Chapter One

I woke up from sleep with a jolt, my heart hammering in my chest. I was in an unfamiliar room on an unfamiliar bed. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I could make out the form of another human being lying down beside me, their chest rising and falling with every breath. Panic flooded my system as I tried to take a closer look at my companion. As I inched closer to them, I could see that it was a man. Terror gripped me as I began to scream at the top of my lungs. Why was there a strange man in bed beside me? What was I doing here? Was I dreaming?

“Help me! Help me!” I shouted into the night, hoping there would be neighbours close by who could hear my wails.

“Hel -” The words were barely out before I felt a hand close over my mouth, trapping my pleas for help. I then felt another hand clasp my wrist in a pincer-like grip.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” my male companion snarled, his face contorted in a mix of rage and confusion. “Have you forgotten that we’re married now?”

As he said those words, realisation came to me, slamming into me like a bag of bricks.

Letting go of my face he said, “I’m getting tired of your foolish screaming each and every night. It’s about time you got used to this arrangement.” He moved closer to me, his face barely an inch from mine. Light blue eyes set in an oval face with a perfectly chiselled jaw pierced into mine.

“Or would you prefer I sent you to Dr. Michum? Maybe get a psych eval done? I’d hate to think that my new wife is a lunatic.”

Still pinned down by his gaze, I whimpered an answer. “No…no…I don’t want to go to the hospital.” His other hand still held on tightly to my wrist. I was sure it was going to leave a mark.

“Good then. Shut up and go back to sleep.” he said, finally releasing my wrist and turning to his side. Shortly after, I heard gentle snores emanating from his side of the bed indicating that he had fallen asleep.

As I rubbed my sore wrist, the bitter truth of my reality settled in my stomach. I wasn’t dreaming and I hadn’t been kidnapped either. I was here at Lancaster Estate with Levi Strauss-Jackson, my husband in name only.  I laid my head back down, turning slightly to my side, silent tears carving a salty trail down my face and mixing with the bitter taste of regret on my tongue as my mind wandered back to three weeks ago when my world fractured and the future I had planned was changed forever.

I had just come back from university. I was so excited to spend the summer with my dad. We had been inseparable for as long as I could remember. After my mom died when I was 4, he had become a mother, father, sister and brother to me. He was all I needed in just one person. We had made plans this holiday to visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame and do all the things tourists did whenever they visited LA. I had lived here all my life and I still had never been to the top of the Hollywood Hills. This summer was going to fix all that. 

I was a bit surprised when Uncle Steven sent me a text the day before stating that he would be the one picking me up from the airport instead of my dad. I figured dad was a bit busy with work. I was a little annoyed he wouldn’t be the one coming to get me, and I’d definitely make him give me a hefty bribe to forgive him.

At the arrivals lounge, I spotted Uncle Steven. It was always easy to spot him in a crowd; he towered over everyone else at 6’4. My dad was the same. I seemed to be the short one among them standing at a measly 5’3. Maybe I got my height from my mom.

“Hey Uncle Steven!” I called out, waving my hands.

“Hey kiddo”, he said grabbing onto my suitcase. “How was the flight?”

“We had a little bit of turbulence but nothing too bad” I said, stretching my arms.

“That’s great” Uncle Steven replied. He was smiling but it didn’t reach his eyes. I could tell he was trying to make an effort.

“Is everything okay? You don’t look so good Unc.”

“Yeah, I’m good.” He hesitated slightly before adding “There’s something we need to talk about. But its better to do that at home.”

“Okay”, I said warily. My heart had suddenly started beating faster.

“Does this have anything to do with Dad?” I asked, not sure what answer I was hoping to hear.

Uncle Steven sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging. “Let’s just talk at home, kiddo.”

The drive back home was tense. I could barely enjoy the beautiful sights of downtown LA as we sped past. Fear and apprehension danced in my chest as my mind raced wildly with unwelcome thoughts. 

When we pulled into the driveway, Uncle Steven had barely turned the engine off before I jumped out of the car, running to the front door.

“Wait, kiddo, wait!” he called after me, but I was barely listening.

“Dad?” I shouted as soon as soon as I opened the door. “Dad, where are you?” I stopped in my tracks when I saw a dark-haired man in our living room. He stood up when he saw me. He was sallow-faced and tall with the grim demeanour of someone accustomed to giving bad news.

“Hello”, he said. “I am William Savoy, an attorney.” He stretched out his hand, presumably for me to shake, but I ignored him.

“Where is my dad? Why isn't he here?” I shrieked. Panic had made my voice thin and high-pitched, but I didn’t care. My dad was nowhere to be seen and I was starting to get a really bad feeling in my gut.

“Athena.” Uncle Steven stood behind me. I had barely registered him coming into the room. “Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll explain everything then.”

I turned around to face him. “No, I won’t. Tell me what’s going on! Tell me now!”

He glanced at the strange man in our living room, as if looking to him for help in answering my demand.

William Savoy took slow steps towards me, a piece of paper in his hand. “I’m afraid your father is dead, Athena Phillips. And it has been arranged for  to marry Mr. Levi Strauss-Jackson.”