Chapter 6–What’s At Stake

Natasha’s POV

I shut the door behind me and leaned against it. My gaze drifted across the room. It should be comforting, but it only reminded me of how little control I actually had over my life. 

Marriage. To a man I barely know? My worst nightmare. 

I pushed away from the door and kicked off my heels carelessly before sinking onto the edge of the bed. 

My phone sat beside me. 

For a moment, I stared at it. There were several missed calls from Ananya. I hadn’t responded to her texts from this morning, nor had I returned her calls. Then I picked up the phone and dialed. It didn’t even ring twice. 

“Natasha?” Her voice came through immediately. “Finally! Do you know how many times I’ve tried calling you?”

I let out a quiet breath. “I’m fine.”

“Don’t ‘I’m fine’ me,” Ananya snapped. “You disappeared after the club. I was literally looking for you everywhere.”

“I left.”

“I figured that much. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t think to call me. I was worried sick.”

“A lot happened in twenty-four hours.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

There was a brief pause on her end. 

“What do you mean by a lot?”

I hesitated, then explained everything that went down at the club last night. The drunk man. Tristan coming to my rescue. 

“And guess what?”

“You went home with Tristan?” she asked, amusement creeping into her tone.

“What? No, Ananya. Although…” I paused. “I met him again.”

“You mean Tristan Castillo?”

“Yes, him.”

“Uhh, why? By the way, that man is fine as hell.”

She wasn’t wrong.

“Wait—how come I’m the only one who doesn’t know him? I mean, I’ve heard so much about him, but I’d never actually seen him before last night. And I wouldn’t even have known who he was if I hadn't met him again tonight.”

“Well, Tasha, you’re barely ever around. It’s always something for your dad—meetings, trips. And you didn’t study here. I’m not surprised you haven’t seen him.” 

“Anyway,” I said. “That's besides the point. My father wants me to marry him.”

The line went quiet. For a second, I thought the call had dropped. 

“Natasha Whitmore,” Ananya said finally, her voice low. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“I wish I was, Ananya.”

“You’re telling me the man who stepped in at the club… the one you argued with…” She let out a sharp breath. “Tristan… your dad wants you to marry him?”

I shut my eyes briefly. “Sadly, yes.”

“And did you agree to it?”

I didn’t say anything. 

“Are you out of your mind?” Ananya yelled into the phone. “Do you even know who that man is? I mean, yeah he’s fine and shit. But he’s a stranger to you, and you just what? Agree?”

“I know enough.”

“Tell me,” she cut in quickly. “What exactly do you know? That man has a reputation. Your father should know that before asking you to marry him.”

I let out a dry laugh. “So I heard.”

“Oh, you’ve heard?” Ananya scoffed. “Good. Then you’ve probably heard the part where people say he killed his own parents.”

My grip on the phone tightened. 

“People talk, Ananya,” I said, trying to convince myself. 

“Maybe,” Ananya replied softly. “But like I said, he has a reputation, and people just don’t talk about him for fun. He’s dangerous, Natasha. Probably the kind you don’t get involved with unless you have no other choice.”

“That’s exactly the point. I don’t have a choice,” I muttered. “Besides, you were so bent on me getting into bed with him.”

“Yes. For one night,” she replied. “Not every other night. And Natasha, you do have a choice.”

“Not when your father is willing to trade you off to save his company!” I snapped. 

“It has absolutely nothing to do with you!” she shot back. “He got himself into the mess, he should be able to pull himself out.”

“It’s not that easy, Ananya,” I said, my voice low. “I’ve never seen Marcus this terrified. One would think it’s beyond debts and shit.”

The line went quiet again.

“So what are you going to do?” Ananya finally asked. 

I stared into nothing. “I don’t know.”

“Just be careful, Tasha,” Ananya said. “Whatever you decide, don’t lose yourself in it.”

“I won’t.”

“I’m serious.”

“Girl, I know.”

“Okay then. And whatever your decision is, I’ll be here to support you. I love you, Tash.”

“Love you, too.”

We hung up. 

I lowered the phone slowly. I figured I wasn’t alone. 

A figure stood near the door. My eyes shifted toward it. 

Victoria stood there, leaning casually against the frame, her arms crossed. 

“How long have you been standing there?” I asked, my voice flat. 

“Long enough.”

“Why am I not surprised?” I scoffed. 

Victoria smiled faintly. “You’re getting married.”

“Yeah… so what do you want? Maid of honor?”

“To Tristan Castillo,” she continued like I hadn’t just spoken. “I have to admit, I didn’t see that coming.”

“Well then, good for you.”

Victoria pushed off the doorframe and stepped into the room. “You know you’re always lucky.”

Did she just call this luck? 

I narrowed my eyes. “And what’s that supposed to mean? You call getting married to a stranger luck?”

“I mean, no matter the situation, you somehow end up getting the good stuff. 

I blinked. “The good stuff, you say? A dangerous man is ‘good stuff’?”

“Is it not?” Victoria tilted her head. “He’s rich, powerful, influential.”

“Is that right? Then you should take my place,” I shot back. “Wouldn’t be the first. You’ve always had a habit of wanting what’s mine. Lucas included. So sad you never had him. May his soul rest in peace.”

Something flickered in Victoria’s eyes. Before she could say anything else, a knock sounded on the door. 

“Miss Natasha. Miss Victoria, Master requests your presence at dinner,” the maid called from the entrance.

I didn’t look away from Victoria. 

“Tell him we’ll be there,” Victoria said. 

“Yes, ma’am.”

The maid left the room. 

Silence stretched between us.

Victoria was the first to move. She left the room without another word. 

As soon as she walked out, I slipped into something comfortable. The dining room was already set when I got there.

Our father sat at the head of the table, composed, his expression unreadable. 

Victoria was already seated. I took my seat without a word. The clinking of cutlery filled the room. 

My father was the first to speak. 

“How did your meeting with Tristan go?”

I didn’t look up. I finished my bite before I answered. 

“It went exactly how you expected.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“I’m damn sure it is.”

Victoria huffed a soft laugh. “You could at least try to cooperate, Natasha. This isn’t just about you.”

My gaze snapped toward her. “No, you’re right. It’s about the family. It has always been about the family.”

“Because it is,” Victoria replied calmly. “This marriage benefits us.”

“Why don’t you speak for yourself?”

“Oh, I am,” Victoria said. “Because unlike you, I understand what’s at stake.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Right. What’s at stake. Tell me, Victoria, what exactly is at stake?”

Her expression hardened. “You’re being unreasonable and dramatic.”

“And you’re being shameless,” I fired back. “If you’re so concerned about what’s at stake, like I said earlier, you can take my place.”

Our father set his fork down with a clank.

“That’s enough, you two!”

Neither of us spoke. 

“I will not tolerate this kind of behavior at my table tonight,” he continued sharply. “You will both learn to respect each other. And if you can’t, at least have the decency to respect my presence.” 

I pushed my chair back abruptly and stood. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

“Natasha! Sit back down!”

I left the dining room and headed upstairs. 

It was bad enough I was being sold to a stranger. Now the house was starting to feel suffocating. Or maybe it was just me. 

Either way, it didn’t feel like home anymore.