Chapter 3 A Night Of Secrets And Lies

In the car, I couldn't shake off the feeling of Julian's eyes on me, even after we parted ways at the party. My mother's voice brought me back to reality, but my mind kept wandering back to the stranger who had captivated me.

"Rory, darling, how was your night?" my mother asked, her voice laced with concern.

I nodded, still lost in thought. "It was fine, Mother. Just a lot of people and noise."

My mother's eyes narrowed slightly. "Rory, I need to tell you something. That's why we left the party early."

I was surprised at hearing that , my attention snapping back to my mother. "What is it, Mother?"

"It's your father," she said, her voice low and serious. "He called for an emergency meeting. I don't know what it's about, but I have a feeling it's not good."

My mind started racing with possibilities. What could be so urgent that my father would call a meeting in the middle of the night?

As we arrived home, the tension in the air was palpable. My father's face was thunderous, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Everyone, into the study," he barked, his voice echoing through the hallway.

I exchanged a nervous glance with my mother, my heart racing with anticipation.

As we gathered in the study, my father's face turned red with rage. "Your brother has done something incredibly stupid," he spat, his voice venomous. "He's borrowed $500 million from Victor Vex."

The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of my father.

"With an interest of $1 million on every $100 million," he continued, his voice dripping with disgust.

My mother's face went white, her eyes rolling back in her head. I rushed to her side, catching her as she fainted.

"Mother!" I cried, panic rising up in my throat.

My father's face turned purple with rage, his fists clenched at his sides. "This is a disaster," he bellowed, his voice echoing through the room. "Your brother has ruined us."

I felt a surge of fear, my heart racing with anxiety. What would happen to us now?

As the servants rushed to attend to my mother, I tried to calm my father down, speaking softly to reassure him.

But my mind was reeling, trying to process the enormity of what had happened.

As the night wore on, I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of my stomach.

The next morning, I was still reeling from the events of the previous night.

As I made my way downstairs, I was greeted by the servant, who informed me that I had a visitor waiting for me.

"Who is it?" I asked, my heart skipping a beat.

"Julian Blackwood, ma'am," the servant replied, his eyes neutral.

I felt a surge of surprise, followed by a rush of excitement.

As I made my way to the living room, I couldn't help but wonder what Julian wanted.

He was standing by the window, his eyes fixed on me as I entered the room.

"Good morning, Rory," he said, his voice low and smooth. "You look lovely today."

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I smiled, my heart racing with excitement.

As we chatted, I couldn't help but notice the way Julian's eyes seemed to see right through me.

But I was drawn to him, like a moth to a flame.

And then, my brother walked in, his face pale and drawn.

I felt sadness, knowing that he was the reason for our family's troubles.

Julian noticed my expression, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Is everything okay, Rory?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal.

But something about Julian's kind eyes made me trust him.

I took a deep breath, telling him everything – about my brother's mistake, about our family's troubles.

Julian listened intently, his face expressionless.

And then, he spoke, his voice low and husky.

"I can help you, Rory," he said, his eyes locked onto mine. "But there's one condition."

My heart skipped a beat as I waited for him to continue.

"You have to marry me," he said, his voice firm.

My world came to a standstill, my heart frozen in shock.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Marry Julian Blackwood?

It was impossible.

And yet, a part of me was tempted, drawn to the stranger who seemed to hold the key to our family's salvation.

As we stood there, frozen in shock, the sound of raised voices echoed from upstairs. My father's angry shouts pierced the air, followed by my brother's defensive responses.

I felt a wave of shame wash over me, knowing that Julian was witnessing our family's dysfunction firsthand.

Before I could apologize or try to explain, Julian sprang into action, rushing up the stairs with a sense of purpose.

I followed close behind, my heart racing with anticipation.We burst into the study, where my father and brother were locked in a heated argument.

My father's face turned from red to purple as he took in Julian's presence."Who is this?" he thundered, his eyes blazing with anger.I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself.

"Father, this is Julian Blackwood," I said, my voice shaking slightly.Julian stepped forward, his eyes locked onto my father.

"I've come to offer my assistance," he said, his voice calm and confident.My father's expression changed from anger to curiosity."What kind of assistance?" he asked, his voice a little softer.

Julian explained his proposal, the same one he had made to me downstairs.My father listened intently, his eyes narrowing as he considered the offer.

And then, to my shock, he agreed."Very well," he said, his voice firm. "I accept your proposal."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.My father hadn't even asked me what I thought, what I wanted.It was like I was just a pawn in their game, a game I didn't even understand.

The days that followed were a blur.

I was married to Julian in a lavish ceremony, surrounded by friends and family.I didn't know him, not really.

But I had an impression that he was a good person, that with time, we would fall in love.

Little did I know, I was walking into a nightmare.

A nightmare that would change me forever.