Chapter 2: The First Lie

I barely slept that night.

Ethan's words kept replaying in my head.

Whatever they tell you about me... don't believe them.

What kind of family required a warning like that?

And why had the stranger downstairs asked whether I knew about the Blackwoods?

I had so many questions that my mind refused to settle.

By six in the morning, I gave up trying to sleep.

I got out of bed, showered, and stood in front of my closet for almost twenty minutes.

I had no idea what I was supposed to wear to meet the family of the man I had married less than twenty-four hours ago.

Finally, I settled on a simple cream blouse and black trousers.

I looked at myself in the mirror.

For a second, I didn't recognize the woman staring back at me.

I was married.

To a stranger.

And somehow, I had agreed to it willingly.

A knock sounded on my door.

I turned.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Ethan stood there.

He was wearing a dark suit, his expression as unreadable as ever.

"We're leaving in thirty minutes."

"Good morning to you too."

His eyes moved briefly over me.

"Good morning."

I crossed my arms.

"Where are we going?"

"To my family's house."

I hesitated.

"The Blackwoods?"

His expression changed for the briefest moment.

"Who told you that name?"

I remembered the conversation I had overheard the previous night.

"No one."

He stared at me.

Then he nodded.

"Get ready."

He turned to leave.

"Ethan."

He stopped.

"Yes?"

"Are they going to like me?"

His face remained calm.

"I don't know."

"That's reassuring."

He almost smiled.

Almost.

"Just be yourself."

Then he left.

I stared at the closed door.

There was something about him that frustrated me.

He could answer a simple question in a way that created three more questions.

Thirty minutes later, we were in the car.

For the first ten minutes, neither of us spoke.

I watched California pass through the window.

Eventually, I couldn't take the silence anymore.

"So..."

Ethan kept his eyes on the road.

"So?"

"How big is your family?"

"Not very."

"Parents?"

"My father is alive."

"And your mother?"

"She's alive too."

I frowned.

"Do they live together?"

"No."

"Why?"

"They're divorced."

I nodded slowly.

That sounded normal enough.

Then I remembered something.

"You told me yesterday that you were an only child."

He glanced at me.

"I am."

"Really?"

"Yes."

I looked out the window again.

Something didn't feel right.

Not yet.

I just couldn't explain what it was.

After another few minutes, I asked, "What does your father do?"

"Business."

"What kind?"

"Several things."

I turned toward him.

"You really don't like answering questions, do you?"

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

He didn't answer.

I sighed.

"Fine."

We drove in silence again.

About twenty minutes later, the car turned through a massive black gate.

I sat upright.

The property beyond it was enormous.

There was a long driveway surrounded by perfectly trimmed trees, fountains and gardens.

At the end stood a mansion that looked like something from a movie.

I stared at it.

"Ethan."

"Hmm?"

"You said your family wasn't very big."

"It isn't."

I looked at the mansion.

"Then why does your family need a house this big?"

He said nothing.

The car stopped.

Before I could open the door, a man in a black suit approached and opened it for me.

I stepped out.

Ethan came around the other side.

The moment we entered the house, I felt the atmosphere change.

There were people everywhere.

Men in expensive suits.

Women dressed in elegant clothes.

Servants moving quietly through the halls.

And every single person seemed to know exactly who Ethan was.

Several people looked at him.

Some lowered their heads respectfully.

Others immediately stepped aside.

I noticed.

Ethan noticed that I noticed.

He leaned closer.

"Stay beside me."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Before I could respond, a woman walked toward us.

She was probably in her early fifties.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

And intimidating.

Her eyes moved from Ethan to me.

Then to our joined hands.

Her expression hardened.

"So you actually did it."

Ethan's jaw tightened.

"Mother."

Mother.

I looked at her.

This was Ethan's mother.

She stared at me.

"You are Jasmine."

It wasn't a question.

"Yes, ma'am."

She gave a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Welcome to the Blackwood family."

Something about the way she said it made me uncomfortable.

Ethan gently squeezed my hand.

"Where's Dad?"

"Upstairs."

"Is everyone here?"

"Almost."

His mother looked at me again.

"Of course, they came. Everyone wanted to see the woman who managed to convince Ethan to get married."

I smiled awkwardly.

"I didn't convince him."

His mother looked at Ethan.

"I suppose you didn't."

There was something strange in her voice.

As if she knew something I didn't.

Ethan cleared his throat.

"We should go."

His mother stepped closer to me.

"Jasmine, may I speak with you?"

Ethan immediately interrupted.

"Mother, not now."

She looked at him.

"I only want to talk to her."

"Later."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You're still hiding things from her."

Ethan's expression hardened.

"I know what I'm doing."

His mother looked at me again.

Then she lowered her voice.

"Do you?"

I didn't know what to say.

Ethan took my hand.

"We're leaving."

He led me away before I could respond.

We walked down a long hallway until we reached a quiet room.

The moment the door closed behind us, I turned toward him.

"What was that?"

"What?"

"Your mother."

"She's difficult."

"She clearly doesn't like me."

"She doesn't know you."

"That's not what it felt like."

He said nothing.

I folded my arms.

"Why did she say you're hiding things from me?"

His expression remained calm.

"Because she doesn't agree with our marriage."

"Why?"

"Because she doesn't understand it."

"Then explain it to me."

He looked at me.

"It's a contract, Jasmine. There isn't much to explain."

I stared at him.

"That's not what I mean."

He waited.

"Why does your family care so much about a six-month marriage?"

For the first time, he looked uncomfortable.

"They don't."

"Then why does everyone here look at me like I'm some kind of problem?"

He didn't answer.

"Ethan."

He sighed.

"You agreed not to ask questions about my family."

"I agreed not to interfere in your family."

I stepped closer.

"That's different from pretending I can't notice when something is wrong."

Before he could answer, the door opened.

An older man entered.

He had silver hair, a sharp face and the kind of presence that made the entire room feel colder.

His eyes went directly to Ethan.

Then to me.

"So this is your wife."

Ethan straightened.

"Father."

The man studied me.

"Jasmine Parker."

"Yes."

He nodded slowly.

Then his eyes returned to Ethan.

"You actually went through with it."

"Yes."

"And she knows nothing?"

Ethan's expression tightened.

"That's enough."

His father gave a faint smile.

"Does she know why you chose her?"

I looked at Ethan.

"What does he mean?"

Ethan stepped forward.

"We're done here."

His father ignored him.

"You should be careful, young lady."

I frowned.

"About what?"

He looked at Ethan.

"Some secrets become dangerous when they are kept for too long."

Ethan's voice turned cold.

"Father."

The older man finally walked toward the door.

Before leaving, he stopped.

"Tell her the truth before she finds it herself."

Then he left.

The door closed.

I stood there in silence.

Slowly, I turned toward Ethan.

"What truth?"

"He's trying to frighten you."

"Is he?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you tell him to stop?"

Ethan didn't answer.

I watched him carefully.

"You said your family doesn't interfere in your life."

"They don't."

"Then why does your father know about our contract?"

Silence.

My stomach tightened.

"Ethan?"

He looked away.

That was when I knew.

There was something else.

Something much bigger than the contract.

Something he had deliberately kept from me.

And suddenly, I remembered his first words when he approached me in that café.

I know enough.

At the time, I thought he had simply researched my life.

Now I wondered...

How much did Ethan Carter really know about me?

And what scared me even more was the possibility that he hadn't chosen me by accident.