Late Loving You

Lena Prescott sat in the modest, softly lit study of the Prescott family house, nervously tracing the edge of the marriage contract in front of her.

The room, filled with the aroma of ancient leather and the ticking of a grandfather clock, appeared to press in on her, each tick seeming like a countdown to her demise.

She'd read the text a dozen times, but the words still felt strange, like if they were from someone else's life rather than her own.

She looked at the framed images on the mantle, which depict brighter times. Her parents smiled and held her and her brother James tight. They were no longer with them, having died in an accident when Lena was eighteen. All she had left was James.

"Lena, are you listening?" James' words sliced through her thoughts and brought her back to the present. He sat across from her, his face a mixture of concern and resolve.

Lena looked up at him, her heart heavy. "I'm sorry, I... I just can't believe this is happening."

James reached across the table, taking her hand in his. His grip was firm, reassuring. "I know this isn't what you wanted. It's not what I wanted for you either, but we're out of options. If we don't do this, we'll lose everything. The business, the house... We won't survive."

Lena swallowed hard, the reality of their situation settling like a stone in her stomach. The Prescott family business, a once-thriving company that her father had built from the ground up, was on the brink of collapse.

Years of bad investments and economic downturns had left them drowning in debt. And now, their only chance of salvation lay in the hands of Adrian Calloway, the man she had once loved and who now despised her.

"I don't understand why it has to be me," Lena whispered, her voice trembling. "Why does Adrian want to marry me? He hates me, James. You know that."

James sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I don't know, Lena. Maybe it's some twisted way of getting back at you, or maybe it's something else entirely.

But whatever his reasons, this is our only way out. If you sign that contract, the debt is wiped clean. You and I can keep the business and the house."

Lena's hand shook as she picked up the pen, her mind racing. She had loved Adrian once, so deeply that it hurt to even think about him now.

They had been so close, inseparable as teenagers. But that was before Victoria, Adrian's younger sister, had died. A night that had shattered their lives and their friendship forever.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Lena's voice was barely a whisper as she stared down at the contract.

James's grip tightened on her hand. "I'm sorry, Lena. I wish I could do something, anything, to fix this. But we're out of time. If you don't sign this, everything Mom and Dad worked for will be gone."

Lena closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. She thought of her parents, how proud they had been of their family and their business.

They had always believed in her, always supported her dreams. And now, she was about to give up everything she had ever wanted for a life she hadn't chosen.