Lara stood there, frozen, as the weight of her decision settled over her like a crushing burden. She had just agreed to marry Adrian Sinclair—the man who had shattered everything she once held dear.
And yet, as much as she wanted to scream, to walk away from him and his offer, she knew she had no choice. Her café was barely hanging on. Her savings were dwindling. And Adrian Sinclair? He had the power to destroy her with a single phone call.
"Good," Adrian said, his voice smooth and calculated. "I knew you'd come to your senses."
Lara's jaw tightened, her anger flaring up again. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this because I don't have a choice."
Adrian didn't respond to that, his eyes gleaming with a mix of satisfaction and something darker. He was too calm, too sure of himself.
"When do you want to get married?" she asked, her voice cold and clipped, betraying none of the confusion that roiled inside her.
"Tonight," he replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Lara blinked, unable to process what he was saying. "Tonight?" she repeated incredulously. "You can't be serious."
"I'm very serious," Adrian said, his gaze never wavering. "We'll make it official tonight, and you'll come home with me. I have a private plane waiting."
A plane? Tonight? Everything about this felt wrong. The speed, the suddenness. But she had already signed away her future in one breathless moment of panic.
"You can't be serious," she repeated, this time with more heat in her voice.
Adrian stepped closer, his towering presence overwhelming. His scent, a mix of cologne and power, filled her senses, making her head spin. He had always had this effect on her—this uncanny ability to make her feel small, insignificant. It made her want to slap him and kiss him all at once. But she would never show him that weakness.
"I am serious, Lara," he said again, his voice lower now, almost intimate. "Don't test me."
"Test you?" she snapped, taking a step back. "I'm not some toy you can control, Adrian."
His lips curled into that same infuriating, confident smirk. "No, you're not. You're my wife now, and soon, you'll understand the power I hold over you."
Lara's heart skipped a beat, but she pushed the feeling down, clenching her fists at her sides. "I'll never understand you, Sinclair. And I'll never let you think you control me."
"Good," he said, the word like a dark promise. "Because you'll need to fight me every step of the way. But that's what makes it interesting."
He turned toward the door, his back to her now, already as if this whole thing was over and done with.
Lara felt a sick, twisted knot in her stomach. "What if I refuse to go with you?"
He paused, just for a second, as if considering her words. "Then you'll have nothing. No family. No future. Just the ghosts of your past mistakes chasing you forever."
His words hit her like a slap. She hated that they were true.
She had no choice.
"Fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, the weight of her surrender settling over her like a shadow.
Adrian turned back toward her, a smug satisfaction in his eyes. "Good girl. I'll see you at the airport in two hours. Don't be late."
Two hours later, Lara stood at the entrance of a private airport terminal, staring at the sleek, black jet that awaited her. The engine hummed quietly in the background, as if taunting her, reminding her of everything she was about to lose.
She was walking into a nightmare. And Adrian Sinclair was the nightmare.
The jet was pristine, its windows dark, the whole thing exuding wealth and power. She had been in the presence of rich people before, but nothing like this. Adrian's wealth wasn't just a number—it was an aura, something he wore like a second skin.
As she stepped up the stairs to the plane, her legs felt like lead. Her breath came in shallow bursts. She had never been more terrified in her life.
But when she entered the cabin, she was taken aback. The interior was extravagant, with leather seats, gold accents, and the kind of luxury she'd only seen in magazines. It was like stepping into a world that didn't belong to people like her.
Adrian was already sitting at one of the plush seats, his eyes trained on a set of papers in front of him. He didn't even look up as she entered.
Lara took a seat opposite him, keeping her distance. She refused to let him think she was intimidated.
"Do you always travel like this?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
"Only when it's necessary," Adrian replied, his eyes still on the papers. He didn't seem at all affected by the extravagance of the plane, like it was just another part of his world.
Lara felt a rush of bitterness. This was the life he had stolen from her—a life of privilege, luxury, and control.
He finally looked up at her, his gaze locking with hers. "I know you don't want to do this. But you will. Because if you don't, I will make sure you regret it."
His words were cold, calculated,