4

Kellen ’s POV

The grin on my face faltered when I noticed that Helena had no expression; she looked like she was prepared for this moment.

Her  green eyes sparkled with mischief. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I heard everything,” I said, even though I knew I was already at a disadvantage. I didn’t anticipate her cleverness.

“It’s your word against mine,” she said with a smile.

I was both surprised and fascinated by her quick thinking, but I wasn’t out of ideas. I turned to her parents and took her hand in mine, making a serious expression as I addressed them.

“I think we shouldn’t wait any longer. Let’s proceed with the wedding,” I said, then looked at Helena and smiled warmly. “After the moment we shared during this traumatic time, I’m sure I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”

Mr. Rolland, Helena’s father, clasped his hands in excitement. “Then it’s settled! We’ll begin wedding preparations immediately!”

“But—”

Before Helena could speak, her mother came to her side. Instantly, Helena swallowed her words like a bitter pill. She snapped her hand out of my grasp, her face deeply contorted in a frown.

Even in this state, she was still beautiful. Her hair,  a rich fake blonde, cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her eyes sparkled like diamonds in the light.  I remembered the  very first time I saw Helena, she was a brunette at a business award dinner. Her eyes cast downward, her face masked with innocence. 

On that day, I saw nothing special about her. To me, she was just like every other rich girl I knew, always ready to please their parents. But that vision of her changed the day I met her face to face.

She was among the long list of women I had been matched with by my father. That particular day, I expected to end the dinner unimpressed and dissatisfied with her, but the reverse was the case.

From the moment she stepped into the restaurant, she showed me that she left an impression. She wore a very short mini skirt paired with an almost see-through white top tucked into the skirt. She came in with a trench coat that she ditched after she sat, all paired with knee-high leather boots.

I had never been on a date with someone so indecently dressed, but something about her piqued my interest. When she opened her mouth, I instantly knew she was the right one.

As I gazed into her eyes, I felt a shiver run down my spine.  Something about her seemed off but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. 

She was rude, blunt, and nonchalant. She flat-out told me that her figure was the result of plastic surgery and that her face had been lifted to look that way. She said so many disturbing things that I questioned my sanity for liking her immediately.

She was fearless, a trait I hadn’t seen in all the women I had met. In this city, I was considered a prince, and my family was invincible. Most people wanted to get on our good side, but she was different. She was the direct opposite of the vision I had of her.

It was then I made the decision to marry her. She would be able to survive the politics of my family.

I stood up and shook hands with Mr. Rolland. “To the unity of our families.”

I excused myself and left with my father, who had come out for the first time in many months. He was waiting in the car, a solemn expression on his face.

“Last time it was an attempt on your life, and now it’s a kidnapping? I think someone is targeting you.”

“That’s old news, Father. Isn’t that why you were so insistent on me marrying? To secure an heir before I die?” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

He scoffed and raised an eyebrow. “And you chose to marry into that family—the one that's so desperate for our wealth?”

I shrugged, a smirk on my face. “You wanted a daughter-in-law. Now you’ve got one. And no, Father, I won’t go on another date. Either you accept her, or you’ll be stuck with a son who’s a lifelong bachelor.”

My father studied me for a moment, his gray brows furrowing. “There’s something special about her, isn’t there?”

I shrugged again, deliberately keeping my thoughts to myself. Sensing that I wasn’t going to give him more, he stopped pressing the issue, though he seemed to begrudgingly accept the idea of having a ‘special’ daughter-in-law.

The conversation shifted as I reflected on the chaos within my family. My older brother, who was supposed to lead the family business, had become mentally unstable after multiple kidnappings when he was young. 

Then there were the twins: Khyla, who was only interested in the family money, and Kyle, who had been away for years and showed no intention of returning. My step-mother was no better, she had two children who were more useful clubbing than in the company.

With everything now falling on my shoulders, it was either I managed it or our vulture relatives, who hadn’t contributed to the Powers legacy but were eager to grab a piece of it, would take over.

With the wedding finally settled, I hoped to focus on other matters. But as I stepped into the office, heading toward my private elevator with my assistants, a flash of something caught my eye at the secretary’s desk.

“Helena?” I called out, noticing her from across the room.

She looked up, her expression brightening. “There you are!” she said with forced enthusiasm.

Before I could respond, she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the elevator, leaving my assistants behind.

I yanked my hand from her grasp, a frown forming. “What’s going on?”

She gave a nervous laugh, lightly patting my wrist. “Why so serious, Kellen?”

I crossed my arms, my expression serious. “You better start talking.”

Her smile faded, and she took a deep breath. “Alright, no more games. I’m Henessey, not Helena. Your actual bride ran away. Please call off the wedding.”

“What?!”