Alex opened his eyes with a start. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, making him squint. He reached for his phone to check the time: 7:15 AM.
His wedding day. In just a few hours, he would be standing at the altar, promising to love Sophia forever.
But Ethan's words from the hospital echoed in his mind: "Remember who you really love."
Alex sat up and rubbed his eyes. The events of last night felt like a bad dream. Ethan being kidnapped. The race to the docks. His father's statement about the fake wedding invitation. And worst of all, Ethan walks away hurt and angry.
His phone buzzed with a text message from his mother: "Your suit is pressed and ready. Dad is feeling better this morning. See you at the church at 11."
Alex sighed and got out of bed. He walked to the window and looked out at the city. Somewhere out there, Ethan was probably waking up too. Was he thinking about Alex? Was he still angry?
The doorbell rang, making Alex jump. Who could be here so early on his wedding day?
He opened the door to find Sophia standing there, already dressed in a simple blue dress, her hair pulled back in a neat bun.
"Sophia?" Alex was surprised. "Isn't it bad luck for the bride to see the groom before the wedding?"
Sophia smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Can I come in? We need to talk."
Alex stepped aside to let her in, feeling uncomfortable. This wasn't like Sophia. She was the one who insisted on following all the wedding customs.
"Is everything okay?" he asked as they sat down in the living room.
Sophia looked at her hands. "I saw you and Ethan last night. At the hospital."
Alex's heart sank. "Sophia, I—"
"No, let me finish," she said. "I went there to check on your father. I heard you and Ethan talking. I heard what you said to each other."
Alex closed his eyes, feeling terrible. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."
To his surprise, Sophia reached out and took his hand. "I've known for a long time that you love him, Alex. I saw the way you looked at him whenever he entered a room. I heard the way your voice changed when you talked about him."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Alex asked.
"Because I hoped you would grow to love me too." Sophia's voice was soft. "I thought once we were married, once we built a life together, you would forget about him."
Alex didn't know what to say. He'd tried so hard to hide his feelings for Ethan, but Sophia had seen through him all along.
"What happens now?" he asked.
Sophia pulled something from her purse and put it on the coffee table. It was a small black box.
"Open it," she said.
Alex did. Inside was a simple gold wedding band—his ring for today's service.
"I still want to marry you, Alex," Sophia said. "Your father's company needs this merger with my family's business. Without it, a lot of people will lose their jobs."
"But what about love?" Alex asked. "Don't you want more than a marriage of convenience?"
"Love grows," Sophia said, her eyes begging. "We can be happy together, I know it."
Before Alex could reply, his phone rang. It was Ethan.
"I should take this," Alex said.
Sophia nodded and stood up. "I'll go. Think about what I said, Alex. A lot of people are counting on you making the right choice today." She walked to the door, then turned back. "I'll see you at the church."
As soon as she was gone, Alex answered the phone. "Ethan?"
"Alex, thank God you answered." Ethan's voice was rushed, worried. "I need to tell you something about Sophia."
"What about her?" Alex frowned. "She was just here, actually."
"She was there?" Ethan sounded worried. "What did she say?"
"That she knew about us. About my feelings for you. She still wants to go through with the wedding."
"Alex, listen to me," Ethan said quickly. "Last night, after I left the hospital, I went to check on some things. Sophia isn't who she claims to be."
"What do you mean?"
"Her family's company is in trouble. Big trouble. They need your father's money to stay afloat. If the deal doesn't happen, they'll lose everything."
Alex looked at the wedding ring on the table. "How do you know this?"
"I have a friend who works at their company. He showed me the books. They've been hiding losses for years. Alex, they're desperate."
Alex's mind raced. If what Ethan said was true, then Sophia wasn't just marrying him for convenience—she was trying to save her family from ruin.
"There's more," Ethan continued. "I think Sophia might be involved in what happened to me last night."
"What? That's crazy," Alex objected. "She wouldn't do that."
"Think about it, Alex. Who else knew about the wedding invitation? Who else had a reason to stop your father from sharing the truth about their business?"
Alex remembered what the woman at the docks had said: "Your father found out something about the Martinez company, didn't he?"
Could Sophia really be behind all this?
"I don't know what to believe," Alex said. "I need proof."
"I'm working on that," Ethan responded. "But for now, please, don't go through with this wedding. At least postpone it until we figure out the truth."
Alex looked at the clock: 8:30 AM. The wedding was at noon.
"I need to talk to my father," he said. "I'll call you back."
Alex hung up and quickly got dressed. He needed answers, and his father was the only one who might have them.
When he arrived at the hospital, he found his father sitting up in bed, looking much better than last night.
"Alex," his father smiled. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for the wedding?"
"Dad, I need to ask you something, and I need the truth." Alex sat down beside the bed. "Is the Martinez company in financial trouble?"
His father's smile faded. "Who told you that?" "Ethan. He has a friend who works there."
His father sighed. "Yes, they're in trouble. That's what led me to examine them in the first place. I found out they were using illegal ways to hide their losses."
"And does Sophia know about this?"
"I don't think so," his father said. "Mr. Martinez keeps his business affairs separate from his family."
Alex felt relief wash over him. Maybe Ethan was wrong about Sophia.
"But there's something else you should know," his father continued. "The cops found some suspicious transfers from Sophia's personal account. Large sums of money sent to foreign banks."
Alex's relief disappeared. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying be careful, son. I don't know if Sophia is active in her father's business, but there are questions that need answers."
Alex's phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number: "I have proof about Sophia. Meet me at the coffee shop across from the church at 10 AM."
"I have to go," Alex told his father, showing him the text.
"Alex, wait—"
But Alex was already going for the door. He needed to know the truth before he made the biggest choice of his life.
The coffee shop was quiet when Alex arrived. He ordered a drink and sat by the window, watching people pass by outside. It was 10:05 AM, and no one had approached him yet.
His phone rang. It was Sophia.
"Alex, where are you? Everyone's looking for you."
"I needed some time to think," he said. "I'll be at the church soon."
"Don't be late," Sophia said. "Everything will be perfect, you'll see."
As he hung up, a woman sat down across from him. She put a large envelope on the table.
"You must be Alex," she said. "I believe you're looking for information about Sophia Martinez."
Alex nodded. "Who are you?"
"Someone who wants the truth to come out." She pushed the envelope toward him. "Everything you need to know is in there."
Alex opened the envelope. Inside were photos, bank statements, and emails—all showing Sophia's involvement in her father's illegal business operations.
"She's been helping him hide money for years," the woman stated. "And there's something else you should know. Your friend Ethan? He's in danger."
Alex's blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"
The woman leaned forward. "Sophia knows he's a threat to her plans. She's taken steps to ensure he won't interfere with the wedding."
"What steps? Where is he?" Alex was on his feet now, fear rising in his chest.
"I don't know. But if you want to save him, you need to play along. Go to the church. Pretend everything is normal. I'll try to find out where they're keeping him."
Alex looked at his watch: 10:30 AM. The wedding was in less than two hours.
"How do I know I can trust you?" he asked.
The woman stood up. "You don't. But right now, I'm the only chance your friend has."
She walked out, leaving Alex with the envelope of proof and a terrible choice to make.
His phone buzzed again. A text from Ethan's number: "Can't wait to see you say 'I do' today. Sophia's a lucky woman."
But something wasn't right. Ethan would never send a message like that.
Alex's heart pounded as he realized the truth. Ethan had been right all along. Sophia was involved. And now she had Ethan.
With shaking hands, Alex gathered the proof and headed for his car. He had to save Ethan. But first, he had a wedding to attend.