POV: Emily
"It's about why I really married you."
His words hung on the line like a grenade waiting to explode, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know what would happen when it did. My heart pounded, the seconds stretching into an uncomfortable silence. I should have hung up. I should have slammed the phone down and cut him out of my life like the cancer he was.
But I didn't.
"Why you really married me?" I repeated, the words dripping with disbelief. "Don't insult me, Jake. You married me because it was a strategic business move. That's the only reason."
Jake sighed, the sound heavy with frustration. "You really think that's all there is to it, don't you?"
I straightened in my chair, fingers gripping the edge of my desk. "What else would it be? You're a ruthless businessman who sees people as pawns. You don't care about anyone, least of all me. This marriage was never about us. It's about control."
"You're wrong," he said, his voice low but firm. "It was never about control. Not the way you think."
I bit back the retort that sprang to my lips, my mind racing. This was a new angle. Jake never admitted anything unless it served a purpose. If this wasn't about control, then what? My chest tightened with the weight of unanswered questions, but I wasn't about to let him see how his words affected me.
"Then enlighten me, Jake," I said, forcing calm into my voice. "Why did you marry me? What could possibly be more important to you than taking over my company?"
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and when Jake finally spoke, his voice was quieter, more vulnerable.
"It wasn't about your company, Emily. It was about protecting something far more valuable."
My pulse quickened. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"There are things you don't know, things that are bigger than either of us," he said, his tone serious. "This marriage was the only way to keep you safe. To keep everything from falling apart."
I laughed, but it was sharp, bitter. "Safe? Jake, the only person I need protection from is you."
"You're wrong," he snapped, and for the first time, I heard real anger in his voice. "You don't understand what's at stake here."
I clenched my jaw, my frustration building. I hated how he always talked in riddles, how he held all the cards while I was left trying to decipher the game he was playing. But this time, he was going to give me answers.
"Then explain it to me," I demanded, my voice rising. "What's really going on, Jake? "Why do you care so much about 'protecting' me? What aren't you telling me?"
Another pause. This one longer, heavier. I could hear Jake's breathing on the other end of the line, and for a second, I thought he wouldn't answer. But then, quietly, almost too quietly, he spoke.
"I didn't want you involved, Emily. You were never supposed to be dragged into this mess."
"What mess?" I pressed, my patience wearing thin. "Stop speaking in circles, Jake! If you don't tell me what's going on, I swear I'll..."
"It's not just about the companies," he interrupted, his voice suddenly hard. "There's a power struggle happening, but it's not the one you think. I married you to stop something bigger from coming after you. Something dangerous."
A cold knot formed in my stomach. Something dangerous? What the hell was he talking about? This wasn't just corporate rivalry anymore,this was something else. Something darker.
"What do you mean, 'something dangerous'?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper now.
Jake sighed heavily, the weight of whatever he was about to reveal pressing down on him. "There are people behind the scenes, powerful people who've been watching Carson Enterprises for a long time. They don't care about you, they care about what your company represents. And they'll do anything to take control of it. Marrying you… was the only way to protect you from them."
My mind spun. People? Powerful people? This sounded like something out of a bad conspiracy thriller.
"You expect me to believe that?" I said, though my voice wavered with doubt. "This sounds insane, Jake. Why didn't you tell me any of this before? Why make it seem like it was all about business if there was something more serious going on?"
"Because you wouldn't have believed me," he said flatly. "You barely believe me now. But you need to understand, Emily… This is about survival. Not just for me, but for you, too."
My heart raced as his words sank in. Survival. Jake wasn't just talking about business anymore he was talking about something far more personal, far more dangerous than I had ever imagined. But why? Why would these mysterious people care so much about my company?
"Who are they?" I asked, a cold knot tightening in my chest. "Who's trying to take control?"
There was another pause, and I could almost hear Jake weighing his options, deciding how much to tell me. Finally, he answered.
"That's what I'm trying to find out," he said quietly. "But believe me, Emily, they're closer than you think. And they're watching your every move."
My blood turned to ice. Watching me? I glanced around my office, suddenly feeling exposed. Vulnerable.
"How long have you known about this?" I demanded, anger and fear bubbling up inside me.
"Long enough to know that marrying you was the only way to keep them at bay,"Jake replied, his tone grim. "They won't move against you while we're united. They think we're stronger together, and that makes them cautious."
I felt a rush of anger, hot and blinding. "So you're saying this whole marriage was just some elaborate shield? A way to make me your pawn in whatever twisted game you're playing?"
"No," Jake said sharply. "You're not my pawn, Emily. This was about protecting you. Whether you want to believe it or not, you're in danger. And I'm the only one who can keep you safe."
I stood up from my chair, pacing across the room, my mind reeling. Could he be telling the truth? Could there really be people out there who were willing to destroy everything I'd built,everything my family had built just to take control?
And worse, was Jake really the only one standing between me and them?
"I don't need your protection,"** I said finally, my voice cold. "I can take care of myself."
"Not this time,"Jake replied, and there was something final in his tone, something that made my skin crawl. "This isn't a fight you can win alone, Emily. Whether you like it or not, we're in this together now."
My breath hitched as the weight of his words sank in. Together. I hated the thought of it. I hated the idea of relying on Jake for anything, let alone my own safety. But what choice did I have?
"I don't trust you," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "I don't trust any of this."
"I know," he replied softly. "But you will."
There was something chilling about his calmness, like he knew exactly how this was going to play out. Like he had seen the ending of this story, and I was just catching up.
"I'll be in touch," Jake said before the line went dead, leaving me alone with my thoughts, my fears, and the sinking realization that everything was about to change.
Later That Night
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the skyline outside my window. The city looked so peaceful from up here just a sea of lights twinkling in the distance, like nothing bad could ever happen.
But something bad was happening. Jake's words echoed in my head, over and over again. "You're in danger… We're stronger together…"
I didn't want to believe him. I didn't want to admit that maybe, just maybe, Jake wasn't the worst thing in my life right now.
But the truth was, I didn't know who else to trust. My company, my entire world, was at risk, and if Jake was telling the truth, there were forces out there that I couldn't even begin to comprehend.
A knock at the door startled me out of my thoughts. My heart leapt into my throat as I crossed the room and peered through the peephole.
Jake.
Of course.
I opened the door, my stomach churning. He stood there, looking uncharacteristically tired, the sharp edges of his confidence dulled.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice laced with suspicion.
He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation. "We need to talk."
"We just did," I said, crossing my arms. "You dropped a bomb on me over the phone, and now you want to what? Debrief?"
"You needed time to process,"he said, his voice calm but firm. "But now we need to make a plan."
I scoffed. "A plan? For what, exactly? To fend off the invisible boogeymen you say are after my company?"
Jake's expression hardened. "This isn't a joke, Emily. You may not trust me, but you need to start trusting the situation. You don't know how deep this goes."
"Then tell me," I shot back. "If this is so dangerous, Jake, stop keeping me in the dark. I deserve to know everything."
He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room like a caged animal. "It's not that simple. The people who are watching,they're not just watching you. They're watching me, too. The more you know, the more dangerous it gets for both of us."
"So I'm just supposed to blindly follow your lead?" I asked, my voice rising. "Trust that you'll save me when you're the reason I'm in this mess in the first place?"
Jake stopped pacing and turned to face me, his eyes dark and intense. "I'm trying to fix this. I'm trying to keep you safe."
"Safe from what?" I demanded. "You keep saying I'm in danger, but you haven't told me from who or what. If you want me to trust you, Jake, give me something real. Anything."
For a moment, I thought he might actually answer me. His jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with something unreadable. But then, just as quickly, the wall went back up.
"I can't," he said, his voice strained. "Not yet."
My heart sank. "Then I can't trust you."
He stared at me for a long moment, the tension between us thick and suffocating. Finally, he nodded, as if coming to some internal decision.
"You're right," he said quietly. "But whether you trust me or not, we're in this together. And if we don't work together, we'll both lose everything."