illa'

ut it was nothing compared to the ache clawing at my chest. The whiske

ded a

ord inked on that page felt like venom seeping into my veins. I stood in the

My voice was sharper than I expected, slic

is pressed shirt, coffee cup in hand, as c

he's even will

her, hoping she'd defend me, but she only shifted

apped. "I don't even kno

room. His tone was iron, unyielding. "This isn't about rights, Camilla. This is

hed. My own fa

e blam

ou insisted. You paraded your heartbreak in front of the world, and you let the media fee

words cut deep, sharper tha

ing for just a moment, almost too quiet to not

ke my father and more like a tired man who'd run out

d around the edge of the table. "You think

idn't want it to come to this, sweetheart. But

ng with grief. "You could have

narrowed. "Would

tween us was m

"You're marrying him. That's final. I won't let your pride bury thi

cked. "And i

k back. His w

er calling yours

ther, desperation clawing at me. "Mom, you have to do something. I

he calm, unshakable mask she always wore. She wrapped her arms

"your father's mind is m

ing. "This isn't right, Mom.

soft, but her words cut sharper than my father

t me." My voice trembled with rage. "It's not my fault the

or the first time, he

price. That is why marrying Travis Walker is the best decis

. My mouth opened, but no sound came.

t me choose. I don't love th

And what happened to

ugh to reopen every wound. She saw the

ather was arranged too. Look at us n

hem tightly, as if she could

another way, we would have

iefly before turning away, her fo

ng on my cheeks. Something inside me shifted

o this, then I would face T

-

Sunlight streamed through tall window. People around me lau

booth, arms crossed,

:5

time to run. But I stayed, my f

ying him. T

f my cheek to keep

d up. A man in dark pants and a blue T-

His voice was c

ou're late,

with a small shru

to steady my voice. "So,

that message doesn't want to

at's why I came to you. Don

that. I just n

f you need more money, I'l

s a location. An old hotel. But when I pulled the CC

slumped. Ba

t footage? Anything?" My

"but those were erased too. So

"I'm sorry,

d left the café with disapp

s words echoed in my head

would die, the investors would return, and I wouldn't

ally was fo

g as my breath came in shallow bursts. The contract sat

ched for the file. My eye

is W

my laptop. Within seconds, his

es wi

could

ll p

none other than the arrogant, coffee-sp