01

Ethan’s POV

The study smelled like old books, burnt cigars, and…..disappointment.

The oil paintings of my ‘ancestors’ stared down from the walls like they were ready to crawl out of their golden frames and lecture me too. 

Their eyes followed every damn move I made—full of silent judgment.

I leaned back in the high-backed chair opposite my father, sinking into the leather. My hair was a mess from running my fingers through it all morning, and my expensive suit looked like I’d wrestled a storm in it but of course I didn’t give a damn, everything that I had on my mind was to find a way to get the hell out of here.

I tapped the paper in front of me, smirking. “This has to be a joke.”

The document slid across the polished desk when I tossed it at him. 

Bold black letters at the top glared back at me

Betrothal Agreement.

“An arranged marriage? Really, Dad? What am I, a medieval prince?”

Charles Blackwood, my father didn’t even blink. 

He sat upright, perfect posture, perfect suit, perfect gray hair—perfect control. His aura screamed the authority and I hated the fact that it still works on me.

“You’ve left me no choice, Ethan,” he said finally, hid voice was cold but steady. “This family can’t afford another one of your scandals.”

I let out a dry laugh, leaning forward. “Scandals? That’s what this is about? A few bad headlines and suddenly I’m being auctioned off to some woman I’ve never met?”

His eyes hardened, “A few bad headlines? Ethan, you’ve been the media’s favorite circus for years. Partying until dawn, sleeping with women like you’re allergic to commitment...Even having the wives of our company future partners on your bed. You’ve turned the Blackwood name into a joke.”

“Oh, come on, Father,” I said, waving a dismissive hand. “People love the drama. It even keeps the brand alive.”

His voice snapped like a whip. “They don’t love a reckless leader!”

He yanked open a drawer and slammed a magazine on the desk.

The cover screamed: PLAYBOY BILLIONAIRE STRIKES AGAIN — Ethan Blackwood Caught With Married Heiress!

I didn’t even bother looking at it. 

I leaned back again, crossing my arms. “So what?”

“You’re jeopardizing the company’s future,” he said, “The board is losing confidence in you. Tell me, how do I trust you with the empire when you can’t stay out of the tabloids for a week?”

I tilted my head and gave a crooked smile. 

“Ah, there it is, finally we are getting to the heart of this ,this is not about the family or legacy. It’s about the company, right? The almighty Blackwood empire.”

His jaw tightened. “No, it’s about you growing up! Everything you touch ends in chaos. You’re disgracing—”

“Just admit it,” I cut in, my tone sharper than intended. “It’s all about your precious company!”

“Fine,” he said and I swear I caught him rolling his eyes. “It is. And I’ve made my decision. If you want your inheritance—if you want to stay CEO of the BLACKWOOD empire, you’ll marry Sophia Carter.”

I blinked, “Sophia... who?”

“She’s Andrew Carter’s daughter,” he replied coolly. “My driver’s girl. She’s everything you’re not: responsible,grounded,respectable. She’ll teach you what you’ve failed to learn yourself.”

I couldn't help the laughter that rose from my throat.

Is this man been for real, right now?

 “You’re serious? You want to make me look responsible by forcing me to marry some random cheap girl? You really think that’ll fix me? Where were you when you were supposed to raise me into that person you want me to be,dear father?”

His eyes flashed with anger for a second.

“She’s not random and she deserves better than you. I wasn’t there because I was building this empire—so you could have the life I never did.”

And that was when I lost it.

That stupid excuse of his!

“ you're definitely out of your mind, you think you can walk away ,be absent from almost all my life and come back with a wife?”

He leaned forward,his voice was like thunder.

“You’ll marry her or walk away from everything. The company, the estate,every single penny.”

Silence swallowed the room and the air seemed to turn electric.

My heart heaved up and down,while my hands kept curling into fist as I tried to control the urge to punch his old face.

“I can’t believe you,” I muttered. “You think you can control me like one of your employees? You’re insane.”

I stood abruptly so hard that the chair fell over.

“Am I?” he challenged, standing up too, his voice rising. “You’ve had your fun, Ethan. It’s time to grow up.”

I took a step toward the door with rage pounding through me like thunder.

When I got to the door,I turned around and decided to give him this piece of my mind.

“For the record, Dad,you think you are saving the legacy? No, You’re killing it. Mom would’ve done far better.”

And then I slammed the door hard enough to rattle the damn ancestors on the wall.

            ★★★★★★

The bar lights at Phoenix matched my mood and I'm grateful for that.

I gulped down the whole content in my cup but the alcohol didn't burn my throat the way I wanted it.

I’d already killed my fourth bottle, and it still hadn’t drowned the storm in my chest.

Theo, my best friend since forever, slid onto the stool beside me with his eyebrows raised.

“Let me get this straight,” he said, his voice was masked in half disbelief, half amusement— typical Theo.

 “Your dad wants you to get married? As in, arranged-marriage married?”

“Yeah,” I muttered, signaling the bartender. “To some lowlife…Sophia... Carter, or something, his fucking driver's daughter” 

I gritted my teeth in disgust.

A fuckin lowlife indeed.

Theo blinked. “You’re kidding.”

“ I've never been this serious in my life.”

“And if you don’t?”

“Then I kiss goodbye to the fortune. The empire. The Blackwood name.” I smirked bitterly. “All of it.”

He whistled low. “So it’s either marry her or walk away penniless.”

“Yup. Thanks for the recap, genius.”

“Damn,” he muttered. “Tough love, huh? But... maybe he’s got a point.”

I slammed the glass down so hard it cracked, I've had enough today, “Not you too.”

“Hey, don’t bite me,” he said, raising both hands. “I’m just saying—you’ve been living like you’re untouchable. Maybe this is the universe forcing you to grow up.”

I glared at him, with my jaw tight. “Save the therapy talk, Theo.”

He sighed. “Suit yourself, I think I heard your accounts are frozen too. That true?”

I didn’t answer. 

My silence was enough, so he knew about the news and he's here asking again.

My phone buzzed on the counter. I grabbed it, expecting another round of threats from my father.

But when I saw the name on the screen, my heart skipped.

It wasn’t him.

It was her.

Vanessa.