"I don't care who hears!" Kate's hands trembled as she backed toward the window. "You never cared about me or my parents. All you've ever wanted was the company!"
His jaw tightened, a vein pulsing at his temple. "Watch your tongue, girl. I've been managing this family's affairs while you played at being a university student."
"You've been waiting for this," Kate whispered, the realization hitting her like ice water. "You've been waiting for them to die."
The slap came so fast she didn't see it coming.
Kate's head snapped to the side, her cheek exploding in pain. She stumbled backward, catching herself on the windowsill, tasting blood where her teeth had cut her inner lip.
"How dare you," Mr. Carlos growled, his hand still raised. "Your father was my brother. My blood."
Kate touched her burning cheek, eyes blazing with tears-not of sadness, but pure rage. "Then why are you doing this? Why are you forcing me into this marriage?"
"Because you'll destroy everything!" He slammed his fist on her desk, sending framed photographs crashing to the floor. Glass shattered. "The board has no confidence in you. Investors are already pulling out. In three months, Jones Constructions will be bankrupt, and everything your parents built will be gone!"
"So you arranged this," Kate said, her voice dropping to something cold and dangerous. "You arranged this marriage before the will was even read."
Mr. Carlos' silence was answer enough.
"Get out," Kate whispered.
"William Dray arrives in two weeks," he said, straightening his jacket as though nothing had happened. "You will meet him. You will be gracious. And you will accept his proposal." He walked to the door, pausing at the threshold. "Or I'll make sure the board declares you mentally unfit to run the company. Grief does terrible things to young minds, after all."
The door clicked shut.
Kate stood frozen, her reflection staring back from the darkened window-a young woman with a red handprint blooming across her pale cheek, surrounded by the shattered remnants of her former life.
She thought of her father's words: *"Family is the most important thing, Kate. No matter what happens, always remember that."*
But as she looked at the broken glass scattered across the floor, she realized her father had been wrong.
Sometimes family was the most dangerous thing of all.
---
*Three days earlier*
Kate Jones sat by the balcony, sipping her warm tea as the rays of the morning sun shone on the garden. The sweet scent of flowers filled the air, and the chirping of birds made the moment peaceful. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply, enjoying the moment.
She had everything she ever wished for-a loving family, a beautiful home, and a promising future. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, owned one of the most successful construction companies in the city.
They had worked hard for years, turning their small business into an empire. And as their only child, Kate had grown up surrounded by love, wealth, and the security that came with knowledge that her future was already set.
Her father always said, "Family is the most important thing, Kate. No matter what happens, always remember that."
And she believed him.
Kate's mother, Evelyn, was more than just a mother to her-she was her best friend. They would often spend hours together, talking about everything and nothing. Whether it was fashion, business, or dreams of the future, her mother always had the right words to say.
At twenty-two, Kate was ready to take on the world. She graduated with a degree in business administration and was preparing to officially join her parents' company.
She had big plans-big ones. She wanted to expand her parents' company, introducing new ideas, and making her parents proud.
But life had other plans.
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