“Not happy to see me?” The man rose from the couch and started walking toward her.
Each step carried a subtle threat. Broad-shouldered, with an athletic build and short-cropped ash-blond hair, he had changed a lot in the past few years. The only thing that remained the same was the icy stare of his pale blue eyes, piercing right through to her core.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, Emil,” Mia said, stepping aside so a chair stood between them.
“We’ll be seeing a lot more of each other now, Mia,” Emil replied with a smile.
It was forced, the kind of smile that didn’t even touch the corners of his eyes. That smile had always unnerved her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mia gripped the back of the chair so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“What, your mom hasn’t told you yet?” Emil asked, his voice dripping with fake surprise. “Man, I was hoping she’d handle the hard part. Don’t be scared of me, kid. I don’t bite.”
“You know I’ve never liked the way you sneak up on me like this,” Mia said, trying to inject some courage into her voice.
But not in a situation like this. And definitely not with this man. Right now, all she wanted was to get back to her dorm.
“Emil, honey,” Dina’s voice cut in. “You know how sensitive our Mia can be. I’ll tell her everything myself, don’t worry.”
Mia’s eyes widened. Something was definitely off here.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Now, go wash your hands and come to the table,” her mother’s voice sounded casual, almost soothing.
Except for one tiny detail: Mia knew her family was up to something.
Mia walked to the kitchen, feeling the sticky, predatory gaze on her back. She’d known Emil since she was a kid; he was the son of her father’s business partner and nearly ten years older than her. And as far back as she could remember, that icy stare had been the same since their very first meeting.
“What does he mean, we’ll be seeing each other more often?”
She had a sinking feeling that nothing good would come of this. Just like this whole trip. Mia clenched her jaw. She’d endure it. Her sister’s wedding. Just one day, and then freedom—back to the dorm. For that, she could play the good girl, right?
Soon, almost the entire family was gathered at the table. The only ones missing were her sisters. But from what her mom had said, they were super busy. Mia wasn’t upset about it, though. If anything, it made breathing a little easier. Well, except for one man who seemed to be burning a hole through her with his stare. If ice could burn, that is.
“Mia, sweetheart, you’re a grown woman now,” her father suddenly began.
Mia nearly choked on her potato. Statements like that never led to anything good. At least not for her.
“So it’s time we told you something,” Ronald continued, not even looking at his daughter.
Meanwhile, the smile on Emil’s face widened, turning wilder and more unsettling.
“Told me what?” Mia locked eyes with her father, frozen in nervous anticipation.
“Don’t interrupt, dear. A woman shouldn’t speak when a man is talking,” Ronald’s voice took on a steely edge. “Five years ago, I signed a very important contract with Emil’s father, one that’s crucial for our family. Thanks to it, we have this house and everything else. There’s just one final clause left. And that’s your marriage.”
“What?!” Mia’s eyes widened even more, the air suddenly sucked out of the room.
She sat there, blinking in shock, unable to process or react.
“They sold me? Like I’m some kind of product?” screamed everything inside her.
“Marriage to who? Emil’s father?” she couldn’t help but throw out a sarcastic jab.
Emil dramatically slapped his hand to his forehead.
“To me, Mia. To me,” he said, clearly missing the nervous humor in her tone.
“Great, I’m out,” Mia snapped, abruptly standing up. “I’m heading back to the dorm. Thanks for everything.”
With that, Mia bolted for the door. Her only thought was to get to the airport as fast as possible. Reaching the hallway, she quickly slipped on her shoes and yanked at the doorknob. Click... The lock wouldn’t budge. A wave of cold sweat rolled down her spine.
“We were prepared for this kind of reaction,” Emil’s voice came from behind her.
Mia spun around in horror, clenching her fists.
“Let me out right now!” she demanded, her voice cracking with strain.
“I won’t,” Emil said, unyielding. “But I’ll give you time to think it over.”
“Do you seriously think I’ll change my mind?” Mia asked skeptically. “I hate you!”
“This is in your best interest,” Emil shrugged. “Now, go to your room.”
Mia huffed and marched toward the stairs, trying to maintain an air of confidence. But as soon as she passed him, he grabbed her shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“Your life will be a fairy tale,” he murmured, his breath hot against her skin. “From hate to love, darling. It’s a pretty popular trope.”
“Just a few days ago, I had no idea a simple game would turn into a total disaster...”