Chapter 6

Joseph's heart lurched the moment he heard Tiana say they would be strangers. For seven whole years, it never once crossed his mind that she would actually ask to leave. He listened to her choked sobs in the darkness, his mind flicking over every moment they'd shared like a kaleidoscope. The final image that flashed in his mind was of the wedding gown he'd personally designed for her. It was set to be finished next month. He clenched his fists so hard that his palms stung, and he forced himself to speak through the pain. "Tiana, I'll marry you. But before that, I need to know where Irene is. She's carrying my family's child!" Tiana seemed oblivious to his words. She screamed and writhed on the floor, curling herself into the smallest ball she could manage, her face wet with tears. Over and over, she could only babble one thing through the panic. "Please, Joseph. Let me go. I don't want to marry you anymore." Joseph snapped and roared, "I just want to know where Irene is, Tiana! I promised I'd marry you, and I will! I know there's a misunderstanding between us right now. I'll explain everything on our wedding day, I swear!" His voice cracked, turning into a plea he couldn't swallow back. "Ana, I've never begged anyone for anything in my life—consider this the first time. I just need Irene's location." Tiana slammed her forehead against the floor, sobbing. "I don't know where Irene is… I didn't… Joseph, turn on the light, please…" Joseph stood at the doorway, his hand hovering over the switch. All it would take was a flick to end her torment in that moment. He could feel that he'd dug his nails into his palm hard enough to break the skin. Warm, sticky blood seeped between his fingers. He knew why Tiana feared the dark. During their childhood at the orphanage, Irene had locked Tiana inside an equipment room for three whole days just to steal a shot at being adopted first. At the time, Tiana had only been four years old. On the third day, she'd set a fire in the room to draw the adults, saving herself from starving or dying of thirst. "The surveillance footage shows it clearly—Irene got into a car sent by your family before disappearing," Joseph said. "I was wrong to hide things about me and Irene from you, but I had my reasons. Ana, you've been so understanding these past seven years. Please, hold out for just one more month." He forced himself to stay hard-hearted through Tiana's broken sobs. "I know Irene did plenty of awful things to you before, and I can understand that you want payback now that you have the chance. But she's pregnant with my family's child. "If you tell me where she is, we can still salvage this. But if this blows up in front of my grandfather, your whole family will get dragged into the fray. I know you don't care about your parents, but what about Elliot? Are you really willing to risk his future because of your foolish jealousy?" Tiana's sobbing stopped short for a split second. Elliot. This seven-year-long joke of a relationship wasn't just ruining her—it was about to drag down the only person in the world who'd ever treated her well. "I swear I don't know where Irene is!" Tiana suddenly went feral and slammed her head against the floor. "How many times has she framed me since we were kids? Why won't any of you believe me just once? "If you won't believe me, then fine. It's my fault for getting tangled up with the almighty heir of the Quill family, anyway. I'll pay with my life! How about that?" She threw everything she had into slamming her head against the floor one last time. The dull, heavy thud was like a gunshot straight through Joseph's heart. He flicked the lights on, but it was too late. Tiana was crumpled on the floor as blood crept from her temple and slowly spread everywhere.