Chapter 5

NIGHT

The drive to Arden’s mansion felt endless.

Liam was asleep on my lap in the back seat, his tiny fingers curled into my dress as if he was afraid even in his dreams. The driver’s eyes stayed fixed on the road, silent, careful — as though even breathing too loudly might shatter whatever fragile control I had left.

But my mind wasn’t here.

It was stuck on Arden’s face earlier.

That look.

That warning.

It could have been anyone but him.

He doesn’t get to threaten me.

He doesn’t get to control me.

Not after trying to dismiss me like a cheap transaction in that restaurant.

I swallowed hard.

“We’re here, ma’am,” the driver said gently.

Already?

It felt like we had just left.

He honked to signal the gate.

Nothing.

He stepped out, spoke with the guards, then returned.

“Any problem?” I asked, though I already knew.

“The guard said he was instructed not to open the gate until Mr. Arden comes back.”

Of course.

Petty. Arrogant. Calculating.

I told the driver to turn off the AC — Liam catches cold easily because of his condition. The driver obeyed immediately, concern flashing across his face.

We waited.

And waited.

Until finally, headlights sliced through the darkness.

Arden.

The gates opened instantly.

The driver rushed back in and drove us inside.

The car stopped.

I stepped out, lifting Liam carefully into my arms. The driver offered to help but I shook my head. I’ve carried my brother through worse.

The maids rushed to take my luggage.

Arden didn’t even spare me a glance.

He walked inside like I didn’t exist.

The audacity.

I followed him.

“You know,” I called sharply, “a small gesture of apology wouldn’t kill you in a situation like this.”

He stopped.

Turned slowly.

“What did you say?”

“Your girlfriend harassed me. You left me outside the gate like a stray dog. Do you think I’m thrilled to be here?”

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he signaled to a maid.

“Take the boy to a room.”

The maid hurried away with Liam.

Then he faced me again.

“I hate it when I’m exhausted and someone keeps talking in my face,” he said coldly. “Get out of my sight. You despise me.”

And just like that — he walked away.

Something twisted inside my chest.

I expected cruelty.

But it still hurt.

“That bastard…” I muttered under my breath.

The driver from earlier approached me and handed me a car key.

“Mr. Dayton asked me to give this to you. He said it’s your wedding gift.”

Wedding gift?

A car?

“How exactly am I supposed to drive that to work without people asking questions?” I whispered to myself as I walked toward my assigned room.

This marriage wasn’t a blessing.

It was a cage wrapped in gold.

ARDEN'S POV

I never imagined I would be entangled in this type of situation this early in my life. I always prayed the old man would show no interest in me — the same way he showed no interest in Xavier.

Xavier — the unwanted heir

Xavier’s mother left the family when he was a kid. His father died not long after he was born — even before I came into the world, since we were only a year apart. The old man made that woman’s life a living hell. Her husband had married her against the old man’s wishes, and because of it, her own family cut ties with the Voss name and dragged her back home.

If my father had been as brave as his elder brother, maybe my life would have been different — better. I envy that courage. But the old man’s manipulation shaped me when I was young. I despise him. I cannot even stand his presence.

Seeing him with that so-called Tatum made my blood boil. I don’t want her anywhere near me.

I was dressed for work and about to leave when a young kid bumped into me and fell. His round cheeks reminded me of Amelia when she was small — the way I used to play with her cheeks because they were soft and chubby.

I knelt and helped him up.

“What’s your name, little guy?” I asked.

“Liam,” he said, looking around for his sister.

I called a maid to help him find her room, but I already saw her walking toward us, fully dressed.

I cleared my throat and stood up. I avoided her gaze and headed for the door, but her sharp voice stopped me.

“I would appreciate it if you could tell your girlfriend to stay out of my life from now on. I’ve had enough of her troubles. Tell her she has nothing to worry about — her man isn’t that interesting to me.”

I continued walking. I didn’t react

I kept walking, not looking back.

TATUM'S POV

He continued walking. He didn’t react. But I swear I saw something flicker in his eyes when I said he wasn’t interesting.

He kept walking, not looking back.

“Arrogant bastard,” I muttered under my breath.

I turned to Liam, and he smiled at me.

“Let’s get you ready for your first day at your new school.”

Then I received a message — the driver would be late.

I couldn’t leave my brother alone in this empty mansion. So I decided to drop him off with Amelia before heading to work. She had called me late last night, telling me how much she missed Liam.

I dressed him, and we had breakfast prepared by the maids.

When we reached the car, I hesitated for a moment before unlocking it. I opened the back door, and Liam climbed in with his small backpack. I got in beside him.

I drove out of the estate, but halfway down the road I remembered the file I had forgotten.

I pulled over in front of the building.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” I told Liam.

He nodded.

I left him in the car and hurried back inside to retrieve what I had forgotten — unaware of what was about to happen.

BRIANNA’S POV

I drove into the mansion estate and noticed a new car parked at the front. For a moment I froze — I had forgotten Arden mentioned that bitch moving in yesterday.

Anger surged through me.

I stared at the car.

Movement inside it caught my eye.

I hated her so much that I didn’t care if she died. I just wanted her erased — gone from existence.

I stepped on the accelerator.

Hard.

The car shot forward in an uneven burst of speed.

I rammed into the car from behind.

The impact jolted through me.

I didn’t even care if I got hurt.

After the collision, my vision blurred.

For a second I couldn’t breathe.

Then I heard it.

A scream from the mansion.

I looked up.

She was standing there.

Eyes wide.

Shocked.

“Liam!!"

Her voice shattered the air.

The name hit me like a slap.

My senses returned in a rush.

“What have I done?” I whispered.

I tried to reverse.

But a car blocked me from behind.

Guards rushed to the scene, pulling the boy out.

He was bleeding.

So much blood.

The sight made my stomach twist.

Tatum was shaking, rushing toward him, crying out his name.

I froze.

My hands trembled on the wheel.

I hadn’t meant this.

I didn’t want this

.

But it had happened.

And there was no taking it back.

TATUM’S POV

I got the file I was looking for and was about to return to the car when it happened.

A car rammed into mine from behind.

Hard.

The sound split the air.

My mind went blank.

Guards sprinted toward the wreck

I saw them pulling my brother out.

Liam.

Blood.

So much blood.

For a second I couldn’t breathe.

I rushed toward him, ignoring the crushed metal, ignoring the screams.

He was in the guards’ arms, barely conscious, his tiny body trembling.

Blood stained his clothes.

His face.

I collapsed beside him.

“No… no, Liam… stay with me.”

The guards tried to steady him, voices frantic as they called for an ambulance.

But I barely heard them.

All I saw was my brother.

Bleeding.

Broken.

In my arms.

I cried.

Not silent tears — ugly, choking sobs.

My world shrank to that moment.

To the way his eyes fluttered.

To the way he tried to speak but couldn’t.

And then I saw her.

Brianna.

She stepped out of the car behind mine.

Her head was bleeding.

Glass or impact — I didn’t care.

I didn’t feel sympathy.

I felt rage.

Pure, consuming rage.

“You monster!”

I launched at her.

I would have hit her.

I needed to.

But a hand caught me mid-air.

Arden.

Again.

Why was he here?

He had left for work.

He should have been gone.

“Let go of me!” I screamed, struggling against his grip.

“Can’t you see she’s also hurt?” he shouted.

The words hit me like a slap.

Hurt?

Hurt?

I stared at him.

Disbelief burning through my veins.

“She hit my car thinking I was in it!” I yelled. “She hurt my brother! Do you even see him? Look at him!”

My voice broke.

I pointed toward Liam.

Bleeding.

Small.

Helpless.

Arden’s hand dropped.

For a second I thought he understood.

Then he turned to Brianna.

“Is that true?” he asked.

Brianna shivered, eyes wide.

“It was an accident,” she said quickly. “I lost control. I didn’t even know it was hers.”

A lie.

I saw it.

I saw the way she looked at the car before hitting it.

I saw the hatred.

The intent.

She meant it.

She wanted to hurt me.

“I lost control,” she repeated, tears forming — fake, rehearsed.

Arden exhaled.

“She said it was an accident,” he told me. “She would never go this far to hurt you.”

My throat tightened.

Would never?

I stared at him.

Really stared.

And something inside me shattered.

“I didn’t mean to,” Brianna added, voice trembling.

More lies.

I looked at my brother.

I always knew this marriage would cost me something, but I never imagined it would endanger the only person I had left.

Liam was everything to me.

Now I regret not ending this cursed, twisted arrangement when I had the chance.

I never thought Arden could be this cruel… this blind to my pain.

I never knew he could be such a jerk.

“This is my brother’s life we are talking about!” I screamed.

Arden didn’t budge.

“Get him in my car, Veir,” he ordered, voice disturbingly calm. “Take him to the hospital immediately. He can’t wait for the ambulance.”

They lifted Liam away.

Blood.

Small hands.

Eyes barely open.

My chest shattered.

I tried to follow.

I had to.

But Arden pulled me back.

“Go calm yourself down,” he said sharply. “Your brother is hurt and the first thing you did was attack someone who was also injured. You should reflect on yourself."

His words sliced through me.

Like glass.

I hated that a part of me understood it.

I shouldn’t have lunged at Brianna.

I should have held Liam.

I should have focused on him.

But understanding didn’t erase what I saw.

I saw her hit the car.

I saw the intent.

I will never forget it.

“You will pay for this, Brianna. And you too, Arden,” I said, voice trembling with rage.

I brushed past them.

No more arguments.

No more tears.

I needed to get to the hospital.

To my brother.

To the only family I had left.

I hailed a cab.

Hands shaking.

Heart pounding.

As the car pulled away, I looked back.

Arden stood there.

Beside Brianna.

Defending her.

Believing her lies.

While my brother fought for his life.

I swallowed the scream clawing at my throat.

If anything happens to my brother because of this arranged marriage, I will kill everyone involved in this arrangement even the Hollis.

I meant it.

Every word.

And somewhere deep down, I knew the truth—

This wasn’t just an accident.

It was the beginning of something that would destroy us all.