Chapter 4 A black envelope

VALERIE 🎀

" You are getting married to the FREAKING Zachary Wellington!

I winced and shifted the phone from my ears.

" What the hell, Brenda."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled sheepishly. " Holy shit!

"Jesus, Brenda !

" Have you completely lost your mind? Zachary. Wellington. The guy who nicknamed you Ursula after a sea witch."

" To be fair, I called him Dracula in return." I muttered pacing my room.

Brenda gasped. "Valerie Hampton, is this some kind of twisted rebound plan? Because I swear if this is about Cara and your ex-"

"It's not about them," I snapped, sharper than I intended. I sank onto the edge of the bed, my fingers tightening around the phone. "This... this is different."

"Different how? Like, ' you might be blackmailed into marrying your enemy' kind of different?"

Silence.

"Val," Brenda said slowly, her voice laced with dread, "Tell me you're joking."

I looked at the engagement contract that was delivered to me this morning,still sitting on my desk, with Zachary's signature at the bottom.

"I wish I was."

Another beat of silence.

"You seriously expect me to believe you're doing this willingly?"

"I'm not. It's complicated. My father-" My voice cracked. "He made a deal. And Zachary... he's holding something over him."

"That smug bastard," Brenda hissed. "God, he's always been a snake. But why you? Why would he want you?"

"I don't know." I stole a glance at the clock. In two hours, I would be married to Zachary Wellington.

"But I think there's something more to this. Zachary never does anything unless he's getting something out of it."

I massaged my temples as I felt a migraine brewing.

"Then don't go through with it. Walk away."

"I can't," I whispered. "If I do... everything my family's built goes down with me."

"Then we'll find another way," she said firmly. "You're not alone in this."

She then sighed deeply. "I'm so sorry I can't be there for you."

"It's no bother," I murmured. "The wedding is just a formality anyway."

Someone called her on the other end of the line.

"Val, I really need to go. Talk to ya later."

"Yeah... later."

Just then, a knock sounded on my door.

"Come in."

The door creaked open to reveal the stylist I had booked for the wedding.

"Ma'am," she greeted softly.

"You're here." I stood, walked to the vanity, and pulled the chair back before sitting. "Keep it simple."

I stared at my hollow-eyed reflection.

It's not real anyway.

....

My heart thundered as my father led me towards the aisle where Zachary was already standing in a perfectly tailored black suit.

My eyes locked with his intense blue eyes and cold chill ran down my spine.

There was something sinister about the way he looked at me.

My father placed my hands in Zachary's which he held firmly and I didn't miss the way they fitted perfectly.

He leaned over , his breath hot against my face.

" You hated the idea of us so much, you nearly broke my jaw. And now you're walking down the aisle like this is some fairytale," his lips curled into a smirk and I rolled my eyes, " tell me, Ursula, are you really considering going to hell with me?

" Shut up, Dracula." I snapped.

The priest cleared his throat, eyeing us suspiciously. I straightened.

"Do you, Valerie Hampton, take Zachary Wellington to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish him, till death do you part?"

I almost snorted. Love and cherish Zachary? In his dreams.

I dug my nails into my palm so hard that I nearly drew blood.

For my father.

" I do." My lips trembled as I whispered .

" Do you , Zachary Wellington, take Valerie Hampton to be your lawfully wedded wife, will you love and cherish her , till death do you part?

Silence.

I stole a glance at him and he was clenching his jaw, his shoulders rigid.

Same, Zachary, same.

" Do you, Zachary Wellington, take......."

" I do." He cut the priest off.

As we exchanged vows, I made a vow of my own. Whatever game he's playing, I'll beat him at it. I'll make him fall for me... then destroy him from the inside out.

My lips lifted in a slow, dangerous smile.

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you planning my death?"

I shook my head. "Your downfall."

As soon as the ceremony ended, I retrieved my phone from my purse and dialed my chauffeur's number.

"Come with me."

His gruff voice cut through the air before I could even press call.

I didn't bother looking up. "I'm not coming with you today."

"And why is that?" His tone sharpened, barely masking the tiredness underneath.

I shrugged. "Because I don't want to."

A long pause.

I could imagine him tugging at his hair in frustration.

"Whatever," he muttered. "Suit yourself."

He walked off and I glared at his retreating back.

"Asshole." I mumbled under my breath as soon as he was out of ear shot.

My ride finally pulled up. I slipped inside and exhaled.

Tap.

A knock sounded on the window.

I wound down the glass to find a small boy grinning up at me with a gap-toothed smile.

"Aww, so cute," I said, pinching his cheek.

"Miss, that man over there asked me to give this to you," he said, handing me a black envelope.

"Who?"

He ran off without answering.

I peeked out of the window, my eyes searching the streets but strangely, no one was there.

A strange unsettling feeling settled in my gut.

" Drive," I told the chauffeur.

_____

Later, in my penthouse suite, I stared down at the black envelope on my bed. My name was scribbled across the front in messy block letters.

Curiosity gnawed at me and I opened it with shaky hands .

Inside was a single piece of paper.

My blood ran cold as I read the words .

> YOU SHOULD HAVE RUN WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE. NOW I'M COMING FOR YOU.