Chapter 4 - THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WASN'T A CHOICE
By sunset, the story had already spread through Blackhaven.
Mirabelle Hayes had been seen entering Ronan Voss's mansion.
That alone was enough to start rumors.
By midnight, social media was full of photographs.
Some called her his mistress.
Others called her a gold digger.
One headline read:
BLACKHAVEN'S MOST FEARED BACHELOR FINALLY CLAIMS A WOMAN.
Mirabelle threw the phone onto the sofa.
"I hate this city."
Ronan sat across from her.
"You'll learn."
"I don't want to."
"Neither did I."
She looked at him.
"Why did you tell everyone I'm your future wife?"
Ronan's expression remained calm.
"Because it protects you."
"It makes me a target."
"You were already a target."
"So now I'm your fiancée?"
"Publicly."
"And privately?"
He looked at her.
"Still the woman whose brother I'm protecting."
Mirabelle folded her arms.
"You could have said friend."
"No one threatens the future Mrs. Voss."
She stared at him.
"You really think people will believe that?"
Ronan's eyes didn't move.
"They already do."
Her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
YOU DON'T BELONG BESIDE HIM.
Another arrived.
YOUR FATHER STOLE FROM THE WRONG FAMILY.
Then a photograph.
Mirabelle opened it.
It showed her mother.
Alive.
Mirabelle's entire body went cold.
"Ronan."
He took the phone.
His face hardened.
"Where did you get this?"
"I don't know."
He studied the photograph.
"When was your mother supposed to have died?"
"Sixteen years ago."
"She's not in this photograph."
Mirabelle stared.
"What?"
Ronan enlarged it.
The photograph had been digitally altered.
Her mother's face had been placed into another image.
He looked at Mirabelle.
"This is bait."
"Why?"
"Because they want you angry."
"Why?"
"So you'll make a mistake."
She looked toward the hallway.
"Kellen."
Ronan immediately stood.
They ran upstairs.
Kellen's bedroom was empty.
The window was open.
Mirabelle screamed.
"NO!"
Ronan reached the window.
A rope hung outside.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
A distorted voice said:
"You should have stayed out of Daniel Hayes's grave."
Ronan's face became stone.
The caller continued.
"Now we'll take the boy."
Ronan replied quietly:
"Touch him and I'll bury everyone involved."
The caller laughed.
"You still don't understand."
"What?"
"Daniel didn't leave Mirabelle a fortune."
A pause.
"He left her a throne."
The line went dead.
Ronan stared into the darkness.
For the first time that night, fear appeared in his eyes.
May you like
Not fear for himself.
Fear for Mirabelle.
