THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRES BRIDE

Chapter 1: The Unseen Future

I always thought my life would follow a predictable course. I was fresh out of college, armed with a degree in business management, and already had a job lined up at my father's company, Bennett Enterprises. I could see it all clearly: climbing the corporate ladder, making my mark, proving I could succeed on my own terms. But everything changed the moment my father decided to shatter the life I had imagined.

It was a typical family dinner-just me, my parents, and the usual humdrum of small talk. My dad, Gregory Bennett, sat at the head of the table, his presence as commanding as always. He was a man who ran the world like a business deal, cold, calculated, and unyielding. He never made decisions without thinking of the bigger picture, and for some reason, I had always hoped that the picture might include me-my ambitions, my dreams. But tonight, that hope evaporated.

"Jade, we need to talk about your future," he said, his tone unwavering.

I paused, my fork halfway to my mouth. Something about the way he spoke felt different, urgent. "What do you mean, Dad?"

His eyes, sharp and focused, locked onto mine. "I've made arrangements for you. You'll be marrying Alex Vance."

I blinked, unable to process his words at first. "Who?"

"Alex Vance, the son of the Vance Group. You know, the company we've been negotiating with for the merger? We've been in talks for months, and this is the final piece. It's already been decided. Your mother and I agreed on it."

My stomach dropped, a cold wave of panic rushing over me. "Wait, wait. You're telling me I'm supposed to marry someone I don't even know? Just like that?"

My dad didn't even flinch. "It's not about what you want, Jade. It's about what's best for the company. Marrying Alex will secure our future, and solidify the merger with the Vance Group."

I couldn't breathe. The words were suffocating, like a weight crushing down on my chest. "This is insane. I don't want to marry someone I've never met!"

"Jade," my father said, his voice sharp, almost like a command, "this is how things work. You'll understand when you're older. This is business. You'll marry Alex, and together, the two of you will merge our families' empires."

I felt my entire world start to unravel. All my plans, my hopes, my dreams of charting my own path, of succeeding on my own, now felt like a cruel joke. I wasn't being asked to marry someone out of love or even affection. I was being sold off like a pawn in a business deal, a merger that would benefit everyone but me.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, my frustration boiling over. "I don't have a say in this? This is just happening, no matter what?"

My father's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. "Sometimes, we don't get what we want, Jade. But you'll see-this is for the good of the family. It's what's best for Bennett Enterprises."

I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. "I can't believe this," I muttered, turning away from the table.

"Jade," my father's voice called after me, but I didn't stop. "You need to understand, this isn't up for discussion."

I slammed the door to my room behind me, my heart pounding in my chest. How could he do this to me? My father, the man who had always been my rock, had just shattered my world. I didn't have a say in anything anymore. I had spent my whole life trying to carve out a future for myself, only to be told that my destiny was already decided.

Sitting down on the edge of my bed, I tried to breathe, but it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. My mind was spinning. My father's words echoed in my head, a constant reminder that my life wasn't mine to control.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was a message from Lila, my best friend since college.

"Hey, girl! How's everything? Want to hit the club tonight? You need a break!"