“I’d rather stand,” I retorted, my voice quivering with barely suppressed anger.
He sighed, tapping his fingers against the polished wood of his desk. “Very well. What is it you’d like to know?”
“Is it true?” I spat out, trying to contain the fury in my voice. “Have you been offering me in marriage as part of some business deal?”
He met my gaze with a practiced indifference, carefully neutral, but the flicker of unease in his eyes told me that I was correct. “Isla,” he said, his tone softening just a fraction. “You’re young, and I want what’s best for you. Sometimes, these arrangements are necessary for the future of a family’s legacy, especially after what happened a year ago.”
I wasn’t about to let him sidestep the question, like he always loved to do. “Answer me,” I growled. “Have you been trying to marry me off for your own gain?”
He hesitated for a moment, and in that silence, I knew the truth. Roman was correct. My grandfather, a man I had once admired and respected, had been using me as a bargaining chip in his business dealings.
Disappointment and anger welled up inside me, but I refused to let it break my resolve. I was determined to uncover the extent of his manipulation and, more importantly, find a way to free Ky’rn from his captivity, even if it meant allying myself with Roman.
“How could you?” I spat, fists clenched. “How could you trade me off like some…some commodity?”
He rose, his tall frame suddenly towering over me. “I did what I thought was best for the family. For our empire. You have always been sheltered, my dear, protected from the harsh realities of our world.”
Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away. “Protected? Is this what you call protection? Bargaining me away without my knowledge or consent?”
His face softened a fraction. “It wasn’t meant to be like this. I had plans to talk to you, to explain everything.”
“But Roman beat you to it,” I murmured, my voice choked with betrayal.
A flicker of annoyance crossed his face. “That young man talks too much.”
I took a step back, distancing myself from the man I had once looked up to. “This isn’t about Roman. This is about you and the choices you’ve made without considering how I feel.”
He sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. “I did it for you, Isla. For your future. Can’t you see that?”
“All I see,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face, “is a man willing to sacrifice everything, even his own granddaughter’s happiness, for power and wealth. I thought you loved me.”
He reached out to touch my arm, but I recoiled, the sting of betrayal too fresh. “I do love you,” he murmured, his voice filled with regret. “But sometimes love requires making difficult choices. You will soon learn that.”
“I should decide who I want to be with,” I told my grandfather, desperation seeping into my tone. “Especially after what happened to me. I haven’t even left this place in a year. My friends abandoned me. What makes you believe I’m ready for marriage? You’re committing me to a stranger.”
His response was like a heavy blow. “This isn’t for you to decide, my dear. I just finalized the deal last night.” He sat down in his plush office chair, looking disturbingly satisfied. “It’s a good thing you had that long conversation with Roman. The wedding is in a month, and he’s the lucky groom.”
A month.
The news hit me like a tidal wave. I had known that agreeing to this arranged marriage was part of the plan to free Ky’rn, but I hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.
My voice was barely more than a shocked whisper as I repeated, “I’m going to be married in a month?”
“You have nothing to worry about, Isla. Just choose your color scheme, and I’ll handle the rest.” His calm tone sent shivers down my spine. “The wedding will be in our private rooftop garden, under my watch. There won’t be any unwanted guests.”
His words hung in the air like a threat, and it hit me. He was using my wedding as bait, a lure to draw out Sam and Rose, who were waiting for their chance at vengeance.
My anger flared, and I couldn’t hold back my accusation. “So, you’re using my wedding to taunt Sam and Rose into exposing themselves?”
A wicked smile played at the corners of my grandfather’s lips. “Of course,” he replied casually. “I know they won’t be able to resist showing their faces.”
I stared at him, fury and disbelief making me slack jawed. “So I am not just a pawn in your business dealings, but also being used as bait? You would risk my life just to draw them out?”
He leaned back in his chair, studying me with those cold, calculating eyes. “Sam and Rose will not harm you at the wedding. I’ll make sure that they won’t be able to lay a finger on you.”
I felt a numbness spread through me. “And what if they decide to attack during the wedding? What then? You’re willing to risk all those lives just to get revenge?”
He waved his hand dismissively. “There will be security. We’ll be prepared.”
