Chapter 4

Before Hailey could reach the taxi stand, a sleek black Bentley stopped beside her.

The front passenger door opened.

A man dressed in black stepped out.

Hailey recognized him immediately.

The bodyguard from last night.

The same man who had mistaken her for Belle and brought her to Travis’s suite.

Hailey’s expression hardened.

The bodyguard opened the back door.

“Young Madam, please get in.”

Young Madam.

Hailey still wasn’t used to hearing that.

Then she looked inside the car.

Her heart sank.

Travis Blake sat in the back seat.

Of course.

Of all the people she wanted to avoid right now, it had to be him.

The hospital entrance was crowded with people. Hailey could already imagine what would happen if someone from the Blake family saw her refusing to enter Travis’s car.

She had become Calvin Blake’s wife that morning.

By noon, she was his widow.

She did not need gossip added to the list.

Without arguing, Hailey got inside.

The door closed.

Travis didn’t look at her.

Neither of them spoke.

The Bentley pulled away from the hospital.

Hailey stared out the window.

One minute passed.

Then another.

Where exactly was he taking her?

“Can you stop at the bus stop ahead?” she finally asked the driver.

Samuel glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

Before he could answer, Travis spoke.

“There isn’t a bus stop within two kilometers of Blake Manor.”

Hailey turned toward him.

“Who said I’m going back to Blake Manor?”

That got his attention.

Travis slowly looked at her.

Hailey continued before she lost her nerve.

“Calvin is gone. I don't see any reason for me to stay there.”

She had barely spent any time at the estate.

It wasn’t her home.

Calvin was no longer there.

Why should she remain?

Travis’s expression cooled.

“You married into the Blake family.”

“My husband died.”

“That doesn't erase the marriage.”

Hailey stared at him.

“What exactly do you expect me to do there?”

“That's something the family will decide.”

A bitter laugh almost escaped her.

Of course.

The family would decide.

Just like Denver had decided she would marry Calvin.

Just like everyone seemed determined to decide what happened to her life.

Hailey turned back toward the window.

“I want to go home.”

“You are going home.”

Her eyes flashed.

“Blake Manor is not my home.”

Silence filled the car.

Samuel kept his eyes firmly on the road.

Travis studied Hailey for several seconds.

“Calvin asked you to take care of Rowena.”

The reminder immediately silenced her.

Hailey remembered Calvin lying weakly on the hospital bed.

Please take care of my mother after I'm gone.

Her anger faded.

She had known Calvin for less than an hour, but those had been among his final words.

Travis noticed the change in her expression.

“You gave him your word.”

“I know.”

“Then stop trying to disappear.”

Hailey looked at him sharply.

“I wasn't disappearing. I was going home.”

“You're part of the Blake family now. Whether you like it or not.”

Hailey clenched her fingers together.

Denver's warning returned to her.

When you enter the Blake family, smile. Endure. Don't provoke them.

Especially Travis.

Hailey hated taking Denver's advice.

But she had another reason to avoid creating trouble.

Her sick uncle needed help.

And the Blake family had resources she could never afford on her own.

For now, she needed to survive this strange arrangement.

Travis suddenly spoke again.

“There's something I still don't understand.”

Hailey immediately became wary.

“What?”

“Last night.”

Her stomach tightened.

She had hoped they would never discuss it again.

Travis turned toward her.

“You knew eventually that my man had mistaken you for someone else.”

Hailey said nothing.

“You knew you weren't Belle.”

“I told you that already.”

“And yet you stayed.”

There it was.

The question she did not want to answer.

Hailey looked away.

“That was my mistake.”

“Why?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes.”

She turned back to him.

“Why?”

His expression remained unreadable.

“Because I don't like unanswered questions.”

Hailey almost laughed.

“And I don't like being interrogated.”

Samuel's eyes flicked toward the rearview mirror.

Apparently, people did not usually speak to Travis Blake that way.

Travis's gaze sharpened.

“Were you trying to get something from me?”

“No.”

“Did you know who I was?”

“No.”

His expression changed slightly.

Hailey took a breath.

“I had never seen your picture. I didn't know you were Travis Blake.”

He watched her carefully.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I don't care what you believe.”

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Hailey immediately remembered Denver's warning.

Don't provoke him.

Wonderful.

She was doing an excellent job.

Travis leaned back against the seat.

Instead of becoming angry, however, he simply studied her.

That somehow made Hailey more uncomfortable.

Finally, he asked, “Then why stay?”

Hailey's confidence disappeared.

Because her ex-boyfriend had just gotten engaged.

Because she was angry.

Because she knew she was about to marry a dying stranger.

Because for one night, she had desperately wanted to make a choice that belonged only to her.

But Travis did not deserve those answers.

“It was a bad decision.”

His eyes remained on her.

“One you regret?”

Hailey met his gaze.

Then she remembered waking beside him and hearing another woman's name.

“Yes.”

The answer came without hesitation.

Something shifted in Travis's expression.

It disappeared so quickly that Hailey couldn't understand it.

He turned toward the window.

“Good.”

Hailey frowned.

Why did that single word irritate her so much?

Neither spoke again.

---

By the time they reached Blake Manor, the estate looked completely different.

The decorations from the marriage had already been removed.

The red lanterns were gone.

The cheerful signs had disappeared.

The entire estate seemed to have fallen into mourning.

Hailey stepped out of the car.

Her chest tightened.

That morning, she had arrived here as a bride.

Now she had returned as a widow.

Travis walked toward the entrance without waiting for her.

Hailey followed several steps behind.

The moment they entered, the butler hurried toward them.

“Eldest Master.”

Travis gave him a brief nod.

“Where is Rowena?”

“She's resting. The doctor has already been called to the estate.”

“And Grandmother?”

“In the prayer room.”

Travis started walking away.

Hailey remained near the entrance.

Maybe this was her chance to disappear upstairs.

Then Travis stopped.

Without turning around, he said, “Hailey.”

She blinked.

It was the first time he had used her name.

“What?”

“Come with me.”

Every servant nearby looked at her.

Hailey immediately felt their attention.

Some looked curious.

Others whispered among themselves.

She could almost guess what they were thinking.

Calvin had married her that morning.

Hours later, he was dead.

People who believed strongly enough in lucky horoscopes to arrange a marriage for a dying man could just as easily decide that his new bride had brought bad luck instead.

Hailey lifted her chin.

She had spent too much of her life being treated like she did not belong.

She refused to shrink now.

“Where are we going?”

Travis finally looked back at her.

“To see Grandmother.”

Hailey's stomach dropped.

The matriarch.

The woman who had arranged this marriage.

The woman who had believed Hailey might somehow change Calvin's fate.

Calvin was dead.

And now Hailey had to face her.

Travis watched her expression.

“Nervous?”

“No.”

One corner of his mouth moved slightly.

“You're a terrible liar.”

Hailey glared at him.

For the first time that day, Travis almost smiled.

Then the prayer-room doors opened.

The butler stepped outside.

His expression was grim.

“Young Madam,” he said quietly. “The matriarch wants to see you alone.”

Hailey's faint confidence vanished.

Behind her, the servants fell silent.

She looked at Travis.

He gave nothing away.

Hailey slowly turned toward the open doors.

That morning, the Blake family had welcomed her because they believed she could save Calvin.

Now Calvin was dead.

Hailey had a terrible feeling they were about to decide exactly who should be blamed.