The Chosen Bride
I ran a hand down my face, “I’ll do the rest.”
My father exhaled and leaned back in his chair, the lines around his mouth deeper than usual. “When the marriage was arranged,” he said slowly, “it wasn’t just about uniting two families. That was the public reason. The easy reason.”
I folded my arms. “Then give me the real one.” He hesitated. And that alone told me everything.
“It was supposed to be Gianna,” he said. “That was the deal. Everyone agreed it made the most sense, she was the eldest, poised, already involved in some of the legitimate business. But then… suddenly… it changed. Your bride changed.”