I accidentally married the love of my life

In Nadia's family, Sunday dinners had never been about food.

They were about power.

About alliances.

About smiling at someone across the table while quietly wondering how to destroy their chances of inheriting the family empire.

Tonight was no different.

Nadia sat at the far end of the long dining table, slowly stirring the wine in her glass as she watched her family tear itself apart.

"I am not going to sit here and pretend this is fair," Uncle Richard snapped.

Her father leaned back in his chair.

"Fair?"

Richard laughed bitterly.

"Yes. Fair. You have been running this company alongside Father for twenty-five years. If anyone deserves to take over after him, it's you."

"And apparently you think saying that loudly enough will make it true."

"At least I'm honest about what I want."

Nadia almost smiled.

That's a first.

Around the table, everyone had their own version of innocence.

Her aunt was pretending to be concerned about Grandpa's health.

Her cousins were pretending not to listen.

Her father was pretending he didn't care about the inheritance.

And Richard was pretending his sudden concern for fairness had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he wanted the company.

Nadia knew better.

They all wanted it.

The company was worth more than most people could spend in several lifetimes. But money wasn't even the most valuable thing that came with it.

The person who inherited the company would become the most powerful member of the family.

That was what everyone was really fighting over.

Nadia took another sip.

She had grown up watching them do this.

As a child, she'd thought family gatherings were supposed to be warm.

She'd eventually learned otherwise.

In her family, affection came with conditions.

Praise came with expectations.

And trust?

Trust was something you gave away once and spent years regretting.

"Nadia."

She looked up.

Her cousin, Clara, was staring at her from across the table.

"What?"

"You've been awfully quiet."

Nadia smiled.

"I'm eating."

"You haven't touched your food."

"I was thinking about it."

Clara rolled her eyes.

"Of course."

Nadia looked down at her untouched plate.

She wasn't hungry.

Not because she was nervous.

Because she knew something was coming.

Grandfather had called everyone to the mansion without giving a reason.

That alone was unusual.

He never gathered the entire family unless something important was happening.

And considering the number of lawyers she'd noticed walking through the house earlier, Nadia had a feeling tonight wasn't going to end with dessert.

Before she could say anything else, the double doors at the end of the room opened.

Conversation immediately stopped.

Her grandfather walked in.

Everyone straightened.

He didn't need to raise his voice.

He had never needed to.

At seventy-eight, Arthur Blackwood was still the kind of man who could silence an entire room simply by entering it.

He walked to his usual seat at the head of the table and sat down.

His eyes moved slowly around the room.

One person at a time.

Then they stopped on Nadia.

She raised an eyebrow.

Grandpa's expression didn't change.

"Why is everyone looking so nervous?" Nadia asked lightly.

No one laughed.

She sighed.

"Fine. Tough crowd."

Grandfather placed a folder on the table.

"I have made a decision regarding the future of Blackwood Enterprises."

The room went silent.

Nadia's fingers stopped moving.

Her father leaned forward.

Richard immediately looked interested.

Even Clara stopped pretending to be bored.

Grandfather opened the folder.

"For the past thirty years, I have watched this family fight over a company none of you built."

Richard's face tightened.

"I built—"

"Did I ask you to speak?"

Richard closed his mouth.

Nadia looked down to hide her smile.

Grandfather continued.

"I built this company from nothing."

Everyone knew the story.

Blackwood Enterprises had started with a small manufacturing business.

Now it owned properties, hotels, financial investments, technology companies, and several international subsidiaries.

Grandfather had built an empire.

And everyone sitting around the table wanted it.

"I have spent the last several years deciding who is capable of taking my place."

Her father's expression hardened.

Richard's jaw tightened.

Nadia's cousins exchanged glances.

Then Grandfather said the words nobody expected.

"My successor will not be my eldest son."

Silence.

Nadia looked at her father.

For the first time that evening, he looked genuinely shocked.

Richard stared at Grandfather.

"What?"

"I said my successor will not be my eldest son."

Her father's face had gone pale.

"But Father—"

"You've had twenty-five years."

Grandfather's voice remained calm.

"That was enough time."

Richard leaned forward.

"So who?"

Grandfather closed the folder.

"One of my grandchildren."

The room exploded.

Everyone started talking at once.

"That's ridiculous."

"Which one?"

"You can't be serious."

"What does that even mean?"

Nadia sat perfectly still.

Her heart had begun beating faster.

Not from fear.

From excitement.

One of the grandchildren.

That changed everything.

Her father looked at her.

Then at her cousins.

For the first time in Nadia's life, she saw something she'd never seen before in her father's eyes.

Competition.

Not between him and Richard.

Between Nadia and the other grandchildren.

Grandfather raised one hand.

The room fell silent again.

"I will announce the conditions tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Clara asked.

"Yes."

"But why keep us waiting?"

"Because I can."

Nadia nearly laughed.

That sounded exactly like him.

Grandfather stood.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening."

And just like that, he walked away.

The room remained silent for several seconds after the doors closed behind him.

Then everyone began talking again.

Nadia pushed her chair back.

She had barely taken two steps when Clara caught up with her.

"So."

Nadia turned.

"So?"

"You really think Grandpa would choose you?"

Nadia looked at her cousin.

There was something almost amusing about the question.

"Do you?"

Clara smiled.

"I know he won't."

Nadia returned the smile.

"Then I guess you have nothing to worry about."

She walked away.

But the smile disappeared from her face the moment she reached the hallway.

Because she knew something Clara didn't.

Nadia wanted that company.

Not because of the money.

Not because she wanted to prove she was better than everyone else.

She wanted it because she had spent her entire life being told she was too young, too emotional, too stubborn, too ambitious.

She wanted to prove that she could build something of her own.

That she wasn't simply the granddaughter of Arthur Blackwood.

She could be his successor.

The next morning, everyone gathered again.

This time, lawyers were present.

That was when Nadia knew the announcement was serious.

Grandfather sat behind his desk while everyone stood around the office.

He looked at them for a long moment.

"The competition begins immediately."

He explained the first few conditions.

Each grandchild would receive control over a small portion of the company's assets.

They would be expected to prove they could manage them.

They would be evaluated on leadership, decision-making, financial performance, and their ability to handle the family business without destroying it.

Nadia listened carefully.

It was difficult.

But it was fair.

She could do difficult.

Then Grandfather added one final condition.

"There is one more requirement."

Nadia looked up.

"You must be married."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Nadia actually laughed.

A few heads turned toward her.

She stopped.

"You can't be serious."

Grandfather didn't blink.

"I am."

Nadia stared at him.

"Married?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because leadership isn't only about making money."

Nadia folded her arms.

"Then what does my marital status have to do with running a company?"

"Everything."

She scoffed.

"That's absurd."

Grandfather leaned back.

"You disagree?"

"Obviously."

"Then you are free to withdraw."

Nadia's jaw tightened.

That was the problem.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

He had given her a choice that wasn't really a choice.

Walk away.

Or play the game.

Nadia looked around the room.

Her cousins were already exchanging excited glances.

Clara looked almost smug.

Nadia's father wouldn't meet her eyes.

Richard was smiling.

They thought she would quit.

They thought the marriage condition would scare her away.

Nadia slowly smiled.

She wasn't going to give them that satisfaction.

"How long?"

Grandfather raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"How long do I have to get married?"

A few people gasped.

Grandfather studied her.

"Three months."

Nadia nodded.

"Fine."

Her father finally looked at her.

"Nadia—"

She ignored him.

Grandfather's expression remained unreadable.

"You agree?"

"Yes."

She stood.

"If marriage is the price of the company, then I'll get married."

Clara stared at her.

"You don't even have a boyfriend."

Nadia turned toward her.

"Let me see worry about that"

Nobody answered.

Nadia walked out of the office.

Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she headed toward the front door.

She had three months.

Three months to find a husband.

Three months to win the inheritance.

And absolutely no intention of falling in love.

That last part, at least, should have been easy.

After all, Nadia Blackwood had never believed in love.

She believed in contracts.

She believed in strategy.

And most importantly, she believed in getting what she wanted.

So if her grandfather wanted a married heir...

Fine.

She would find herself a husband.

She just didn't know that the man she was about to choose would change everything.

Nadia woke up to the sound of her alarm at exactly six-thirty in the morning.

She opened one eye.

Then the other.

She stared at the ceiling for several seconds, silently reconsidering every decision that had led her to this particular moment in life.

Three months.

That was how long she had to find a husband.

A husband.

Nadia groaned and pulled the duvet over her head.

Yesterday, she had been worried about running a company, beating her cousins, and proving to her grandfather that she was capable of taking over Blackwood Enterprises.

Today, she had to worry about finding a man willing to put a ring on her finger.

She hated her family.

She hated her grandfather.

Most of all, she hated that he knew exactly how to push her buttons.

Her alarm went off again.

Nadia threw the duvet aside.

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