I met Nathan because of our families. He was handsome, composed, the perfect image of a man any father would want for his daughter. I fell for him first, even when something in me felt he was too guarded, too unreadable. He wasn’t cruel then—just distant. But when he smiled, he could make the whole world fade. Eventually, he fell too—or so I thought.
Now, sitting here with the taste of betrayal still bitter on my tongue, I knew better. The man I loved never existed. The one he truly loved was Amber. My stepsister. The woman my father adored as if she were his own blood.
Maybe I should have listened to Reid. He warned me before the wedding. He said Nathan only married me to please our families. I didn’t want to believe him. I told myself he was just being protective.
But now, I wished I had listened. I wished I had gone with him the day he left. Maybe I wouldn’t be trapped here, in this gilded cage of a life that never really belonged to me.
The sound of the door unlocking pulled me back. I looked up sharply as Amber stepped inside, her eyes red and wild.
Before I could speak, her hand lashed across my face.
“This is your fault!” she screamed, her voice breaking. She hit me again, hard enough to make me stagger back. “Because of your bastard brother! Lorenzo is hurt—he’s in the operating room because of him!”
I held my cheek, tasting blood. “It’s not my fault,” I said hoarsely. “Maybe my brother is just doing what you all deserve.”
Amber’s eyes darkened. “You’re insane!” she shouted. “You ruined everything! Nathan is furious, my son is fighting for his life, and it’s all because of you!”
The door opened again, and this time my father walked in. His face was stone. “You’re contacting your brother again?” he thundered. “After everything I’ve said? How dare you!”
“Dad, listen—”
“Enough!” he barked. “You’ve humiliated this family enough! Because of you, the media are talking, and Nathan’s company is under fire! Do you have any idea what you’ve done to our business by siding to your mafia brother?”
I looked at him, defeated. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I just wanted to leave. That’s all.”
“You will not leave!” he shouted, slamming his hand against the wall. “You will stay here until everything is fixed. You will apologize to your husband and your stepsister. And you will forget this nonsense about divorce! Don’t dare call your brother again!”