Marrying His Brother (Billionaire Romance #1)

Chapter 1 Emily

“Emily, we’ve got a problem at the Riviera Army Base.” Amy’s voice crackles through the line, urgency in her tone. “A pipe burst in the middle of the night. We’ve got flooded rooms and the guests are furious. Again.”

I groan, “How many rooms are affected?”

“Four, but the water's creeping into the hallway. Maintenance is already on-site, but the complaints are pouring in.”

“Damn it! Not again.” I glance around my cluttered office; stacks of paperwork and endless to-do lists glaring back at me. “Can you handle the angry guests? I’ll send an email to the front desk to issue compensation.”

I picture our older properties, their charm overshadowed by the never-ending maintenance issues.

“Got it. I’ll keep you updated.”

I hang up the phone, the weight of constantly putting out fires pulling at my shoulders. Just another day of damage control. It’s all I’ve done since my father’s stroke.

I barely have time to think about long-term strategy because every day, something falls apart.

Before I can even take a breath, my phone rings again. My heart skips a beat when I see Mom flashing on the screen. I fumble to answer.

“Is Dad okay?” The words fly out of my mouth before she can even say hello.

“He’s the same,” she says softly, and tension eases from my body. “I’m calling to remind you about tonight’s dinner at the Bennett’s. We’re finalizing the wedding arrangements today.”

Right. The wedding. Because I don’t have enough to worry about.

The Bennetts want a huge affair, while my mother and I are determined to keep it small and intimate .

The invitations are going out next week and we’re still fighting over the guest list. I don’t even know half the people they want to invite, but what does it matter? It’s not like this is a real wedding anyway.

I let out a sigh, which my mother immediately picks up on.

“Are you sure you still want to go ahead with this?” she asks.

“Yes,” I say, not giving myself time to hesitate. This isn’t about love or romance. It’s about saving Dad’s company. It’s about keeping Riviera alive.

“I can’t imagine living with a man I didn’t love,” she says after a pause. “If I didn’t love your father, I would have left when he got sick.”

“Not everyone is cut out for love, Mom,” I reply, thinking back to my last relationship. Jaime had wanted a wife who didn’t embarrass him by speaking her opinion in public. A meek wife.

The criticism increased by the day. That was when I knew we weren’t going anywhere. I started pulling away before he even realized what was happening.

But Daniel Bennett? Not a man I could fall in love with, if love even exists.

“I’ll pick you up at six,” I say, eager to change the subject.

“Okay, sweetie. See you then,” she says before we hang up.

I sit back in my chair, staring at my phone. I should call Daniel but the thought annoys me. I’m the one always reminding him of these things.

I’ve barely heard from him this week, not that I’ve had time to care. Sorting out problems with the hotels has kept me more than occupied.

I scroll through my contacts, find his name, and hit dial. It rings, and rings and then goes to voicemail.

Typical .

“Daniel, it’s Emily,” I say after the beep. “Just a reminder about dinner tonight with my mom and your parents. It’s important, so please don’t forget.”

I hang up, my irritation simmering just below the surface. It’s bad enough I’m agreeing to marry him for the sake of our families’ businesses. Now I’ll have to nanny him, too?

By the time the clock hits 5:30PM, my to-do list is only half-checked. Meetings bled into more meetings, followed by a constant stream of follow-ups on the Riviera Army Base disaster.

I’m still managing damage control. My inbox is a mess of complaints, updates, and financial warnings. Every time I think I’ve caught up, something else slips through the cracks.

I rub my temples, exhaustion seeping into my bones, but I can’t afford to slow down. Not yet. Grabbing my coat, I shut my laptop and head out of the office. My phone buzzes with another notification, but I shove it into my bag. I’ll deal with it later.

First, I need to see Dad.

As I pull into the driveway, sadness settles into me. It’s been, what, four months and no change? The doctors tell us that he could wake up any time, but my hope is dwindling.

The second floor has been converted into a hospital suite for my father. It’s hard to accept, even now, months after the stroke. A nurse stays with him 24/7, and yet, I still can’t stop myself from worrying every time I walk through the door.

Inside, the house is quiet, except for the distant sound of the nurse moving around upstairs. I drop my keys on the table and head straight up.

Joan, one of his regular nurses, jumps when I fling the door open and we both laugh.

“How is he today?” I ask her.

“He’s good. Go on in, I’ve just finished turning him.”

“Thanks,” I say and enter the room. The strong smell of antiseptic hits me as I shut the door behind me .

I sit down beside his bed, taking in the familiar sight of him. His face is peaceful, though it’s hard to see him like this, so still, when he was always so full of life.

I take his hand, feeling its warmth, but it’s the stillness that gets me every time. I blink back the sudden tears that fill my eyes. We were told to keep talking to him. That people in a coma can hear what is going on around them.

“I’m getting married, Dad,” I say quietly, squeezing his hand gently. “In six weeks.”

The words bounce back at me. A marriage. To someone I barely know . For reasons that have nothing to do with love. If that doesn’t wake Dad up, nothing will. He’d be livid at what I’m doing.

“I know you’d hate what I’m doing,” I continue, my voice cracking just a little. “But I have to do it, Dad. I’m doing it to save Riviera, to save everything you built.”

My eyes sting, but I blink back the tears. He wouldn’t want to see me cry, wouldn’t want me to feel weak. So I stay strong. “I’ve been fighting to keep things together. I’ve been doing what I can. But without the Bennett deal, the hotels will crumble.”

I lean closer, studying his peaceful face, hoping that his eyes will flutter open, that I might see some reaction. But there’s nothing. Just the soft beep of the machines and the steady rise and fall of his chest.

The silence in the room grows suffocating. I let go of his hand and rub my own palms together. Unable to stare at him any longer, I kiss his dry, soft cheek and leave.

Joan glances up as I walk out, giving me a soft smile. “He’s lucky to have you, you know.”

“Thanks,” is all I can manage, as I head down in search of my mother.

She’s waiting at the foyer as I walk down the stairs. “I saw your car and figured you’d gone to say hello to Dad.” She’s dressed elegantly in a soft blue dress that brings out the color in her eyes, but there’s an aura of sadness around her .

I get to bury myself in work and forget that my father is in a coma but Mom has to live with it day and night.

“I did,” I reply, adjusting the strap of my bag. “He’s the same.”

She nods, stepping outside into the cool evening air. I unlock the car, and we both slide in.

“You look tired,” Mom says gently, fastening her seatbelt.

“Long day.” I start backing out of the driveway. “Issues at the Army Base hotel again. Burst pipes, angry guests, the usual chaos.”

“You’re working too hard,”

I force a smile. “We’re both working too hard. But we do what we have to do.”

She returns the smile, if a little half-heartedly, “Have you heard from Daniel?”

“Not today. I left him a message about tonight though.”

“You’d think he’d be more involved, considering...”

“Considering we’re getting married in six weeks?” I finish for her, a hint of anger creeping into my voice.

“Yes,” Mom says. “You let him off the hook too easily Emily.”

To be fair, I sort of understand Daniel’s attitude. It can’t be easy accepting your parents’ choice of a bride for you. Daniel is still a teenager in his head and his parents think that the marriage will make him grow up and take responsibility.

I’m not so sure that it will work but I don’t really care. All I care about is the injection of capital the Riviera group will get once Daniel and I are married. After that, he can do whatever pleases him. I won’t be chasing after him.