All Chapters of Forbidden: His Father's Desire: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

KELVIN’S POVI haven’t slept properly in three days, every time I close my eyes, I hear the same sentence.*“We’re getting engaged.”* Austin said it so casualy. I stare through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse while the Beverly Hills skyline slowly brightens with morning light.The city is waking up, my coffee has gone cold and I haven’t touched it.A notification flashes across my tablet. 7:00 A.M. +Strategy Meeting* another follows, *Marcus Webb requesting update on acquisition negotiations* then another, *board presentation finalized.*Normally work fixes everything, I bury myself in numbers until emotions stop being relevant but today it isn’t working because every thought somehow circles back to her.Sandra, the way she looked at me yesterday, the way her face changed when Austin announced the engagement.The way neither of us could say a damn thing. My phone vibrates, my assistant. “Good morning, Mr. Clayton.”“Morning.”“Your car is downstairs.” I grab my jacket. Ti

SANDRA’S POV“I already told Austin I’m not interested in pretending everything is fine.” Dad looks up from his laptop. “You’re not pretending anything.”“Yes, I am.”“Sandra.” The warning in his voice makes me stop pacing. We’re sitting in his home office surrounded by contracts, financial reports, and enough paperwork to give me a headache.“The gala matters,” he says calmly. “Not because of Austin.” I cross my arms. “Then why?”“Because half the investors attending will decide whether this company survives the next two years.”That lands damn it, dad notices immediately. “Exactly.” I sink into the chair opposite him.“You don’t have to smile, you don’t have to entertain anyone, just show up.”“Dad…..”“Please.” The single word ends the argument because he doesn’t sound like a businessman. He sounds like my father trying to keep everything together.I look away first. “Fine.” He lets out a slow breath.“Thank you.”The boutique sits in the middle of Beverly Hills surrounded by luxury

SANDRA’S POVI know something is wrong before I even get out of bed because my phone won’t stop vibrating, messages, notifications, missed calls and more notifications lighting up the screen while I stare at the ceiling and dread looking at it.Lena* Call me immediately* Pamela *Sandra, have you seen this?* Unknown Number *Is it true about Kelvin Clayton?* My stomach drops slowly as I unlock the phone. A photo fills the screen from the gala balcony, Kelvin and I standing far too close, looking at each other like we’d forgotten the rest of the world existed. Nothing happened, no kiss, no touch, nothing scandalous, but the angle tells a different story, making the moment look intimate, private, like two people sharing something they were never supposed to share.My pulse pounds as I scroll lower through entertainment blogs, business websites, and social media accounts, only to find the same photo everywhere, with everyone suddenly convinced they know the story behind it.KELVIN CLAYTON

Sandra’s POVThe ring feels heavy, I keep twisting it around my finger during class until I finally slide it off and shove it into the front pocket of my backpack before anyone can notice.My phone hasn’t stopped vibrating since yesterday as messages, comments, tags, photos, and congratulations from people I barely know keep flooding in, and everywhere I look, somebody seems excited about an engagement I never even agreed to.A girl from one of my architecture classes stops me outside the studio. “Oh my God, Sandra!” I force a smile immediately. “Congratulations!”“Thanks.” “She posted the proposal video, It was so romantic.” My stomach drops. “She?”“Austin’s cousin.”“Anyway,” she continues excitedly, “the ring is gorgeous.” My hand automatically disappears into my jacket pocket. “Yeah.”“You’re so lucky.” I mumble something polite and escape before she can keep talking. The second she disappears around the corner, I pull out my phone.The video is everywhere, Austin standing in fro

Sandra’s POVI stare at the message for ten straight minutes, letting the screen go dark and waking it again, because the question isn’t difficult to answer, the problem is that I already know the answer and I don’t want to see it written out loud.I set the phone face down on my desk, thirty seconds later I pick it up again and the message is still there.My architecture sketches sit spread across my desk. Measurements, drafts, deadlines. Things that should matter more than this.Instead I’m staring at a text from Austin’s father. I grab my pencil and force myself to work.One line then another then I erase both. The sketch looks worse than before. I shove the pencil aside and my phone lights up with Austin messages. *Where are you?* Another message arrives. *We need to start discussing dates.* Another. *Call me when you’re free.*I stare at the screen then lock it without reply. Lately every conversation with him feels exhausting before it even starts.The smell of coffee drifts thr