Impress me miss!!

Serena stood in front of the full-length mirror, her fingers tightening around the fabric of the gown Ben had chosen for her. The deep crimson silk draped over her curves ,the plunging neckline daring and provocative. She had asked for power now she had to prove she could handle it.

 Ben’s voice echoed in her mind from earlier that evening.

 "You want to be in my world, Serena? Then show me you belong here. Tonight, you’re not just my date you’re my statement. Every woman in that room will want to be you, and every man will wish they had you. If you fail, you walk away from this deal, and I won’t lift a finger to help you again."

 She had scoffed at his arrogance at the time, but now, as she stepped into the grand ballroom of the Blackwood estate, she felt the weight of his challenge. The event was a gathering of the city’s elite billionaires, heiresses, politicians, and models draped in designer gowns that cost more than most people’s yearly salaries.

 And at the center of it all, Ben Blackwood, the man who owned the city’s wealth and its secrets.

 The moment she walked in, eyes turned. Conversations hushed.

 Serena held her chin high, ignoring the hushed whispers and the envious glares thrown her way. She could already hear the murmurs. Who is she? Isn’t that Jake’s fiancée? Why is Ben Blackwood with her?

 She could also feel the sharp gazes of Ben’s former lovers, a lineup of stunning, ruthless women who were no strangers to this world. They stood in tight clusters, their dresses shimmering under the golden lights, watching her every move like lionesses circling prey.

 Serena smiled. Let them watch.

 Ben, standing beside her in a perfectly tailored black suit, leaned down, his breath warm against her ear. “Good,” he murmured, amusement lacing his tone. “You haven’t run away yet.”

 “I don’t run, Mr. Blackwood,” she whispered back, her lips barely moving.

 His smirk was approving. “Let’s see if you can keep up.”

 The night unfolded in a blur of champagne toasts, calculated smiles, and conversations filled with veiled threats wrapped in politeness. Serena played her role flawlessly. She matched Ben’s cool demeanor, charming his business partners, disarming his rivals with wit, and drawing jealous glances from the women desperate for his attention.

 At one point, a tall, raven-haired woman in an emerald gown Victoria Reed, one of Ben’s most famous exes approached with a smile. “How interesting,” she said, her eyes gliding over Serena like she was something to be dissected. “I never thought I’d see Ben with someone like you.”

 Serena’s lips curved into a slow, confident smile. “Really? That’s funny, because he seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit.”

 Victoria’s smile faltered just slightly, and before she could respond, Ben appeared at Serena’s side, slipping a possessive hand around her waist. “Is there a problem, Victoria?” His voice was smooth but carried a quiet warning.

 Victoria tensed. “Not at all,” she said through clenched teeth, before stalking off.

 Ben’s fingers pressed against her waist in silent approval. “Impressive,” he murmured.

 Serena arched a brow. “Did you expect me to fail?”

 He chuckled, eyes gleaming with something unreadable. “No, but I enjoy being proven right.”

 As the evening drew to a close, Serena was ready to bask in her victory until Ben did something that completely caught her off guard.

 He walked onto the stage, a glass of whiskey in hand, and tapped the microphone. The entire ballroom fell silent.

 “I don’t usually make announcements at these events,” he began smoothly, his voice carrying an effortless authority, “but tonight is an exception.”

 Serena’s pulse spiked as Ben turned toward her, his gaze locking onto hers with a dangerous glint.

 “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to someone very important to me “Serena .”

 A murmur spread through the crowd. The weight of a hundred curious and envious stares bore down on her.

 Ben continued, unfazed. “She walked into my life unexpectedly, and as you all know, I don’t make impulsive decisions. But when I know something is mine, I don’t hesitate.”

 The room went dead silent.

 “In that spirit,” Ben said, lifting his glass in a toast, “I’m pleased to announce that Serena and I are engaged.”

 Serena’s breath caught in her throat. What?

 Gasps rippled through the room. A woman dropped her champagne glass. Even Jake, who had been lingering in the shadows, looked like he had been slapped.

 Serena’s fingers clenched around the stem of her wine glass. She forced herself to maintain her poise, but inside, a storm raged. What the hell was he doing?

 Ben stepped down from the stage and strode toward her, his smirk barely concealed. He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.

 “You wanted power, didn’t you?” he murmured. “Now, you have it.”