With shaking hands, Anna closed the door to her bedroom. Her pulse raced at the faint sounds of her parent's fighting downstairs. She hugged her knees as she dropped to the ground. Fear, rage, and frustration swirled through her consciousness. She couldn't stop thinking about Josh. Would they ever be able to be together?
Her father yelled, "Anna!" from the hallway. The door exploded open before she could even wipe away her tears. Standing there with a mask of rage on his face was Chief Williams.
He entered the room and demanded, "What were you thinking, embarrassing us like that?" "Do you know what you've done? Caleb's family is furious. You've put everything at risk!"
Anna got to her feet, her fists clenched. "I don't care about Caleb or his family. I won't marry him. You can't force me."
Her dad's eyes squinted. "Watch your tone. This isn't about what you want. It's about what's best for this family."
Her voice rose as she retorted, "Best for the family? Or best for your reputation?" "I love Josh, and nothing you say will change that."
The face of Chief Williams clouded. "You will do as you're told, Anna. If you disobey me, there will be consequences."
He slammed the door behind him and rushed out without saying another word. With tears running down her cheeks, Anna collapsed back onto the bed. Her chest ached from the weight of her father's words, but she was certain that she would not give up on Josh.
In Eric's little apartment, Josh paced back and forth while stroking his hair. "I don't know what to do, man. Chief Williams hates me. He'll never let me be with Anna."
Eric folded his arms and sat back on the couch. "You're not wrong. That guy's ruthless. But you love her, right?"
Josh paused his pacing and turned to face him. "Of course I do. I'd do anything for her."
Eric gave a nod. "Then you've got to be smart about this. Fighting Chief Williams head-on isn't going to work. He has power, money, and Caleb on his side."
Josh's voice broke as he said, "So what am I supposed to do? Just sit back and let them ruin Anna's life?"
"No. But you need to be careful. Protect Anna, but don't get yourself killed in the process," Eric replied with determination. "You're up against people who play dirty."
Josh's hands clenched. "I'll protect her, no matter what it takes."
Eric let out a sigh. "Just promise me you won't do anything stupid."
Margaret, Anna's mother, was sitting on the couch downstairs, looking pale. "We can't force her into this marriage, Williams. She's our daughter, not a pawn."
With his jaw clenched, Chief Williams paced the living room. "You don't understand. This isn't just about us. Caleb's family holds the key to our future. If this deal falls through, everything we've worked for will collapse."
Tears clouded Margaret's eyes. "But at what cost? Anna is miserable. Can't you see that? She loves Josh."
"Josh is nothing," he said. "A nobody with no future. Caleb can give her stability, security… a life we couldn't dream of."
Margaret gave a headshake. "She doesn't want stability. She wants happiness. And Caleb will never make her happy."
Chief Williams turned to face his wife and ceased pacing. "This isn't up for discussion. The marriage will happen, whether Anna likes it or not."
Margaret turned away as her shoulders drooped. She knew deep down that she couldn't argue with him.
A knock on Anna's door later that night shocked her. Caleb was waiting there with a smug look on his face when she opened it.
Her voice was icy as she questioned, "What are you doing here?"
Without waiting for an invitation, he entered. "I came to talk. We need to get a few things straight."
Anna folded her arms. "There's nothing to talk about. I'm not marrying you."
Caleb's eyes became cold. "You don't have a choice, Anna. Your father has already agreed."
Her voice trembled with rage as she declared, "I don't care what my father agreed to." "I'll never marry someone like you."
His voice was low and threatening as he stepped closer. "You think you can defy me? Think again. If you keep fighting this, it won't end well for your precious Josh."
Anna gasped. "Leave him out of this."
Caleb grinned. "That depends on you. Accept the engagement, and he stays safe. Refuse, and I can't promise what will happen to him."
Anger welled up within her. She lifted her hand without thinking and gave him a cheek slap. The room reverberated with the sound.
Caleb touched his cheek, his eyes burning with rage. He said, "You'll regret that." "Mark my words, Anna."
She shuddered as he turned and strode out. The thoughts were racing as she perched on the side of the bed. While she couldn't allow Caleb to harm Josh, she also couldn't allow him to threaten her. There must have been another route.
Caleb took out his phone and called someone in the dim light of his car. "It's me," he answered abruptly. "I need you to dig into someone's background. Name's Josh Parker. Find out everything about him. And if he becomes a problem… take care of it."
With a sly grin on his lips, he hung up the phone and reclined in his chair. "Let's see how long you last, Josh."
A risky encounter is put in motion as Caleb's guys start looking into Josh.