Chapter 6 The Eavesdropper

My breath caught in my throat, afraid that someone had heard every one of our conversations.

We walked towards the corridor from which the sound came, The place was dark, the weather was cold, colder than the chills that ran down my spine. 

The corridor was far but close enough to disrupt the balance. Someone had heard. Someone knew that was dangerous 

The sound was like a gunshot slicing through the cold air. The sound was neither from me nor from Killian 

Killian dragged me behind him protectively as he led the way to the direction of the corridor, his gaze zeroed in on the location like a predator monitoring its prey

“Stay behind me," Killian said. “Stay close,” he added, his voice flat and deadly 

I followed him, stepping lightly, my heels silently clashing softly against the marble floor as every muscle in my body tensed up. 

Killian continued to move forward towards the dark corridor, then came the whisper of silk, followed by a heel clashing against the marble floor, giving the intruder away, faint but loud enough for our hearing 

The air felt warm— the tension within me had heated up the weather 

At every step, my breathing felt heavier than the last.

Killian moved fast, but whoever the intruder was, moved faster 

At the time we finally got to the corridor, it was empty, but the scent of jasmine still lingered in the air 

“Fuck," Killian cursed under his breath " of course” 

"Who was it?” I asked my voice to be small 

" Veronica” Killian exhaled 

I took in a sharp breath to stop the waves of fear that ran down my spine

" That bitch” I cursed. 

The same person who had stolen my husband. 

The same person who brought out the pills.

 The same person who had assisted in shoving it down my throat 

I felt Killian's hand on me, but my hands wouldn't stop shaking. “Calm down," he said, “ I'm here." He said as though his word would comfort me.

Veronica's last word to me still echoed in my head — not every woman survives in this world, some become collateral 

“Do you think she heard everything?” My words were barely above a whisper 

Killian clenched his fist, “ enough to ruin everything," he answered after a long pause 

" Let's go inside.” 

I tailed after him, matching his step one at a time 

We got back to the ballroom, but the atmosphere had shifted. Their faces were brighter. Their laughter was louder, but this was just a cover-up—it was all a charade. Underneath their laughter lies a danger violently beneath it, like a heartbeat no one was ready to acknowledge.

I could feel it in the air.

I could feel it from their gaze — something had changed

It was enough to answer my earlier question. Veronica had heard us and had come to blab her mouth, or at least she had given a hint 

Their soft eyes, which once held curiosity, respect, now held sharp-edged, judgmental eyes and disdain. 

A conversation with one included me, now walking around me

Veronica had whispered in their ears I could feel it in my bones. From their gaze. From their hushed conversation when they thought I wasn't looking. 

Killian held my hands tightly. He didn't utter a word, we worked through the ballroom, our heads up like we weren't standing on thin ice. Like we hadn't shattered something fragile on the private balcony 

My heart raced against time as I stared at the exit. I wanted to run. Cry. Scream or anything at all.

But I smiled instead 

My mind served as a constant reminder of why I shouldn't run, scream, or cry 

When you run, they chase.

 When you cry, they laugh.

 And when you crack, they pounce

Because that was the world I lived in— cold. Brutal. 

Where the weak are frowned upon, and there is no turning back now. 

The moment we stepped out of the ballroom, I took in fresh air, one not infected by their gaze. 

I walked to the waiting car without being told. My steps were long, taking two steps at a time. The ride back was long and silent, everyone was lost in their own thoughts as the weight of today's event hung in the air 

 Getting to Killian's villa, I peeled my stiletto off my aching feet. Tossing them aside, retaliation dawned on me that I was now a nobody. I was no longer Emery Sinclair. I wasn't even Killian Wolfe's fiancée. I was now just a porcelain doll with cracked edges. Pretending I hadn't felt my hairline features deepen at every word that someone whispered behind their champagne flutes 

Killian stood close to the window, staring at the window just like before. “We need to get ahead of this," he spoke up, not looking at me 

"I know, but how?” I asked, lowering myself onto the couch 

“Leak out information to the press that we have been involved for months, but keep quiet out of respect for Tobias,” Killian suggested 

" What?” I whispered 

" We haven't even been separated for a complete fourteen days.” 

" But the press doesn't know that,” he said. He walked to the bar and poured himself a whiskey. “We tell the press what we want them to know." 

“Then I will issue a formal engagement announcement," he said. He said, drinking the rest of his whiskey

“And what if someone finds out that it was all a lie?” I asked by biting the inside of my cheek.

He turned slowly to me," Then we make it the truth." 

I stared at him, unsure of what to say. “What does that mean?" 

He stepped towards me, his expression carrying something unreadable. “We are just players in the game, Emery. We own it. You want safety? This is how we survive it.

“I didn't request survival," I snapped, "I requested a choice.” 

"I have told you, Emery, the world doesn't get choices only consequences.” 

The whole place fell silent at his words. I was the first to look away. I got up from the couch, not letting the conversation linger on, I walked to my room without a good night, not that I was necessarily 

I slipped out of bed later that night, long after the city was asleep, and only the moon poured through the wide window. I couldn't sleep, and the silence wasn't comforting — it was choking 

I walked to the kitchen barefoot to get a glass of water, but I didn't expect to find Killian there. He was shirtless, leaning against the counter with a glass of dark amber liquid in his hand.

His eyes met mine. I smiled, but he didn't smile.

“You couldn't sleep either, right?" My voice soft 

" I don't sleep much. When I'm calculating threat,” He didn't answer right away 

I walked past him and poured myself water, unsure of my next word to silence was awkward 

“Are you wondering if you picked the wrong card?" he asked with his usual smirk now visible 

“Do you think I did?” I asked quietly 

His reply was short, taking a sip from his drink, "Maybe.”

I took in a deep breath, taking the courage, I asked, “Did you ever regret this version of yourself?” I stared at him, my eyes held anticipation 

He gave me a blank expression and quickly regretted my actions, cursing myself under my breath 

“It's fine if you aren't comfortable with my question,” I said hurriedly, my words clashing against each other 

He let out a low chuckle. “This was the only version of me available, Emery. There was never another version.”

“I'm sorry," my voice was low. Hearing him, it hurt more than I expected. I wasn't sure why.

The next morning, we were greeted by a dozen paparazzi. It was still a mystery how they were able to get in here. My expression shattered as I was completely unprepared to face them. While I looked pale and my fingers were shaking, Killian looked rather unbothered by their appearance. His expression didn't change 

They threw questions at us with flashed at every angle 

“Miss Sinclair, are you really engaged to Mr Wolfe? 

"Mr Wolfe, when is the wedding?” 

“Did you steal her from Tobias?”

Killian pulled me to his chest, hiding me from the camera. His hands were flat on my back. 

" All that matters is that we are happy, nothing more.” his words come out, calming the sea of vultures

Without waiting for more questions, he guided me to the waiting car like nothing was wrong 

Inside, I breathe in not once. Not twice but continuously 

“They know everything," my voice barely above a whisper 

" They know what they are told,” he replied. Veronica started a fire. What better way to handle this other than making it burn brighter?” 

I stared at him," When…did…you…

"Do you want to know the truth, Emery?" He asked suddenly 

I nodded, still staring at him in awe

“Fire can't fight itself," he began, leaning in, his eyes serious 

“If you want to survive in my world, you don't fight the fire; rather, you become the fire itself.”

The rest of my day passed in a blur with his words constantly ringing in my head like a broken bell.

There were scheduled interviews, then came the social media blowing up with curated pictures of us holding hands. Smile, glowing eyes sparkling with a love that we hadn't even discussed.

I couldn't recognize the woman in those pictures. She was poised. Desirable. Adored.

She was me and she wasn't me.

How do I voice that out— I don't know 

How do I explain this — I couldn't 

Because she was the version that the world craved to see,, and she might be the only version of me the world would accept now. 

When the sun set, Killian handed me a phone. “It's time." 

I frowned, taking the phone, I asked, “Time for what?"  

“To call your sister. She needs to hear it from you." 

I froze 

Mila. 

I have forgotten I had a sister, with everything moving so fast 

The last time we spoke, we had a heated argument about Tobias, and she had me leave him to come home 

I doubt she had heard about the fake engagement. I wonder what she would say when she finds out that I had fallen into something even darker than what she had once warned me.

My hands trembled as I dialed her line, and she picked up on the first ring 

“Emery?" Her voice soft

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

“I saw that news," she whispered. “Tell me it's not real. Tell me you are not marrying him, too.”

I close my eyes, and the tear I was trying so hard to keep fell,. “It's not what you think.”

" Then what is it, Em?” She demanded, "You left a monster just to shack up with his shadow? Do you even see yourself?”

Tears welled in my eyes, I didn't know how or where to start explaining to her. "Mila, I didn't have a choice 

There was a pause, then came her cold reply. “That's what you said about Tobias,” and she hung up 

I collapsed onto the couch, numb

Killian walked in, he sat across me, his eyes searching my eyes 

“She hates me," I whispered 

He didn't deny it.

" I hate myself, I'm so stupid,” I added, still, he said nothing. He got up, his gaze still on me, he moved slowly and deliberately till he got to where I was, sitting next to me, and he finally spoke 

“You are stronger than you think, but you have to let the old version of yourself burn." 

I turned to his “Then what's left of me when I burn the only version I have of myself?”

His hands reached out, brushing my cheek. “Then you build a new and better version from the ashes." 

The doorbell rang and we both froze because it was nearly midnight. 

It should’ve felt like comfort. 

Killian stood up and asked me to stay behind as he reached for the door. Cautiously, he che

cked the peephole on the door, and his entire body tensed 

“Who is it?" I asked, standing up to see for myself, and Killian opened the door halfway.

And there he 

Tobias stood bleeding. Smiling. Madness in his eyes, “Miss me?" He drawled