The Light Through His Darkness

Justin Martínez POV

Noah’s voice crackled through my office phone, interrupting my moment of indulgence. "Sir, we have a problem."

I glanced down at the blonde who was in the middle of...well, her work and raised an eyebrow.

"Can it wait?" I asked, my voice calm as I motioned for her to continue.

She flashed a smirk and obliged, her mouth returning to where it had been moments before.

I leaned back in my chair, trying to push past the distractions, but Noah's voice pulled me back.

"It’s about your family’s bank, sir. It's urgent."

I couldn't even remember the blonde’s name at this point, but I watched her slowly rise, her eyes still fixed on me.

"Fine," I muttered into the phone, "Give me five minutes."

"Understood, sir."

The blonde hesitated, twirling a lock of her hair. "Does that mean I should go, babe?" She asked with a playful grin.

I adjusted my pants and gave her a quick glance—she wasn’t anything special, just a random fling. But she knew how to do one thing well.

"Get out of my face," I snapped, straightening my tie. "Before you lose your job."

Her smile faltered and she looked down, seemingly embarrassed.

"Didn't I please you, babe?" She asked, trying to salvage some dignity.

"Pleased me?" I gestured dismissively. "You tried."

She looked ashamed, lowering her gaze to the floor.

"And for the last time," I added coldly, "Stop calling me 'babe'."

"But..." She opened her mouth to reply but I cut her off sharply.

Interruptions were the one thing I couldn’t tolerate and everyone knew that about me.

"Get out," I ordered, my voice rising and she hastily adjusted her clothes before exiting my office and shutting the door behind her.

I spun my chair around, looking out at the city skyline through the massive glass windows.

The quiet of the room was a welcome change until a knock at the door broke the stillness.

"Come in," I called, turning back to face the entrance.

Noah walked in, clipboard in hand, his expression unreadable.

"Sir," He began, "You received a report from your family’s bank. It says you no longer have access to your bank accounts or credit cards. Your savings account is still available, though."

"Come again?" I asked, my voice tight.

Noah handed me the clipboard. I skimmed the words and then it hit me—my 25th birthday had already passed.

It confirmed my worst fear—everything that was tied to the family business, all the assets that I needed to keep my companies running, were off-limits.

"Dammit," I cursed, the realization sinking in.

The only thing left at my disposal was my personal savings, which wasn’t nearly enough to cover the expenses I’d need to maintain my lifestyle and manage my businesses.

I tossed the papers onto my desk, stood up and grabbed my personal phone from underneath my jacket.

I dialed the number I knew all too well, gripping the phone as my irritation flared.

Sonia answered after the first ring. "I was just about to call you, son."

"I don’t have access to the family’s bank," I said, my voice sharp. "And I don’t even have to think about why."

"I’ve been waiting for this day to come, my dear son." She responded, almost too cheerfully.

I could practically hear the smugness in her voice, but I sure as hell, had been preparing for it.

"I’m not ready for marriage, but I need access to my damn money." I declared, slamming my hand against the headrest of my chair. "That bank holds all my main accounts. I have businesses to run and a life to live—if you’ve forgotten that."

Her voice came through, as calm and unwavering as ever. "Your father and I were married in our 20s, son. You need to marry to properly have children with your wife so they can carry on the family’s legacy and business."

I motioned for Noah to sit and he silently obeyed, settling into the chair across from my desk.

"This is why you have Harden and Stephanie," I muttered, turning to stare out the window. "I’m not interested in marriage, now or anytime soon."

At twenty-two, I’d been a rising star in a romance film in Havana. Now, at twenty-five, I ran more than ten Martínez fashion and design companies worldwide, serving as the CEO of my father's former business here in New York City.

I have an older brother, Harden, twenty-seven, a surgeon living in California. Then there’s my younger sister, Stephanie, nineteen, who lives in the city with our mother, Sonia.

We used to have an older sister, Harden’s twin, but she died three years ago, along with our father. Since then, the media’s painted me as the cold, arrogant bachelor I am today.

Before my father died, I promised him I’d marry at the same age he did when he wed my mother.

But now, because of a ridiculous contract my mother signed with my father regarding our family’s bank, I can’t touch my accounts until I fulfill that promise.

His last words still echoed in my mind, "Find love, trust, and cherish life."

It was my own fault. I’d never taken the contract seriously, thinking I could simply skate by without it ever becoming a real issue.

Sonia’s voice cut through my thoughts. "Harden’s happily married and waiting for kids. Stephanie is still in college and the same tradition will apply to her when the time comes."

I scoffed under my breath.

Harden, who was supposedly content with his marriage, was on the verge of a divorce. He had been cheating on his wife since their wedding night, a fact he kept from everyone but me. Marriage, it seemed, had never been the fairytale he sold it as.

Our mother was obsessed with wedding vows, convinced that they were the foundation of a meaningful life.

"It's a tradition," She’d always say, as if that meant something more than just a contract.

"This is irrelevant." I muttered, rubbing my temple in frustration.

"I can't just randomly marry some woman and have her bear my kids to follow some outdated family tradition," I said, my frustration rising. "It's not the 80s anymore."

She didn’t hesitate. "You can marry Teresa."

I rolled my eyes, already knowing where this was headed.

"She’s had a crush on you since you were both kids. I heard a rumor that you two were dating," She continued, her voice almost too casual. "Her family is wealthy and she's perfect—way better than the women you’ve been seen with in the media."

Teresa.

My ex-girlfriend from high school, who had once been the center of my world. We were the golden couple, the King and Queen of our little kingdom, until everything fell apart five years ago.

After I found out what she’d done, I couldn’t stand the sight of her. I cut her out of my life, leaving her behind without a second thought.

Since then, no woman has caught my attention. The media branded me a heartbreaker and I played along. Who cared? I didn’t need anyone else.

But then, a thought hit me and I looked over at Noah, who had been watching me intently.

I stifled a laugh, realizing this might just be my way out.

If I had to get married to access my accounts, then I’d play along.

I’d marry a woman of my choosing, throw a fake ceremony and when the whole world sees it, my mother would finally get off my back.

I’d use a million or two from my savings to pay her, marry her for a reasonable period and after a brief, staged marriage, I’d make sure to end things, turning it into some tragic love story the media would eat up.

I could even pretend to be heartbroken when she "cheated" on me. That would be enough to get my mother off my back and unlock my accounts by then.

I don't care about what might happen after the divorce—hell, I’d get a good night’s worth of sex out of it first.

"Justin, are you even listening to me?" Sonia's voice broke through my thoughts.

I smirked, knowing I had her right where I wanted her.

"I’ll only get married if it's to the woman I choose," I said, keeping my tone steady. "And I’ve already found the perfect one."

"So, why haven’t I met this woman, son?" Sonia asked, sounding more skeptical than ever.

"You don’t need to know her," I replied, holding back a chuckle. "I know her and that’s all that matters. You’ll meet her on my wedding day, just two weeks from now."

I glanced at my calendar, making sure the date was right. "After the wedding, I’ll introduce her to you and the rest of the family, but only when I’m ready."

"Justin, I'm not comfortable with where this is heading." She confessed, her voice laced with worry.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

"You wanted me to get married and that's exactly what I'm going to do," I shot back, my tone sharp.

I bluntly added, "My father would've wanted the same. You don’t have to like anything that’s happening in my life, Sonia, now or ever."

Without waiting for her response, I hung up.

"Sir?" Noah’s voice broke through the tension.

I turned to face him, rubbing my temples.

"What are you going to do?" He asked, his expression unreadable.

I loosened my tie and settled back in my chair, exhaling slowly.

"I'm going to find myself a wife," I muttered, "...just to get my damn access back to my accounts."

Noah sighed, clearly not thrilled with the plan. "I hope you find the right woman for this, sir."

"That’s why I have you as my personal assistant, Noah." I shot him a look before turning back to my desk. "Now, do an analysis for the perfect wife and don’t waste my damn time."

"Yes, sir." He responded without hesitation, nodding before heading out to get started.

The day had moved on quickly, but I had no time to waste. My mind was already on the task ahead.

"Do you all understand?" I scanned the room, watching as the team nodded in acknowledgment.

"Meeting adjourned." I stood, buttoning my jacket, which fit perfectly over my tailored suit and left the conference room. Noah followed close behind.

"Sir, these are the files you've requested." Noah informed me, handing over a stack of papers as we walked down the hallway.

Glancing at the list, I saw the names of employees who had been underperforming and others who still owed my father money from business loans.

I stopped for a moment and looked at Noah.

"I want these workers in my office by tomorrow morning," I instructed, folding the papers back into his hands. "And after that, I’ll personally visit those who still haven't settled their loans, out of respect for my father's death."

Noah nodded without hesitation. "Understood, sir."

"I'll be in my office." I muttered, checking the time on my watch.

He gave another brief nod before turning to leave. I made my way back to my office.

Once behind my desk, I began sifting through images of unmarried women stored on my computer.

I could find a random admirer to marry, sure, but I wasn't just looking for anyone.

I needed someone worthy of my attention, someone who could play the part of my wife, someone who could seamlessly slip into this role without drawing any unwanted attention or causing trouble.

But nothing stood out.

They all seemed like lifeless portraits—too plain, too old-fashioned, too stiff. Some were fake, others were too enhanced. None of them fit my standards.

Frustration built up inside me.

I slammed my hands on the desk and stood up, retrieving my car keys from my pocket.

Without a second thought, I stormed out of my office, ignoring the nervous glances from employees as I passed.

I didn’t care about anyone's opinions anymore.

Ever since my father and older sister passed, all I cared about was building my empire.

Success. Wealth. That was it.

I needed a drink. Or two.