Chapter 258: Who's Next?

Reese My first reaction was to laugh. Not a chuckle. Not a scoff. But a full, unrestrained, almost hysterical laugh tore from my chest. I threw my head back and laughed so hard that tears spilled from my eyes, my ribs aching with every breath I dragged in between fits. He couldn’t be serious. He couldn’t possibly be serious. There were limits to madness—even for him. My body shook under the weight of it as I dragged my hands through my hair, pulling at the roots like I needed pain to remind me this wasn’t some elaborate, sick joke. Because what? What sane man announces a forced marriage like he’s assigning a business contract? “Are you done?” my father asked calmly, as if he hadn’t just casually detonated my life. As if he hadn’t just mapped out my entire future without bothering to consult me first. That alone made me laugh harder. I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes, still experiencing aftershocks from the laughter. “Thank you, Father. I haven’t laughed that much in a long