself. But as I entered the lift, I found myself thinking about what I could have done differently. Maybe I should not have answered Damien back so quickly. Maybe I should have ignored his insults and allowed his father to speak to him first. Maybe, if I had kept quiet, Damien might have been willing to consider the arrangement. I hated those thoughts. They sounded nothing like me. Yet I could not stop them. ⸻ My phone rang just as I reached my car. It was my father. I answered as I opened the driver's door. "Hello, Daddy." "Elena, how is it going there? I put my folder on the passenger seat and sat behind the steering wheel. "I'm on my way to the office, Daddy. I'll explain everything when I get there." For a moment, he said nothing. Then his voice came, low and heavy. "The remaining three investors have just withdrawn. You know what this means." My hand froze on the steering wheel. "Daddy, please, you have to calm down..." "No, Elena. They have withdrawn. I know what this means." I could hear him breathing on the other end. Slow. Uneven. I had nothing left to soften it with. "Daddy... Damien refused the marriage. He rejected it strongly." "He rejected it?" "Yes, Daddy. He walked out of the office. Mr. Cole said he will talk to him, but..." Silence. "Daddy?" Nothing. Then I heard a sound I will never forget. A dull crash, like a phone hitting the floor. "Daddy?" I pressed the phone harder against my ear. "Daddy, are you there? Daddy, please answer me!" The line stayed open, but no one answered. A cold feeling spread through my chest. I started the car and pulled out of the parking space, still calling his name. "Daddy! Daddy!" The phone remained silent. And I had never been so afraid in my life.