Page 17 of Pretty Plaything

Maybe it’s because he doesn’t believe I could do any damage even if I got inside, or maybe he thinks I’m too much of a good girl to even try.

Or he doesn’t think about me at all.

Once I make sure no one is around to see me, I enter the code. The door clicks open, and I slip inside.

My father’s office is spacious, with lots of shelves and closets. He keeps most of the important business stuff in here.

I head to his desk and push away the big leather chair so I can inspect the papers that are sitting next to a closed laptop.

If my father won’t listen to my opinion, then maybe I can figure out another way to avoid marrying Alessandro.

My father and my brothers would never tell me anything, but if I can get my hands on the contract, I may be able to find out why my father needs me to marry Alessandro.

Then I could come up with a different solution.

A better choice, maybe.

I flip through the papers. One of them has Alessandro’s name on it.

A smile spreads across my lips.

I found what I’m looking for.

But then my smile fades as I see the numbers. I nearly drop the paper.

So much money.

It’s mindboggling.

And all because of something called H-376.

I don’t even know what that is.

I know nothing. It’s frustrating. If my father had introduced me to just a tiny little bit of his business, then maybe I wouldn’t feel so lost now.

I return the paper back to its place, my heart sinking.

I should’ve known my father wouldn’t be after this deal and insisting on me marrying Alessandro if the deal wasn’t something extraordinary and super important.

Getting out of this seems impossible.

There’s no way Alessandro will refuse this. It’s too good of a deal for him.

All I can hope for is that I’ll manage to gain some freedom when I become his wife and that I won’t hate every single second of it.

But my chest constricts anyway.

I’m trapped.

And I don’t see a way out.