Revenge Of The Hidden Heiress

"No way! There is no way in hell I'm getting married to her, grandfather."

Nathaniel Blackwood's furious and sharp voice sliced through the air like a blade as he spoke.

Maddie froze just outside the office door as she listened to him shout. Her hand which had been poised to knock on the door hung in the air as if it had been paralyzed.

She wasn't sure what she had expected when she walked into Blackwood Enterprises this morning but it certainly wasn't coming to see that her prospective husband was arguing-very loudly-about how much he didn't want her.

Inside the office, another voice, older, less loud but no less commanding, responded. "You need a wife, Nate. This is not up for discussion."

A sharp and bitter laugh followed in response. "Oh, it's very much up for discussion, Grandfather. I refuse to play the same twisted game my parents did. I refuse to play it with this stranger from God knows where that you were hooking me up with. "

Maddie's fingers curled tighter around the strap of her handbag.

The receptionist who had led her here gave her an uneasy glance as she clearly debated whether to announce her presence or quietly disappear. Maddie spared the woman a nod-she could handle this.

Or at least she hoped so.

So, steeling herself, she stepped forward and pushed the doors open.

Neither man noticed her as she walked in.

Nate's back was to her as he stood behind a massive oak desk. His broad shoulders were stiff and his hands were braced against the polished surface of the desk as he glared at the older man who was across from him. His grandfather, Bill Blackwood, sat in an imposing leather chair and his aged face was etched with frustration as he stared at the younger man.

Nate scoffed as he shook his head while he continued. "My parents' marriage was a disaster, grandfather. You know that so well. You forced them together and look what happened? My mother resented my father every single day of her life. He buried himself in work and she buried herself in her damn affairs and I-" He stopped abruptly and his jaw tightened before he let out a bitter breath. "I was just collateral damage in their perfect little business arrangement."

Bill exhaled slowly as he rubbed his graying temple. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a wife, Nate."

Maddie's pulse thrummed in her ears.

If she'd had any doubts about this marriage, they had just been multiplied one hundred fold.

One week ago, she had stood beside her grandfather's hospital bed while she gripped his frail hand and begged.

"Please, Grandfather. Don't do this. I don't need a husband to run Hayes Empires...I can do this on my own."

But his tired eyes had settled on her as he said firmly, "It's either this marriage, Madeline or you forfeit your position as CEO."

And so, she had agreed because the company and her grandfather were the most important to her.

Now, standing in this office and watching Nate Blackwood argue as if marrying her was the worst possible fate, she wasn't sure whether she should agreeing had been a good idea.

Bill slammed a hand on the desk. "This decision is final, Nate. You will marry-"

Maddie cleared her throat just then.

The room fell into silence and both men turned toward her.

For a second, Nate just stared at her and as he did so, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that sent an uninvited jolt through her.

What the hell, she thought.

She had researched him-of course, she had. She knew he was attractive because she had seen countless pictures of him online to know this. But those photos hadn't done him justice.

Up close, he was magnetic.

He had dark hair that was slightly tousled as if he had run his fingers through it in frustration. Sharp cheekbones, a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. There was a raw edge to his features...something untamed beneath the crisp suit he was wearing and the polished businessman veneer that was to him that could not be hidden.

And for a split second-just one-she felt the unmistakable pull of attraction

Then his gaze hardened as it continued to be locked on her face. His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smirk...that wasn't quite a sneer.

"Well," he drawled in a hard voice laced with disdain, "how long have you been standing there eavesdropping like a fool?"

Maddie's spine straightened immediately at his insult. And just like that, whatever ridiculous moment of attraction she'd felt disintegrated.

She lifted a brow while she tilted her head slightly and said coolly. "Long enough to know that you have the emotional range of a teaspoon."

Bill let out a bark of laughter at that while Nate's glare darkened and his jaw clenched. Then with a slow and deliberate shake of his head, he scoffed out loud.

"So, tell me, Madeline," he drawled out her name like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. "What kind of woman willingly allows herself to be sold into a marriage like this?"

Maddie remained perfectly still and did not say anything.

What could she say?

Nate took a step forward while he continued in a voice that dripped with disdain. "Let me guess...my grandfather waved a fat enough check in your face and you just couldn't resist?"

Maddie's fingers curled into fists at her sides but she forced her expression to remain calm.

It was going to be the first time ever that someone had assumed she was after money.

If only he knew.

But her grandfather had made himself clear to her before he died. "Nathaniel Blackwood cannot know what you're worth, Madeline. That is part of the agreement."

So, instead of insulting him like she wanted to, she simply tilted her head and regarded him with cool detachment. "Actually, I was promised a private island and a yacht. The check was just a bonus."

Bill let out another laugh but Nate wasn't amused. His glare only deepened. "You think this is funny?"

"No." Maddie's lips pressed together. "I think it's ridiculous. But here we are."

He exhaled sharply and turned away as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Of course we are," he muttered under his breath.

Maddie ignored the anger that was simmering beneath her skin and clasped her hands in front of her. "Since this wedding is happening in a week, I assume we should discuss the details?"

Nate let out a harsh laugh. "You assume wrong." He turned back to her with blue eyes that were burning with resentment. "This farce of a wedding is not my problem. You and my grandfather can sort it out like the business transaction it is."

Then, without another word, he strode past her and slammed the office door behind him.

Maddie let out a slow breath after he left.

She turned to Bill who was still watching her with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"I apologize for my grandson," he said as he shook his head. "He's... resistant."

Maddie lifted a brow. "Resistant?" She sighed as she glanced at the door Nate had just stormed through. "That was certainly not resistant. That was more like full-blown hostility."

Bill chuckled at that. "Give him time."

She wasn't so sure.

After a moment, she met his gaze again. "You planned this with my grandfather."

It wasn't a question.

Bill nodded while his expression grew serious. "Yes."

"Does the wedding have to happen?" she asked.

Bill sighed while his features softened with remorse. "I'm afraid so, my dear. It has to happen."

Maddie swallowed the lump in her throat.

She had agreed to this arrangement out of duty to her grandfather. But standing here now and recalling the pure fury on Nate's face, she knew one thing for certain:

She was in for a nightmare.

Maddie Hayes had never been the kind of woman who let life happen to her.

Or at least, that's what she used to believe.

Until now.

Right now, as she sat in front of an enormous vanity mirror and was surrounded by a team of stylists, seamstresses and makeup artists who were fussing over her like she was some sort of prized doll, she felt like a stranger in her own life.

Her wedding gown was nothing short of breathtaking-it was an off-the-shoulder masterpiece of silk and lace with thousands of little white beads that shimmered every time she so much as breathed. The corset bodice cinched her waist perfectly and the dramatic train spilled over the floor in elegant waves.

It was the kind of dress women dreamed of wearing on their wedding day.

Too bad she was walking straight into a nightmare.

"Oh my God, Maddie," Sarah, her friend, gasped while she put a hand to her reddened chest like she might faint. "You look stunning. I mean, really. If I didn't love you, I'd be absolutely sick with jealousy right now."

Maddie sighed as she barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Sarah had been dramatic since birth, but today, she was particularly unbearable on the very day that she hated the most.

"I'd rather look like a mess," Maddie muttered under her breath.

Sarah ignored her while she still stared at her in awe. "And to think, in just an hour, you'll officially be Mrs. Nathaniel Blackwood." She practically swooned as she clutched one of the stands of the vanity mirror for support. "Do you have any idea how insanely lucky you are?"

Maddie turned her head to look at her as she arched a brow. "Lucky?"

"Uh, yes?" Sarah's eyes widened as though Maddie had just spoken complete nonsense. "You're marrying Nathaniel freaking Blackwood! Have you seen that man? He looks like he was sculpted by the gods and dipped in old money. He's powerful, sexy, rich as hell-"

"He's also an asshole," Maddie cut in flatly. She didn't care about his money. Sarah, of all people, ought to know that.

Sarah made a dismissive noise. "So what? Most rich men are. If he's going to be your husband, you might as well enjoy the view."

A few of the other stylists giggled in agreement while their faces lighted up at the way Sarah was describing Nate at the moment.

"Oh, he's so handsome," one of them sighed dreamily.

"And his eyes," another added. "I saw a picture of him in Forbes last month. Those blue eyes could make a woman weak in the knees, I swear."

"That jawline."

" Those lips, damn it."

" He really is sexy as hell."

Maddie clenched her jaw as she listened to them.

Then, they should get married to him instead, damn it, she thought as she burned with anger inside.

Yes, Nate Blackwood was attractive. Ridiculously so. But these women had no idea what he was really like.

They hadn't stood in that office a week ago and heard him spit out the words, 'there is no way in hell I'm getting married to her'.

They hadn't seen the sheer disgust in his eyes when he looked at her like she was some desperate gold-digger who had sold her soul for a Blackwood wedding ring.

They had no idea that he had not called, texted or made any attempt to see her since then.

And now, in a matter of minutes, she would be walking down the aisle to marry him.

She groaned softly and pressed her fingers to her temples.

Her life had officially spiraled out of control.

What the hell was she really doing with all this? She thought in dismay as the stylists continued to work on her appearance.

The answer was simple: she was only fulfilling an obligation with all of this.

An obligation that two old men had demanded for reasons known to them.

And, as if the universe had a twisted sense of humor, the door slammed open at that exact moment. Bam!

The air shifted immediately and a heavy silence fell over the room as every pair of eyes turned to the tall, broad-shouldered man who was standing in the doorway.

Nathaniel Blackwood.

He looked like he'd walked straight out of a G4 magazine.

Dressed in a fitted black tux that molded to his powerful frame, his mere presence sucked all the air from the room and caused the temperature to increase immediately. His dark hair was swept back with infuriating perfection, his chiseled jaw was tight, and his piercing blue eyes-God, those eyes-were burning with a cold intensity as they locked onto her.

The stylist beside Maddie let out a strangled gasp as she looked at Nate with wide eyes. "I-It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

Nate let out a dry and humorless chuckle. "Oh, trust me sweetheart," he said in his sexy voice that was rich with sarcasm. "This marriage is bad luck."

The tension in the air that came as a result was thick enough to choke on. Maddie thought she heard one of the young women near her swallow audibly.

As she met Nate's gaze through the mirror, her expression was unreadable. With a slow and deliberate breath that she exhaled, she waved a hand. "Everyone, out."

The women hesitated for a fraction of a second before they scrambled for the door, their hurried footsteps echoing through the room as they did so.

And just like that, they were alone.

Maddie turned to face him while she tried to ignore that fact even as she had her arms crossed over her chest. "What do you want, Nathaniel?"

Nate stalked toward her just then and his movements were sharp and precise like a man who was barely keeping himself together.

"What do I want?" He let out a bitter laugh as he shook his head. "Since you've allowed yourself to be part of this charade, I need to make a few things very clear."

Maddie arched a brow as she waited even though her stomach was rolling in tension already.

His voice was like ice as he said, "Don't expect love from all this. Don't expect companionship. This is just a business arrangement. Nothing more. Never forget that."

A sharp pang bloomed in her chest before she could stop it.

His words shouldn't have hurt.

She had grown up in a house where love was just another bargaining chip and she had never been naive enough to believe in fairytale romances.

Also, she knew what this marriage was and she wasn't delusional enough to expect romance from him.

And yet, the way he said it-with such finality, such coldness and such disdain- had felt like a slap on her face and had hurt more than it should have.

Still, Maddie was nothing if not composed.

She tilted her head and said in a voice void of emotion. "Are you done?"

Something flickered in Nate's eyes. It was as if he had expected something like a fight from her...not this indifference.

When she remained unfazed, his jaw clenched and without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out.

***

Minutes later, Henry Grant, her grandfather's friend, who was also her mentor and Sarah's father, took her arm at the beginning of the aisle and led her down it.

The wedding was an extravagant affair and had been attended by New York's wealthiest and most influential figures. Everything was perfect-the flowers, the music, the way the chandeliers cast a golden glow over the room...they were all perfect.

But none of it mattered.

Because Nate Blackwood stood at the altar like a statue and had the coldest look ever on his face.

Not once did he look at her.

Not when she walked toward him. Not when she slipped her hand into his for the vows.

Not even when the officiant said, "You may now kiss the bride."

A breathless silence fell over the crowd.

Maddie held still as she waited while she wondered how the kiss was going to be.

Thinking about the kiss didn't make her see in time that Nate wasn't moving towards her until it was too late.

To her shock, she watched him turn away and walk off.

The room erupted in loud gasps as he did so.

Bill shot up from his seat just then and his face was red with fury as he screamed. "Nathaniel Blackwood, you get back here-"

But Nate was already gone.

Maddie stood frozen where she stood near the priest while humiliation washed over her in waves.

Pitying stares burned into her skin while hushed whispers began to rent the air in the church.

For the first time in her life, she felt truly powerless.

And as she watched her new husband disappear into the crowd, she realized one painful truth:

She had just married a man who hated her and didn't care how much he hurt her even in public.

And this was only the beginning.

Maddie had imagined awkward wedding receptions before.

She had even imagined painful ones.

But nothing-absolutely nothing-had prepared her for this.

The ballroom was dazzling though. It had been draped in soft golden lights while the massive chandeliers cast a dreamy glow over the sea of elegantly dressed guests. The Blackwoods had spared no expense-everything from the lavish floral arrangements to the live orchestra screamed wealth and opulence.

Too bad the groom looked like he was attending a funeral.

Nate sat beside her at the head table with shoulders stiff, jaw tight while he exuded the get-me-the-hell-out-of-here energy in blatant waves. He had barely glanced in her direction since walking out on the kiss. If it weren't for the hundred or so guests watching their every move, she was sure he would've been across the room, as far from her as possible.

Not that she cared.

At least, that's what she told herself as she delicately sipped her champagne.

"Well, I must say," Henry Grant, who was next to her, leaned toward her as he said in a voice that was pitched just low enough for only her to hear. "That was quite an entrance he made."

Maddie scoffed softly. "Oh, you mean when my husband humiliated me in front of half of New York's elite?" She smiled sweetly just then. "Yes, I quite enjoyed that part."

Henry sighed as he gave her a look that said he knew she was deflecting.

Beside him, his daughter, Sarah, leaned in with wide eyes. "Okay but Maddie, why is he so pissed?" She gestured at Nate who was brooding into his whiskey glass like it had personally offended him. "I mean, sure, it's an arranged marriage but most guys would at least pretend to be civil. It's not like he was forced at gunpoint."

Maddie exhaled slowly even as she felt the weight of a hundred curious eyes on her.

"Apparently, marrying me is the greatest tragedy of his life," she muttered as she took another sip of her wine.

Henry's gaze darkened slightly at that. "That's not your fault, Maddie."

"No but it is my problem," she murmured.

Because no matter how indifferent she tried to be, the truth was that she was legally bound to a man who hated this arrangement and was making sure everyone knew it.

On the other side of the head table, Bill Blackwood had finally had enough of his grandson' bullshit.

"I have never been more ashamed of you, Nathaniel," his voice was low but filled with barely controlled fury as he spoke to Nate who was by his side. "Do you have any idea what you've done tonight?"

Unmoved by his anger, Nate swirled the amber liquid in his glass. "I went through with the wedding. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

Bill's nostrils flared. "Oh, don't you dare play dumb with me, boy. You humiliated your wife. You humiliated me!"

"I married her, didn't I?" Nate drawled while he took a slow sip of his drink. "What more do you want?"

Bill's grip on his cane tightened. "For you to act like a damn man not a petulant child who is throwing a tantrum."

Nate exhaled sharply through his nose as he set down his glass with more force than necessary. "I agreed to the marriage, Grandfather. That's all you're getting from me."

Bill's eyes burned with anger but before he could unleash another tirade, Liam Carter, Nate's best friend who was sitting by his side, said with a smirk on his face, "Well, that was quite a show. I didn't think you had it in you to be that dramatic."

Nate shot him a dry look as he muttered. "Not in the mood, Liam."

Liam chuckled as he glanced toward Maddie. Then he murmured in a voice that sounded impressed. "She's handling it well though. Better than I expected."

Nate followed his gaze and looked at his new wife.

Maddie was laughing softly at something Henry had said while her delicate fingers were wrapped around the stem of her champagne glass. Despite the humiliation he had served her on a silver platter, she looked composed and her head was held high as if his rejection had rolled right off her.

It shouldn't have bothered him.

But for some reason, it did.

"Don't let her fool you," he muttered as he finished his drink. "She's just as much a player in this as my grandfather."

Liam raised a brow at that. "And yet, you're the one who stormed off at the altar."

Nate ignored what he said because just then across the room, Maddie had met his gaze.

For a moment, neither of them looked away as they stared at each other.

Then, with an arched brow, she slowly tilted her glass in his direction before she took another sip in a manner that mocked him with effortless grace.

Nate clenched his jaw even as he thought, the audacity of this woman.

Where she was, Maddie sighed as she set down her glass.

"Well," Henry said lightly as he looked at her. "That was quite the declaration of war."

Maddie smiled innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Henry chuckled and shook his head. "You always did have a fire in you."

Sarah sighed dramatically at that. "A fire that's about to be put through hell."

Maddie didn't argue about that.

Because as she glanced at Nate one last time, she knew that this marriage wasn't just going to be difficult.

It was going to be war.