The Choice

Adrian's POV

All night, sleep hadn't touched my eyes. Everytime I closed my eyes, I saw her—Ivy Sinclair.

The way her lips had been soft against mine, the way she stared at me with those innocent eyes.

But she was my sister.

That's what they said, what I was supposed to believe. But nothing about last night felt like family.

It had been years since I left, but the Sinclair's mansion hadn't changed one bit.

Damian sat on his armchair, his wife, Elena by his side.

“Cassian had proven his loyalty more times than I can count” he said, voice laced with pride. “And he handles business with precision”

He added, “That's the kind of man I want tied to this family”

An alliance.

He was marrying his daughter off to Cassian just for ALLIANCE.

“You've been gone for years, Adrian. I nearly thought you weren't going to come back” Elena chirped in.

I chuckled darkly. “Of course, I have no other home, do I?”

A way of reminding them that I hadn't forgotten that they took me in, raised me and fed me.

Elena wanted to speak, but the sudden banging of the door shut her up.

My gaze snapped, landing on Ivy.

Her chest heaved, breath hardened, eyes fixed on her parents.

Before Elena could correct her manners, Ivy yelled. “Mom, Dad. There's no way I'm getting married to that asshole!”

Damian's gaze narrowed. “What?”

“The hell is wrong with you, Ivy?” Elena yelled. “We talked about this earlier!”

“Mom, hear me out. That man is a freaking cheat!” Ivy shouted. “Guess what I saw?” She paused.

“Cassian was in bed with a woman. We hadn't even gotten engaged, but he's started cheating!” Ivy rasped.

The couples didn't flinch, didn't act like they had just heard what she said.

“Not just anyone, but with my friend”

I watched, face dripping with amusement.

Elena’s gaze darkened. “He would never do such a thing”

“Enough!” Damian's voice thundered, gaze fixed on Ivy. “I don't care what you do, the engagement will still happen”

Stupid how they won't believe their daughter.

Ivy staggered, tears brimming her eyes.

Damian continued. “Cassian called me” His voice was low, dangerous. “He wants to hasten the engagement” He dropped the bombshell.

Ivy's throat tightened, shaking her head in panic.

“The ceremony is in two days,” Damian added.

“No…no…..no. No, Dad. Please….” She pleaded, lips trembling.

“Yours is to obey, kid” Damian stood up, his wife following behind, both of them exiting the room.

Silence stretched until Ivy's handbag dropped to the floor.

She crouched down, her cries cutting through the silence.

I should have ignored her, but I couldn't.

My body moved before my head could think. I knelt beside her, hands dropping on her back.

She lifted her head, her glassy eyes meeting mine.

For a moment, I forgot about everything else, just the urge to protect her.

“You'll be okay” My eyes reassured her.

Damn. Why was I being so soft when it was unlike me.

“Adrian…..” her voice trembled. “They….don't believe me” Again, tears streaked down her face.

I pulled her into myself, patting her back.

“Hey….I believe you” My voice was low, dark, but tender.

I let her cry in my arms, her tears soaking my shirt, but I didn't care.

Her gaze lifted, voice trembling. “Save me….. Adrian.”

My jaws clenched.

“Take me away from here. Stop the engagement” she said.

It wasn't an order, but a plea.

I froze. I couldn't.

“It's decided, Ivy. You are getting married to Cassian” I told her. “It's an alliance, therefore your duty to complete”

Her body stiffened.

She pulled back, sniffling. “I'll wait for you, Adrian”

“If you show up, then I won't be marrying Cassian Wolfe, but if you don't, I say ‘I do’.”

“My fate lies in your hands, Adrian” With that, she walked away.

Her words pressed down on me like chains, hitting deeper than I had thought.

Moments later, I headed back to my room, but was forced to stop in front of Damian's room when I overheard their conversations.

“I knew the two would be useful the moment I picked them up”

My gaze squinted.

“Yeah. Who knows even Ivy would later be of help in the future. We thought we were just taking care of a miserable orphan” Elena laughed.

My eyes widened, jaws clenching as the realization hit hard.

Ivy wasn't a Sinclair. Not their blood, not their daughter.