I didn't sleep.
My father's final words kept replaying in my head.
I only need to make sure he disappears from your life.
At three in the morning, I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at Adrian's name on my phone.
I wanted to call him.
I wanted to warn him.
But my father had made his threat clear.
If I contacted Adrian, I could be leading him straight into danger.
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Adrian:Are you okay?
Another message followed.
Adrian:Please answer me.
I covered my mouth to stop myself from crying.
Then I typed:
I'm fine.
Three dots appeared immediately.
You're lying.
I stared at the screen.
He knew me too well.
I typed again.
We can't see each other anymore.
His reply came almost instantly.
No.
Then:
Tell me what happened.
I couldn't.
My fingers trembled as I typed the cruelest lie I had ever written.
I don't love you anymore.
The message remained on my screen.
I couldn't press send.
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
Then I heard footsteps outside my bedroom.
I quickly locked my phone.
The footsteps stopped at my door.
I held my breath.
After several seconds, they moved away.
I waited.
Then I looked at the message again.
Finally, I pressed send.
The moment it delivered, Adrian called.
I rejected it.
He called again.
I rejected it again.
Then a final message appeared.
I don't believe you.
I broke down.
Because he was right.
I didn't stop loving him.
I was simply terrified of what loving him would cost.
The next morning, my father announced that Daniel's family would be visiting.
"They want to finalize the wedding arrangements," my mother said.
I stared at my breakfast.
"I don't want this wedding."
She sighed.
"You'll learn to love him."
I almost laughed.
People always said that as though love were something you could order from a menu.
My father entered the room.
"Get dressed."
I looked up.
"Why?"
"Daniel is coming."
My stomach twisted.
"Today?"
"Yes."
He walked past me.
"And smile when he arrives."
I hated that word.
Smile.
As though pretending to be happy could make me happy.
Two hours later, Daniel arrived with his parents.
He brought flowers.
My mother loved them.
My father loved the expensive bottle of wine he brought.
Everyone seemed pleased.
Everyone except me.
Daniel approached.
"You look beautiful."
"Thank you."
He smiled.
"You'll get used to me."
I looked at him carefully.
"What does that mean?"
He leaned closer.
"Marriage takes time. We don't have to love each other immediately."
Something about his answer unsettled me.
Before I could respond, my father called us.
"We need a photograph."
I stood beside Daniel.
The camera flashed.
I smiled.
Inside, I was falling apart.
That evening, after everyone left, I returned to my room.
My phone was on the bed.
There was one new message.
Not from Adrian.
From an unknown number.
You think your father is the only one watching you?
My heart stopped.
Another message appeared.
You don't know what you've married into.
I stared at the screen.
Then a photograph arrived.
It showed Daniel standing beside a man I recognized immediately.
Richard Blackwood.
Adrian's father.
My hands went cold.
Under the photograph was one final message:
Ask your father why Daniel's family knows the Blackwoods.
I looked toward my bedroom door.
For the first time, I wondered whether my father's plan was about more than simply separating me from Adrian.
Maybe my marriage had been arranged for a reason.
And maybe I was the last person to discover it.