Prologue
Ananya sinha
This is my very first international trip, and it is a long, daunting journey across continents. To make matters even more overwhelming, I am traveling completely alone. As I sit in my seat, listening to the low hum of the jet engines, I am a whirlwind of conflicting emotions: nervous, excited, anxious, and everything in between.
I am on my way to America, specifically to New York, for my sister Maya’s wedding. It was a complete bombshell that she dropped on our family a mere two weeks ago. Up until that sudden revelation, we spoke and texted almost daily. We shared every small detail of our lives, yet she never once mentioned having a boyfriend, not even in confidence to me. She often talked about a man named Hudson, but she always framed him as nothing more than a good friend. He had even joined her on video calls with us a few times, greeting us with polite warmth. Never in our wildest thoughts did we imagine that he was a her boyfriend, much less a billionaire.
Our parents are still reeling from the sudden shock, caught completely off guard, and they are currently refusing to speak to her. They have never been opposed to the idea of a love marriage, but they firmly believe that they cannot approve of her union without meeting the groom in person first. It has been fourteen long days, and they have ignored every single call and message she has sent.
Truthfully, I feel Maya is partially at fault here as well. She is simply not trying hard enough to bridge the distance or pacify Mom and Dad after breaking their trust so abruptly. Because of all this heavy tension at home, Dad did not want me to make this trip at all. But for the very first time in my life, I rebelled against his wishes.
I refuse to miss my sister’s wedding under any circumstances. Over the years, I had envisioned so many cherished traditions and moments for the day she would get married, and I am determined to fulfill as many of them as possible. Since it is going to be a formal Christian ceremony, not all of my traditional hopes will play out, but I am resolved to make the absolute best of every moment.
To top it all off, Maya has no idea that I am on my way. My presence is going to be a complete surprise to her. My plan is to send her a text tomorrow morning, right before the plane lands on American soil.
With those racing thoughts finally settling into a quiet rhythm, I lean back into my seat, close my eyes, and let fatigue sweep over me. Tomorrow is going to be a massive, life changing day.
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Hunter blackwood
"Hunter, Hudson is getting married tomorrow," Almeida reminded me from across the desk. He knew full well that this was not new information to me, nor was it something I could have possibly forgotten. Nevertheless, I offered a silent nod of acknowledgment and flipped to the next page of the briefing report in my hands.
I had known about the ceremony since last week, but the location itself was what genuinely puzzled me. Why New York? Why not Europe or scotland? Why was he choosing to hold his wedding right here, squarely inside my territory?
"Will you actually be going?" Jason asked, leaning against the side frame of the window with his arms crossed.
"A Blackwood always attends a Blackwood wedding," Almeida answered on my behalf before I could even open my mouth.
Hudson had called me personally a few days ago to request my presence. Given that the ceremony was taking place in New York, only a few kilometers away from my own ground.
"Fine, fine," Jason scoffed, crossing his arms. "So who is the tragic soul? Do we know anything substantial about the bride?"
Almeida adjusted his posture, looking delightfully scandalous. "Her name is Maya. She is now from our world. Hudson university days. That much information at least has been verified through our channels, despite."
"Ah, so her past has been sanitized, her digital footprint wiped, and plausible cover stories have been planted?" Jason gasped with theatrical mock horror. "I would expect nothing less from the Blackwoods. Standard operating procedure for a mafia bride."
"It gets even more mysterious," Almeida leaned in lower, lowering his voice as if sharing state secrets. "She is of Indian origin, though we have not yet confirmed whether she was born in India or raised abroad. The Blackwoods are guarding her identity like the crown jewels."
"Damn, Almeida," Jason grinned, shaking his head in absolute amusement. "You really managed to dig through their fortress of secrecy just to feed your craving for social drama. I am almost impressed."
"It is not drama, Jason, it is high stakes intelligence gather—"
Before Almeida could finish his grand defense, I cut them both off, having reached the absolute limit of my patience with their theatrical gossiping.
"Tomorrow at 4:00 PM," I stated firmly, closing the file on my desk with a sharp, resounding snap.
Silence fell over the room instantly. Both of them lived for drama and political secrets. It did not matter whether the information involved their own allies, their own family, or their bitterest rivals, they indulged in the gossip with equal passion every single time.
