I sat stiffly in the backseat, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. The silence was suffocating, broken only by the hum of the engine. Everything else was dark and dead quiet. Jim Walsh sat in the front seat, tapping his fingers against the armrest in an annoyingly steady rhythm.
After a few minutes, he turned slightly, glancing at me over his shoulder. "I see you've found yourself a boyfriend."
I clenched my jaw, my fingers curling into my palms as my body shivered. I turned to look out the window, refusing to meet his gaze, hiding my tears. "I just graduated yesterday, and you've all already come for me."
Jim chuckled, low and humorless. "Unfortunately, this isn't about you, Kahlan. It's about the family."
The family. The words made my stomach churn. "You mean the same family that conveniently forgot I existed until now?"
Jim's expression hardened. "Don't start."
I blinked back the tears. I've been living my own life, staying out of trouble, and now, out of nowhere, you people decide to show up? What exactly changed?"
"You were the one who chose to stay away from everything," he said, his tone sharp.
"And for good reason." I replied, trying to be as calm as possible, assuring myself I was going to be fine.
Jim sighed, rubbing his temples like he was already tired of this conversation. "You don't know what's going on."
"Then tell me."
He exhaled sharply. "You'll get the full story when we're in London."
***
The rest of the drive passed in tense silence. My mind raced with questions, but my thoughts kept drifting back to what I had left behind. I hadn't even said goodbye to Tessa. She had been so excited about this morning, about us spending the day together. And then… Aldrich.
I swallowed hard. How could this be happening when my perfectly perfect life had just begun?
The flight to London felt endless. I barely spoke a word, my thoughts consumed by the unknown chaos awaiting me. My heart kept pounding within me. When we finally landed, the moment my feet touched the airport floor, I felt suffocated.
London.
The city I once called home. The city I had tried so hard to forget.
"I'll get us something to eat," I said abruptly, eager for a moment alone, away from Jim and his unreadable expressions.
Jim barely looked up from his phone. "Don't wander too far."
I swallowed and proceeded toward a small food stand. I needed space, just a few minutes to breathe. As I turned around with my order, I accidentally brushed against someone.
A tall man in a sleek, well-fitted suit.
"Watch where you're going," he barked, his voice sharp and cutting.
I barely had time to react before his hand came up—fast and without hesitation.
A slap.
The impact sent a sharp sting across my cheek, my head snapping to the side. A few gasps sounded from nearby passengers, but no one intervened.
I pressed a hand against my burning skin, my eyes wide with disbelief as I looked up at him.
"Clumsy and useless," the man sneered, brushing off his jacket like I had dirtied it just by existing. "Typical."
My breath hitched. Heat crawled up my neck as tears flooded my eyes. "You didn't have to hit me." I trembled, my voice shaking.
The man didn't even glance back. He turned on his heel, walking off with an air of arrogant dismissal, his two massive bodyguards trailing behind him. His wealth was practically dripping off of him and once again, I was reminded I was not welcome here.
I wiped my tears angrily and stopped to clean the mess.
By the time I returned to where Jim was waiting, I was dark and cold. Jim didn't even say a word to me, though he must have noticed the tears in my eyes..
***
The drive to the family estate felt like stepping into a time machine, except I wasn't reliving happy memories. Each landmark we passed dragged up parts of my past I had buried deep. When we finally pulled up in front of the mansion, I felt a fresh wave of unease settle over me.
The door swung open before I even stepped out, and there she was—my mother.
Helen Walsh.
She looked smaller than I remembered, more fragile. The moment she saw me, her face crumpled. "Kahlan," she breathed, pulling me into a tight embrace.
"Mom," I whispered, the lump in my throat growing thicker.
She pulled back, cradling my face in her hands. "I'm so sorry you had to come back under these circumstances."
I tensed. "What circumstances?" I glanced between her and Jim. "No one will tell me what's going on."
Her lower lip trembled before she finally spoke. "Your father… he's in the hospital." She took a shaky breath. "It's bad, Kahlan. Really bad."
I felt my stomach drop. "What?"
"He doesn't have much time," she added, barely above a whisper.
My mind whirled, unable to process the words. I had barely wrapped my head around that when—
Footsteps.
I turned at the sound of approaching steps. A figure emerged from the hallway, and my breath caught in my throat.
No.
No, no, no.
It was him.
The man from the airport.
My chest tightened. He smirked, his emerald-green eyes filled with amusement.
"Good evening," he said smoothly, his voice just as infuriating as before.
I took a step back, trembling. "What is he doing here?"
Jim cleared his throat, looking cautious. "Kahlan… this is Emiliano De Mor."
The man paused. "Wait. I know this face." He let out a humorless laugh. "We met not too long ago." Emiliano arched a brow, looking at me as if he were truly seeing me for the first time. Then, as if realization dawned, he scoffed. "Seriously?" He turned to Jim and my mother. "Is this the girl?"
I narrowed my eyes, my heart racing. "What is going on?"
"Kahlan," my mother whispered weakly.
"Mother?" I replied, taking steps backwards.
"Honey, you need to calm down," my mother said gently.
"I need answers." My voice shook as I turned to Jim, then back to Emiliano. "What did he mean, 'Is this the girl?' Who is he?"
Emiliano let out a dark chuckle. "I should be asking the same thing." He turned to my mother and Jim. "This is what you bring forward for the contract?"
Contract?
My breath hitched. "What?"
Jim finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "Kahlan."
Silence fell.
Then his next words crashed into me like a freight train.
"He is your fiancé."