Chapter 1

• “You know what this means, don’t you?” My father’s voice echoes across the vast conference room, filled with all the polished glass and steel that defines Bruno Global Industries. The room, cold as his tone, feels even colder with the weight of his words. I swallow, trying to mask the bitterness rising in my throat.
• “I’m not a child anymore,” I reply, my voice steadier than I feel. “I can handle it.”
• “You better, Cole. This is bigger than you. This is about the family. About legacy.”
• The words hang in the air, suffocating, as if they’ve been passed down through generations like some sacred, immutable law. I glance over at my stepbrother, John, seated across from me. His jaw is tight, eyes steely, as usual. A part of me—one I’d rather not admit—is envious of his ability to blend in with the background of this world, like he was born to wear the same cold mask.
• “John’s ready,” my father continues, eyes flicking briefly to his son, the perfect heir. “We’ll be ready to announce your engagement soon. This is your future, Cole.”
• I feel a spike of something deep within me, something I can’t name. It’s a strange sensation, an unfamiliar one. But my instincts have been honed for years. I refuse to let it show.
• “Who’s the lucky woman?” I ask, my voice laced with the perfect touch of disinterest, though my heart races in spite of myself.
• My father smirks, leaning forward, eyes gleaming with something I can’t quite place. “You’ll meet her soon enough. Your future wife. She’s part of the deal, Cole. We’ve already arranged the union.”
• Arranged. The word echoes in my mind, foreign yet so familiar. It’s not the first time I’ve been presented with such a choice—my life has always been mapped out for me. Ever since I was a kid, it was clear: I would one day inherit everything. It was never a question. But marriage? It was never something I’d really considered. I didn’t have time for it.
• And yet, here we are.
• “John’s right,” my father continues, looking back at his son. “A successful merger is key. We need to strengthen the family connections, especially in this changing market.”
• John’s lips curl into a smile, the kind that says everything without saying anything. He’s the golden boy—the perfect son, the perfect heir. He’s always had my father’s favor, even when I did everything in my power to prove myself.
• “I understand, Father,” I say quietly, unable to stop myself from glancing over at John once again. His gaze flickers to mine, almost imperceptible but enough to spark a momentary understanding between us. Neither of us is happy with this arrangement. But there’s no escaping it.
• The weight of the family legacy hangs heavy in the air, and my father’s gaze is unwavering, like a hawk assessing its prey.
• “We’re in this together, Cole,” John’s voice breaks through my thoughts, his tone deliberate, controlled. But I can hear the unspoken words beneath it: Or maybe not.
• I shift in my seat. The room suddenly feels like it’s closing in around me, the walls pressing in with every breath I take.
• “I’ll make it work,” I mutter, even though I’m not entirely sure I believe my own words.
• The door to the conference room opens without warning, and I turn, relieved by the distraction. A woman steps inside. She’s tall, with a confident air, her presence instantly commanding the room.
• My heart lurches for an inexplicable reason as she glances at me.
• “Mr. Bruno,” she says, her voice smooth and professional, “we’ve finalized the contracts for the upcoming project.”
• I nod absently, but I can’t take my eyes off her. I know her.
• Her name is Funmi Williams. The one my father and John have spoken about in hushed tones for weeks. The woman they’ve arranged for me to marry. Her reputation precedes her: calm, composed, never without control. The ideal wife. But something about her... something in the way she holds herself is different. It's subtle but unmistakable.
• She holds my gaze for a second too long, her eyes flickering with something I can't quite decipher. Her presence unsettles me in ways I don't understand. She’s not like the women who’ve been brought in and out of my life. She’s not like the ones who wore their roles as if they were some kind of costume. Funmi... she feels real. In a world so full of fake smiles and calculated gestures, that’s enough to catch anyone’s attention.
• “I’ll review the details, Ms. Williams,” I say, my voice strained, trying to focus, trying to push aside the strange tug in my chest.
• “Of course,” she says softly, her smile brief, polite. But there’s something else in her eyes, something that tells me she’s not as willing to play along as my father and John think she is. For the first time in my life, I feel as though I might be in over my head.
• She turns to leave, but as she reaches the door, she pauses, and something unexpected happens.
• “You know,” she says without turning back to face me, “sometimes the things we’re told are part of our destiny aren’t the ones that make us who we are.”
• Her words strike me like a punch in the gut. I don’t know why they do, but they do. I’m not used to anyone speaking to me like that, with such... conviction. I’ve spent my life being told what my role is. What my future will be. But Funmi Williams... she’s already challenging everything I’ve ever believed.
• I feel a sudden rush of anger, followed by confusion, and something else—something deeper, something darker.
• But before I can respond, she’s gone. The door clicks shut behind her, leaving me alone with the weight of her words.
• John’s voice cuts through the silence.
• “What’s wrong with you, Cole? She’s just a pawn in the game.”
• I turn to face him, my jaw clenched. “Maybe, but she’s not like the others.” My own words surprise me, but I don’t back down. I’ve never been one to back down, even from my own confusion.
• “Don’t get too attached,” John warns, his tone colder than usual. “She’s just a means to an end.”
• His words are meant to calm me, but instead, they provoke something in me—a resistance, a defiance I haven’t felt in years.
• “I’ll do what I need to do,” I say quietly, but there’s a flicker of uncertainty in my chest that I can’t shake.
• John’s gaze hardens, and he stands, walking toward the door. “I’d be careful, Cole. You’re playing a dangerous game.”
• As he leaves, I stare at the empty space where Funmi once stood, her words echoing in my mind.
• And for the first time in my life, I wonder if I’ve already lost the game before it even started.