Chapter 4

Avery Winters

“Are y’all just going to sit there and keep staring at me, or is someone going to say something?!” I asked, my voice laced with anger.

Nathan, Sarah, Scarlet, and I had just gotten home, and I immediately confronted them about what Alex had told me earlier at the wedding. Yet, everyone remained silent.

My parents.

Nathan.

No one was willing to say a word. They all looked like children caught stealing meat from the pot.

On our way home, my siblings kept asking me what was wrong because I’d been unusually quiet throughout the ride, but I didn’t answer.

“Say something and stop standing there like you’ve all suddenly lost your voices!” I snapped again, struggling to hold back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

I didn’t even know whether any of this was true or not, but if it was… I wanted to know why they would do this to me. Was it because I wasn’t their biological daughter? Because I wasn’t related to them by blood?

“That’s enough of this nonsense, Avery. I won’t stand here and watch you speak to Mom and Dad like that,” Sarah said, glaring at me.

To this day, I still had no idea how Sarah truly felt about me. Was it hatred? Anger? Love? I honestly couldn’t tell. One moment she was kind to me, and the next, she looked as though she wanted to strangle me. It was as if she secretly hated me.

“I’m not disrespecting them. Can’t you see that?” I shot back. “Finding out from an outsider that your marriage has already been arranged without your knowledge is one of the worst feelings imaginable. Right now, I feel like I don’t belong in this family at all. Can’t you see how much this hurts me?”

“I don’t know what nonsense you’re talking about, but why on earth would Mom and Dad arrange your marriage to the same man none of us wants you anywhere near?” she asked, raising an eyebrow as she folded her arms across her chest.

“Exactly! That’s why I’m asking them to tell me the truth. But as you can see, they’ve all suddenly gone mute. No one is willing to say anything.”

“Mom… Dad… please say something. What’s going on?” Scarlet asked softly.

Mom looked at me, and without warning, she burst into tears.

My heart skipped painfully.

Please… don’t let this be what I’m thinking.

“It all started a few years ago,” Dad began with a heavy sigh. He looked exhausted and defeated. Mom and Nathan wore the same expression.

“My company suddenly stopped growing, and we were on the verge of bankruptcy. I borrowed a huge amount of money from a close friend to get the business back on its feet, promising I would pay him back.”

“I tried. I truly did. I paid him little by little, but eventually I couldn’t keep up. Then, out of nowhere, he demanded the entire balance immediately. He gave me a deadline to repay everything I owed him. Jonathan found out about it and even sold all his company shares to help, but it still wasn’t enough. The debt was simply too large.”

“Alexander overheard our conversation and offered to help. But in return…” He paused before looking directly at me. “He asked for your hand in marriage.”

A dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips.

“We didn’t-”

“So you’re trying to tell me…” I cut him off before he could complete his sentence, my voice trembling with disbelief. “You sold me to a stranger because of money?”

“Avery, sweetheart, Alexander isn’t a stranger,” Mom cried. “We’ve known him since he was a little boy. He’s your brother’s best friend, and I’m sure he’ll take good care of you. He told us he loves you.”

How did we get here?

Just a few days ago, everything was fine.

Everyone was happy.

First Lucas… And now?

The very people I considered my family?

“Mom, please stop saying that!” I cried. “You know exactly who Alexander Reed is. He’s a Casanova! We all know what he’s capable of. Whenever he wants something, he gets it at all costs. He doesn’t need me— he wants me. He only wants me to satisfy his lust. He’s never going to settle down with someone like me.”

“And what makes you so sure I could never settle down with a woman like you?”

The familiar voice came from behind me.

Everyone turned toward the entrance.

Alex was standing by the front door.

My eyes widened in horror.

What was he doing in my house?

With both hands tucked into his pockets, he walked toward us.

“What are you doing here?” I shot him a cold glare.

“I’m here to make you understand that none of this is your parents’ fault. I asked them for your hand in marriage because I love you. I want you to become my wife. This has nothing to do with your father’s company. This is about me.”

It irritated me how calm he looked in a situation like this.

For goodness’ sake, this wasn’t some business meeting.

“And you expect me to believe that?” I scoffed before turning back to my parents.

“I thought you all loved me like your own daughter. But what you’ve done today only proves that I’ll never be anything more than your adopted child.” I said, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.

“Ave—”

Before Nathan could finish, I turned around and ran upstairs to my room.

The moment I stepped inside, fresh tears poured down my cheeks.

“Avery! Avery!”

Sarah’s voice echoed through the hallway before my bedroom door flew open and she stormed inside.

I didn’t even look at her.

Instead, I walked straight to my wardrobe, threw it open, and began packing my belongings.

“Whatever that nonsense was downstairs—”

She suddenly stopped speaking when she noticed what I was doing.

“What in the world are you doing?”

I ignored her and continued packing.

“I’m talking to you, Avery! What is all this?” she shouted before snatching the clothes from my hands and throwing them across the room.

“Don’t tell me you’re actually leaving because they asked you to marry Alex.”

A deep sigh escaped my lips as I rolled my eyes.

“I’m not in the mood for your tantrums this evening, Sarah. I would appreciate it if you’d just leave me alone.”

“You must be out of your mind if you think running away is the solution. After everything Mom and Dad have done for you, you can’t even do this one little favor for them? Instead, you’re choosing to leave?” She let out a mocking laugh. “Wow… what an ingrate.”

“An ingrate?” I repeated in disbelief. “You call this being an ingrate? After everything they’ve done for me, I’ve always been grateful! I’ve always loved Mom and Dad with all my heart! I’ve always done everything they’ve asked of me. But this…” My voice cracked. “How is this fair?”

“And what’s so unfair about it?”

“You know I’ll never be happy with Alexander! He doesn’t love me! All he wants is to get between my legs, and you know that better than anyone. An arranged marriage with him is completely out of the question!”

“I don’t care how you feel or what you think about Alex.” Sarah’s voice turned cold and resolute. “My father’s company is about to go bankrupt, and you’re the only one who can save it. If marrying Alex is the only option left… then so be it!”