Chapter 3: The wedding

Three weeks passed faster than I wanted.

Every morning, another wedding arrangement appeared in the mansion.

Flowers.

Invitations.

Fittings.

Security meetings.

Business dinners.

Everything moved around me as if I were watching someone else's life.

My life had become a schedule written by other people.

And today, I was getting married.

I stood in front of the mirror while two maids adjusted the long ivory train of my wedding gown.

Neither of them spoke.

They didn't need to.

Everyone in the mansion knew this wedding wasn't a love story.

It was a merger.

A business alliance dressed in white.

I looked at myself in the mirror.

For a moment, I tried to imagine what my mother would say if she were standing beside me.

Never marry someone because you're afraid of disappointing people.

I swallowed.

"Are you ready?"

I looked at the maid.

"No."

She lowered her eyes.

"Your father is waiting."

Of course he was.

The ceremony was held at one of the most exclusive estates in the city.

Hundreds of guests filled the enormous estate.

Businessmen.

Politicians.

Celebrities.

Family friends.

People who had come not to witness love, but to witness the union of two powerful empires.

The Sterling and Blackwood families.

My father stood at the end of the aisle.

He looked proud.

Not emotional.

As if he had just signed the biggest deal of his life.

I walked toward him.

Then I saw Alexander.

He stood beside the altar in a black tuxedo.

Perfectly composed.

But his eyes weren't looking at me.

They were somewhere beyond me.

For one brief moment, I wondered if he was thinking about Celine.

Then I reached him.

He finally looked at me.

Our eyes met.

No love.

No excitement.

Only understanding.

We were both trapped.

The priest began speaking.

I barely heard the words.

Then came the vows.

"Do you, Alexander Blackwood, take Arabella Sterling to be your wife?"

Alexander was silent for a moment.

Then

"I do."

My heart tightened.

The priest turned toward me.

"And do you, Arabella Sterling, take Alexander Blackwood to be your husband?"

I looked at the man standing beside me.

The stranger I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with.

"I do."

The words felt strange leaving my mouth.

The priest smiled.

"You may kiss the bride."

Alexander leaned toward me.

His hand touched my waist.

For one second, our eyes met.

Then his lips touched mine.

Brief.

Controlled.

Almost emotionless

The crowd applauded.

Cameras flashed.

Our families smiled.

The marriage was complete.

But as Alexander pulled away, he whispered so quietly that only I could hear him.

"Don't expect anything from me."

I looked at him.

"I never did."

The reception was even more exhausting.

Everyone wanted photographs.

Everyone wanted to congratulate us.

Everyone wanted to shake Alexander's hand.

I stood beside him for hours, smiling until my cheeks hurt.

Then someone approached.

A woman.

Older.

Elegant.

She looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"Mrs. Blackwood."

I turned.

"Yes."

She smiled.

"Welcome to the family."

Something about her tone made the words sound less welcoming than they should have.

"Thank you."

Her eyes moved toward Alexander.

Then back to me.

"You'll learn soon enough that being a Blackwood isn't easy."

I frowned.

Alexander noticed.

"Don't mind her."

"Who was she?"

"My aunt."

"She doesn't seem to like me."

"She doesn't like many people."

I looked at him.

"Does your family?"

He gave me a strange look.

"Why?"

"Because mine doesn't."

He didn't answer.

For the first time, I saw something almost human in his expression.

Pity?

Maybe.

I didn't want it.

That evening, after the guest had left, Alexander and I stood inside the enormous bridal suite.

The room was covered with white roses.

Champagne waited on a silver table.

A fire burned quietly in the fireplace.

It looked romantic.

It wasn't.

Alexander removed his cufflinks.

"You can have the bedroom."

I looked at him.

"And you?"

"I'll sleep in the guest room."

I nodded.

"Fine."

He walked toward the door.

"Alexander."

He stopped.

"What?"

I hesitated.

"Celine."

His expression immediately changed.

"Don't."

"I wasn't going to insult her."

"Then don't mention her."

I looked at him.

"You love her."

"Yes."

The answer came without hesitation.

"And you're going to let this marriage destroy that."

His jaw tightened.

"My family made their choice."

"So did mine."

He looked at me.

For the first time, there was something in his eyes that I understood.

Anger.

Not on me.

At the people who had put us here.

"I didn't choose you, Arabella."

I nodded.

"Neither did I choose you."

Silence.

Then he left.

The door closed.

I stood alone in the room.

I looked down at the wedding ring on my finger.

Three weeks ago, I had been Arabella Sterling.

Tonight, I was Arabella Blackwood.

And tomorrow, I would begin doing exactly what my father had ordered.

I walked toward the desk.

There was a small black folder waiting for me.

I hadn't seen it before.

I opened it.

Inside were documents about Blackwood Enterprises.

Their major investment.

Their upcoming projects.

Their business partners.

Their financial structure.

My father's instructions were written on a single page.

Find their weakness.

I stared at the words.

Then I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned.

Alexander stood in the doorway.

His eyes moved from me to the folder.

Then his expression changed.

"What are you doing with that?"

My blood ran cold.

He walked toward me.

I quickly closed the folder.

"Nothing."

His eyes narrowed.

"That folder belongs to my family."

I said nothing.

He reached for it.

I pulled it away.

For several seconds, we stared at each other.

Then Alexander's voice became dangerously quiet.

"Arabella..."

I held the folder tightly.

"What?"

He looked at me.

"Why do you have my family's confidential files?"