Chapter 3

Kehlani's Pov

The man tilted his head, studying me with a sharp, calculating gaze, “Don’t play games with me.” He said coolly, “We know exactly who you are. Selene Veylin, runaway bride and family disgrace. Did you really think you could escape without consequences?”

I blinked, my heart racing as confusion and panic mingled in my chest, “I’m not Selene.” I said, my voice cracking, “I’m Kehlani Silver, I have no idea who this Selene person is so please let me go.” I begged, my heart beating so loudly against my chest.

His smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of doubt, “Kehlani Silvers?”

“Yes.” I insisted, trying to steady my breathing, “I am the eldest daughter of the Silver Family, and I'm not Selene. She’s the one you’re looking for, not me. I was at the wedding because I was the bride and I ran away because I found out that my husband… the man I was going to marry was sleeping with my younger sister.” My voice rose with desperation.

He straightened, his posture tense as he mulled over my words, “Convenient story.” He muttered, pacing the room, “But you look identical to her. How do I know you’re not lying?”

I clenched my fists, frustration boiling over, “Because I’m not her! Do you think I’d be tied up in a wedding dress if I’d run away with a lover? Use your brain!”

The door creaked open again, and a second man entered, this one taller and with a sharper demeanor. He looked at me and then back at the first man, “What’s the holdup? We don’t have time for this.”

“There’s a problem.” The first man said, jerking his thumb toward me, “She claims she’s not Selene. Says she’s Kehlani Silver, from another family entirely.”

The second man narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to examine me, “Is that so? Then why do you look so much like her? It's almost as if she's your twin sister.”

“I don't know!” I snapped, “Selene ran away, and I got dragged into her mess. If you’re looking for her, you’re wasting your time with me.”

The taller man crossed his arms, considering my words, “If you’re telling the truth, then where is she? And how can we verify your identity, young lady.” He questioned and my eyes brightened.

“I can give you my parents number to call yourself! They'll verify my identity.”

The taller man raised a brow, clearly skeptical. “Fine. Give us the number.”

I nodded quickly, my heart pounding with both hope and dread. I recited my father’s number, watching as the shorter man pulled out a phone and dialed. The silence in the room was suffocating as we all waited for the call to connect. When it finally did, my father’s familiar voice answered on the other end.

“Hello?”

The man spoke first, his tone calm but authoritative, “Mr. Silver, this is a verification call. We have a young woman here claiming to be your daughter, Kehlani Silver. Can you confirm her identity?”

I held my breath, certain that my father would clear everything up. But instead, his next words sent a chill down my spine, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said coldly, “I don’t have any daughter named Kehlani.”

“What?!” I shouted, panic lacing my voice, “Dad, it’s me! Kehlani! Your eldest daughter!”

The man holding the phone frowned and turned on the speaker, allowing my voice to echo into the call, “She’s right here, Mr. Silver. Are you sure you don’t recognize her?”

“I’m certain.” My father said, his voice sharper now, “I don’t have a daughter by that name. You must have the wrong number.”

“No, no, no!” I screamed, my vision blurring with tears, “Dad, it’s me! Please, you have to tell them the truth! Why are you doing this?”

“I don’t know who this woman is.” My father repeated, his tone cold, “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call me again about this nonsense.”

Before I could say another word, I heard the click of the call disconnecting.

“No!” I screamed, struggling against the ropes binding me, “He’s lying! That was my father! He’s really lying!”

The taller man studied me, “If that was your father, he didn’t seem too eager to claim you.”

“Please.” I begged, my voice breaking, “You have to believe me. I don’t know why he said that, but I’m telling the truth. I’m not Selene. I’m Kehlani!”

The shorter man shook his head, “This is a waste of time. She’s clearly lying, and we don’t have time to babysit her while she spins stories.”

“Take her to the boss.” The taller man said after a moment, “If she’s telling the truth, he’ll figure it out. And if she’s lying, well…”

I slumped backwards, numb. My father had just denied me as his daughter… He really denied me. How could a father deny his daughter just because she didn't want to get married to a cheater? How?

“Haha… Hahahaha…” The laughter that spilled from my lips sounded hollow, unhinged, even to my own ears. The two men exchanged wary glances but didn’t speak.

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head, a bitter smile twisting my lips, “Do you know what’s funny?” I said, my voice trembling, “It’s not just that my father denied me. It’s that I actually thought he’d choose me even after everything. I thought, for one second, that I mattered more. I was still willing to give him one more chance but it turned out he didn't even see me as his daughter.”

“Enough.” The taller man snapped, his patience clearly wearing thin. He gestured to the shorter one, “Get her on her feet. We’re taking her now.”

The shorter man stepped forward, roughly grabbing me by the arm and hauling me to my feet. The ropes around my wrists and ankles chafed against my skin as I stumbled forward, but I refused to cry anymore. If my own family didn’t care about me, why should I give them the satisfaction of my tears?

As they dragged me toward the door, I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. If they want to take me to their boss, fine. I’ll prove I’m not Selene. And when I get out of this mess, I’ll make sure my so-called family regrets what they’ve done.

We walked down a dimly lit hallway, the sound of my dragging dress and their heavy boots echoing in the silence. My mind raced with every step. Who was this boss? And why was Selene so important to them?

They pushed open a door at the end of the corridor, revealing a lavish room. A tall man stood by the window, his back to us. His silhouette was imposing, and the air around him radiated authority.

“Boss.” The taller man said, his voice respectful but firm, “We brought her.”

The man by the window turned slowly, his piercing green eyes locking onto mine. He was wearing a wedding suit that was tailored to perfection on his body. He had black hair which was swept back into a formal style, lips that were pulled into a frown, jaws that were sculpted to perfection. This man looked like a person who was sent to seduce others.

“Who are you?”