Chapter 1 :The Wedding Disaster

The Blackwood Mansion had never looked more beautiful.

Thousands of white roses covered the estate like a blanket of snow.

Crystal chandeliers glittered overhead.

A live orchestra played soft music.

Luxury cars lined the driveway.

The wedding of billionaire heir Blackwood Edward and socialite Sophia Jose was already being called the event of the year.

Reporters crowded outside the gates.

Inside, everyone was smiling.

Well...

Almost everyone.

Debbie Jose stood in front of a mirror, trying to convince herself that wearing six-inch heels wasn't a form of torture.

She wobbled.

Nearly fell.

Caught herself.

Then glared at her reflection.

"Women have fought dragons, survived wars, and crossed oceans."

She adjusted her shoe.

"But whoever invented these heels deserves prison."

Her best friend Mia burst out laughing.

"You know normal people don't talk to themselves."

Debbie shrugged.

"Normal people aren't attending a billionaire wedding."

"Fair point."

Mia helped straighten Debbie's dress.

Unlike her older sister Sophia, Debbie had never enjoyed attention.

Sophia loved cameras.

Sophia loved parties.

Sophia loved being admired.

Debbie preferred books, coffee, and avoiding unnecessary human interaction.

Which was exactly why she was hiding upstairs while hundreds of guests celebrated downstairs.

Her phone suddenly buzzed.

SOPHIA.

Debbie smiled.

Finally.

Her sister had been impossible to reach all morning.

She opened the message.

Her smile disappeared instantly.

I'm sorry.

Three words.

Nothing else.

Debbie frowned.

"What kind of message is that?"

"What happened?" Mia asked.

Debbie showed her.

Mia's face paled.

"That's weird."

Very weird.

Debbie immediately called.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

Again.

Straight to voicemail.

A strange feeling settled in her stomach.

Sophia never ignored her calls.

Never.

Not even when they were fighting.

Especially not on her wedding day.

"Maybe she's nervous."

Mia sounded unconvinced.

Debbie wasn't convinced either.

The church bells suddenly rang through the mansion.

The ceremony was about to begin.

Then came screaming.

Real screaming.

The kind that immediately tells you something has gone horribly wrong.

Debbie and Mia exchanged looks.

"Oh no."

"Oh no."

They sprinted downstairs.

Chaos greeted them.

Bridesmaids were crying.

Staff members were running in every direction.

The wedding planner looked seconds away from cardiac arrest.

"What happened?" Debbie asked.

Nobody answered.

Then she spotted her mother.

Her makeup was ruined.

Her eyes were red.

And she looked terrified.

Debbie's heart dropped.

"Mom?"

Her mother grabbed both of her shoulders.

"Sophia is gone."

The world stopped.

"What?"

"She's gone."

Debbie blinked.

"No."

"We searched everywhere."

"No."

"Her room is empty."

"No."

The word kept falling from Debbie's lips.

It couldn't be true.

Sophia wouldn't do this.

Would she?

The crowd suddenly parted.

A tall man emerged.

Black tuxedo.

Sharp jawline.

Stormy grey eyes.

Blackwood Edward.

The groom.

The billionaire.

The man who looked like he had personally declared war on happiness.

Silence swept across the room.

Even the orchestra stopped playing.

Edward looked calm.

Too calm.

The dangerous kind of calm.

The kind that comes right before an explosion.

"Everyone leave."

His voice was cold.

Nobody moved.

"Now."

Guests practically ran.

Within minutes only close family remained.

Debbie watched him.

For years she had heard stories about Blackwood Edward.

Brilliant businessman.

Young billionaire.

Heartbreaker.

Workaholic.

Intimidating.

Arrogant.

And annoyingly handsome.

Unfortunately, that last one was true.

Even while furious, the man looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine.

Life was unfair.

Edward held up his phone.

A message glowed on the screen.

I can't do this.

Don't look for me.

I'm sorry.

Sophia.

The room fell silent.

Debbie felt sick.

Sophia had run away.

On her wedding day.

From one of the richest men in the country.

Inside a mansion filled with reporters.

This wasn't a disaster.

This was a catastrophe.

Then came a voice.

A terrifying voice.

"Enough."

Everyone turned.

Eleanor Blackwood.

Edward's grandmother.

The true ruler of the Blackwood empire.

The woman could probably scare lions.

She slowly stood.

The room immediately obeyed.

Her sharp gaze landed on Debbie.

And stayed there.

Debbie suddenly felt like prey.

"Debbie Jose."

Uh-oh.

Nothing good ever followed being called by your full name.

"Yes?"

"Come here."

Debbie wanted to run.

Instead, she walked forward.

Eleanor studied her carefully.

Then smiled.

Which somehow felt even more dangerous.

"I have a solution."

Debbie immediately hated those words.

"What solution?"

Eleanor folded her hands.

"You will marry Edward."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Even the birds outside seemed shocked.

Debbie blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then pointed at herself.

"Me?"

"Yes."

Debbie laughed.

Nobody joined her.

Her laughter slowly died.

"Oh."

They were serious.

Edward looked horrified.

"Grandmother."

"No."

Debbie raised a hand.

"No."

Eleanor ignored both of them.

"The media is outside."

"No."

"The shareholders are here."

"No."

"The family reputation is at stake."

"Still no."

Eleanor sighed.

"One year."

"What?"

"One year of marriage."

Debbie nearly choked.

Edward looked like he wanted to jump out a window.

"Absolutely not."

For the first time, Edward agreed with her.

"Absolutely not."

Debbie pointed at him.

"See? We finally agree on something."

Edward glared.

"I wasn't complimenting you."

"Oh, thank goodness. I was worried."

A few people accidentally laughed.

Even in the middle of a crisis.

Edward looked at her.

Really looked at her.

And for the first time, Debbie noticed something behind his anger.

Pain.

Real pain.

The woman he loved had abandoned him.

Humiliated him.

Broken him.

In front of the entire world.

Suddenly, Debbie didn't see a billionaire.

She saw a wounded man.

And for reasons she couldn't explain...

Her heart hurt for him.

The room waited.

The future hung in the balance.

Eleanor asked quietly,

"Will you do it?"

Debbie's pulse raced.

One answer.

One decision.

One impossible choice.

And her life would never be the same again.

She looked at Edward.

Their eyes met.

Neither of them wanted this.

Neither of them had chosen this.

Yet somehow destiny seemed to be pushing them toward each other.

Debbie swallowed.

Then opened her mouth.

"I..."

TO BE CONTINUED...

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