Married to my father's enemy

my father left me e

e months. Twenty? Fifty? Maybe a hundred? The recording was only s

g late tonight. Don't wait fo

and then a scream that still clawed

reen with my thumb hovering over the replay button, but I c

rtment, turning Silvercrest City into a blur of gr

s from the electricity company and an eviction notice folded

ore we lost our home. I squ

nobody. "Just let somet

nd of my mother coughing. I quickly shoved the eviction not

wrapped in a blanket, s

ld be sleeping

led weakly. "Did

night she asked the same question and

f her bed and taking her hand. Her fingers were co

ack to the window.

nd vanished. The police said he was probably hiding somewhere, his company s

indow every evening, waiting for

g her hand gently. "He probably just got he

me tea," I wh

d absent-

exactly two tea bags. Perfect. My life was becoming

onto the floor, my back sc

be cut off next week, my mother's heart medi

irst time in weeks, I let myself cry. It wasn't the quiet

or a moment, I didn't know where I was then another kno

t? My mother had fallen asleep in her room. Curi

black suit despite the rain outside. His silver hair was

t of place in our crumb

nnett?"

n high alert. Strangers didn't come to our door at mi

lite nod. "My n

. Richa

Mr. Ethan

e CEO, a movie star and the heir to the Blackwood empire. His face was plastered on m

han Blackwood

hed across the old man's

ropo

ers and a silver pen. I stared at him and wondered if I'd som

is t

iage co

d I'd misheard him.

rriage to Mr. E

funny, then I laughed, not because it

the wrong

u, Miss Benn

door in his face. "Look, I'm not i

not a

case and handed it to me. At the to

MARRIAGE

h twisted

t my place

Blackwood to fi

he replied slowly. "All

and he c

s your father left behind. One year." Richard continued

wasn't real, it couldn't be. Nobody offe

tch, there always wa

for the first time.

on notice, the unpaid bills, and the medicine my mother despe

for a man who might never come home. What choice did I h

atched me

sign t

ms disappear

never disappeared, problems

do I

ing like sadness crossed Richard's face, he p

Ben

when regret crashed into

briefcase. "A car will arri

ly, then he t

ed him back. "

looked b

w where my

man's composure cracked, but only for a

asked me not

rough my chest. "Wh

the hallway. "Get som

cha

row, your life wi

e walk

doorway long after the

ontract felt heavier than stone. Then I realized eerily that somewher

*

Blackwood was standing in that dark basement over

's f

ggled to lift his head. Ethan crouched in front of him w

sig

ackled through the

years, Ethan smiled although c

n and grabbed

oo

r, Ethan stood and walked toward the d

quietly, "your daugh

med the met

screamed his

ri