Chapter 1

Anderson Entertainment

Tatum’s POV

“What do we have to talk about now?” I muttered, already dreading whatever mess this was.

I had just hung up on my father. I needed a break—my head was spinning, and I couldn’t focus on the screen anymore.

I stood and headed to the breakroom for warm water, hoping it would calm me. It didn’t. A call from my father always meant one of two things: trouble or something about the company.

When closing hour finally arrived, I packed my things with a heavy sigh and headed to the parking lot. I got into my car and drove to my father’s mansion. Inside, I found him, my stepmother Anita, and my stepsister Clara already waiting in the living room.

“Good evening, Dad,” I greeted, ignoring the others. There was no need to acknowledge them.

“Good evening,” my father replied.

My gaze drifted to Clara. She wore a limited-edition Louis Vuitton top. It frustrated me, if the company was supposedly struggling, how could she afford designer pieces?

“Can we get to business? I have to pick my brother up from the hospital before it gets late,” I said.

“What happened to Liam? I thought he was better,” Anita asked.

I shot her a glare. “He would have been better if you hadn’t come into our lives. He’s been sick since birth. That’s your fault.”

She fell silent, as usual—always the calm angel in my father’s eyes, while I became the villain.

“You don’t get to talk to my mother like that,” Clara snapped, finally looking up from her phone.

“Here comes the spoiled little bitch,” I shot back.

“Tatum!” my father warned.

I folded my arms. “Why am I here?”

“I called you to inform you of something,” he began, his tone serious.

“What is it?”

“I’ve been speaking with Dayton Voss for weeks. We reached an agreement—a marriage alliance between our families. It will strengthen the company. The marriage will be between you and Arden Voss, the CEO of Voss Corporation.”

My jaw dropped. “What? You decided this without even asking me?”

I was stunned. Arden Voss? The cold, feared CEO? Rumors said he was with Brianna Anderson—the famous actress—and from what I knew, those rumors were true.

“Consent?” my father said sharply. “I don’t need your consent, Tatum. I’m informing you. It’s finalized. There’s no going back.”

“Dad… am I even your daughter?” My voice cracked. “You’re selling me off to the Voss family to save the company? All my life I’ve cleaned up your messes.

The company might be struggling, but Clara is draped in designer clothes. Why can’t she marry into the Voss family? Is she more your daughter? Or are you afraid she’d get hurt?”

He avoided my gaze.

I knew he didn’t love me, but I never imagined he’d go this far—sacrificing my entire future.

“What does your marriage have to do with me?” Clara snapped.

“Shut up, Clara,” Anita said, rolling her eyes.

“I’m not selling you off,” my father insisted. “It’s about saving the company and strengthening our position. You wouldn’t want the business your mother and I built to go bankrupt, would you? You wouldn’t want her hard work to be wasted.”

There it was—the usual manipulation. He always used my mother’s memory as a weapon.

“You dare bring Mom into this?” I shouted, tears burning my eyes. “Who’s responsible for her death? When will you admit you and that woman destroyed her?”

“Now a maid’s daughter has the nerve to talk back to me,” I said.

“Tatum!” Anita called sharply.

“Don’t forget your place, ma’am,” I continued. “You were brought into this house as a maid, and you should remain one. Nothing you did will ever make me forgive you.”

My father brought Anita and her daughter into our home when I was ten and Clara was eight. According to him, they were people in need, and my mother—being kindhearted—accepted them. For five years, we lived together.

Then one day, I came home from school and heard raised voices. My mother and father were arguing, and Anita stood nearby. My mother was eight months pregnant with my little brother. When she saw me, she told the maid to take me to my room.

I tried to understand what was happening, but I couldn’t. The next day, I was reading in my room when I heard my mother scream. I ran out and saw her lying unconscious at the bottom of the staircase. Anita stood not far away.

She never came home from the hospital.

Since then, I raised Liam with the help of maids. Anita tried to help sometimes, but I always pushed her away. It took years before I understood what might have happened—and I still believed she had something to do with it.

I left home at eighteen, taking Liam with me. I couldn’t stay and watch my father build a new family with the woman I blamed for my mother’s death.

I lived every day with the thought of finding out the truth.

“Mom would want me to be happy,” I shot back, refusing to let him use her memory as a weapon.

“Are you going against me?” he asked furiously.

“If it’s about my happiness… yes, I am,” I said firmly.

“Tatum, you have no choice but to agree to this. You can’t keep living like this. Do you think anyone will want to marry you when you walk around with a child?” my father said.

“He’s my brother. I don’t have a problem with that. If you hadn’t killed his mother, I wouldn't walk around with him.”

“He just wants the best for you and the family. Why don’t you leave Liam here for a while?” Anita suggested.

I nearly glared a hole through her.

“He wants the best for himself, not me. There’s no way I will be the reason for another woman’s happiness,” I snapped, grabbing my bag and keys. “I’m leaving.”

I walked out of that so-called mansion and headed to the hospital to pick up my brother. But when I arrived, I was told my friend had already taken him. My phone beeped— a message from my best friend, Amelia.

💬 We are home!

I smiled and headed back.

When I stepped into my apartment, I was greeted by Liam’s smile—the same smile that always told me everything was going to be okay.

“Tatum,” he hugged me, and I patted his hair.

“Welcome back.”

Amelia sat on the couch. “Hey.”

I helped Liam settle in and tucked him into bed before joining Amelia in the living room.

“Your dad set you up with Arden Voss?” she asked, eyes wide.

“Yeah,” I replied, taking a drink.

“But he’s in a relationship with Brianna Anderson!”

“I know. I work at her entertainment company, remember?”

“This is messy, Tatum. That woman is crazy.”

“Tell me about it. We’re already on bad terms. One time she had a huge scandal, and I worked my ass off to fix it. She acted like I caused it. I was like, girl—you ruined your own reputation.”

“She’s always like that,” Amelia nodded. “Most A-listers can’t stand her.”

“Let’s forget about her and focus on me,” I said, exasperated.

“Right. So what’s the plan?”

“I don’t know. My mind is a mess.”

“Why not meet with Arden and talk it out?” she suggested.

“Meet Arden? What kind of suggestion is that? That man is arrogant as hell. The last time I saw him at an event, I bumped into him slightly, and his gaze practically sent me six feet under.”

“I don’t know! I’m struggling to find a way out of this too,” Amelia admitted. “But look—Arden is a reasonable man. He might not even want this marriage. Just try talking to him.”

I squinted at her. “You have no idea what he’s thinking. There’s no way he wants this either. We’re just stuck with each other, and I think he might have a way out.”

“Exactly my point,” Amelia said, sipping her coffee.

“Drinking coffee at night? You’re in for a long night,” I teased.

She smiled. “Gotta read these scripts.”

But my mind drifted back to Liam. If I got married, what would happen to him? There was no way I could do this. I had to meet Arden tomorrow and end this ridiculous arranged marriage.