The evening air was cool as I wandered through the edge of the Carter estate, seeking refuge in the quiet woods that bordered the family grounds. Everything about my life had changed so quickly, and the pressure of my impending marriage weighed heavily on my mind. I needed space—somewhere to think, to breathe, to escape the suffocating expectations of the family.
As I walked deeper into the forest, lost in my thoughts, I heard the faint sound of footsteps behind me. They were light but deliberate, sending a shiver down my spine. I stopped and turned around, only to find a tall figure standing a few feet away.
The man was dressed in a dark coat, his posture relaxed yet commanding. His eyes, however, gleamed with an intensity that made me feel like he could see right through me.
"You must be Emma Carter," he said, his voice smooth and low, tinged with a confidence that immediately unsettled me.
I didn't recognize him, but something about his presence set me on edge. "Who are you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He stepped closer, the faintest of smiles tugging at his lips. "My name is Derek Stone," he replied casually, as though the name should mean something to me.
I blinked, confused. "Stone?" I echoed, searching my memory for any recollection of that name, but nothing surfaced. "I don't know you."
Derek's smile widened slightly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Perhaps not. But our families know each other very well."
I narrowed my eyes, suspicion rising. "What do you mean?"
"The Stone family and the Carter family share a long history," he explained, his tone shifting to something more serious. "Our families were once rivals, competing for land, power, and influence. The conflict between us nearly tore both families apart."
The weight of his words sank in slowly. Rivals? I had never heard of this. Why hadn't anyone in the Carter family mentioned the Stones?
"What does that have to do with me?" I asked cautiously, still unsure of his intentions.
Derek took a step closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "Because now, you're a part of that history. Your marriage to Logan Blackwood is not just about consolidating power within your family. It's about maintaining the fragile peace that was built between the Carters and the Stones."
My heart skipped a beat. The marriage had been arranged for political reasons—that much I knew—but this was something else entirely. "A peace between the Carters and the Stones?" I repeated, struggling to piece everything together. "Why is this the first I'm hearing of it?"
"Because your family prefers to bury the past," Derek said, his voice softening. "The Stone family lost much of its influence over the years, but the old contract remains. Our families are still bound by it."
"A contract?" I asked, my voice tight with disbelief. "What kind of contract?"
"A marriage alliance," Derek replied, his eyes darkening. "An agreement made generations ago to unite our families and prevent further conflict. But when the Stones began to lose power, the Carters broke the terms of the contract. Now, the Stones are seeking what was promised to us."
I felt a chill run down my spine. "And what was promised to you?"
Derek held my gaze, his expression unreadable. "Power. Control. A seat at the table of influence that your family has dominated for so long."
I took a step back, my mind racing. If what Derek said was true, then the marriage wasn't just about keeping the Carter family strong—it was about settling a debt. A debt that had been kept from me.
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Because you deserve to know the truth," Derek replied, his tone softening once more. "You're not just a pawn in your family's game, Emma. You have a choice in how this plays out."
His words unsettled me even more. I wasn't sure if I could trust him, or if this was just another manipulation, another layer of the tangled web of family politics. But there was something about Derek—something dark and compelling, like a secret waiting to be uncovered.
"I don't know what you expect me to do with this information," I said, taking another step back, trying to maintain some distance.
Derek's eyes softened, and for the first time, he looked almost human—vulnerable, even. "I'm not asking you to trust me," he said quietly. "I'm just asking you to think about what's really going on around you. The Carters and the Stones… we're not done yet. And neither are you."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the trees, leaving me standing there, alone and more confused than ever. His words echoed in my mind—about the past, the contract, and the role I had unknowingly inherited.
As I made my way back to the estate, the weight of what I had learned settled over me like a heavy cloak. My marriage to Logan was no simple alliance. There were forces at play that I had barely begun to understand, and Derek Stone was at the center of it all.
And now, so was I.