An enemy to the rescue.

SUMMERS’S POINT OF VIEW.

“Mum? What's happening? Why are all these people here?”

“Your father has organized this party to make an important announcement.”

She didn’t even look at me when she said that, her face was being painted by heavy makeup from the artist.

“Find Alessandro and stick around, Summer.”

Her words sent a knot twisting in my stomach and made me unaware of my surroundings for the next few minutes.

I stared around, unsure of what was going on. Father had called all the top businessmen in the city. And even prominent figures were in attendance.

That didn’t look like any usual business meeting— at all.

I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me what was going on— it was my engagement party disguised as a business event.

Realizing, I staggered backward, almost feeling the breath that was knocked out of me for a split second.

No.

I couldn’t let that happen.

I wasn’t going to get myself trapped with that awful man, Alessandro. I was done being the pawn in the game of family and politics.

The engagement couldn’t happen.

But what could I do?

How could I stop it from happening?

I saw her— Clarissa, staring at me in irritation while she hugged my mother like she hadn’t just backstabbed me the day before.

Or like she hadn’t fucked my Alessandro in the same bed I’d shared with him.

A heavy snort exited my lips, and I found my anger rising as my fists began to clench. I wanted nothing— than to snatch her neck and rip every strand of hair off her head.

That two-timing bitch. There she was, acting all innocent when in reality, she was an awful human.

I couldn’t find Alessandro in the party hall, so I rushed my feet towards the stairs, knowing there was only one place he could be.

As expected, he was on the rooftop, kissing another woman, and it wasn’t Clarissa.

A brunette, dressed in a skimpy black gown that had a slit stopping on her left thigh.

There wasn’t any sign of underwear underneath, and his hands grabbed her butt cheeks shamelessly as they locked lips.

And that gave me the final impression that I needed to detach completely.

This time, it didn’t hurt me as much as it always had. I took a deep breath, steadying myself to approach him.

I wasn’t going to pull through with the engagement. We had to call it off before it was officially announced.

“You’re not going to do anything stupid, Summer.” He flared up when I told him about my decision, gripping my wrist while he spat on my face. “Don’t forget that you’ve got no other choice. Nobody wants to marry you.”

I pushed the sadness and heat of his words down my throat, retorting with gritted teeth.

“I’d rather remain single and unwanted than get married to you. You’re a monster, Alessandro. A cheating scum bag.”

He slapped me hard across the face, his side chick staring at the back, giggling like it was an entertainment show to her.

I hadn’t expected that— to hit me in front of the crowd. It wasn’t something new, but it was usually in private.

My heart began to race in shame, and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. He was not just embarrassing me, but had raised his hands to me in front of over twenty people.

I lost it, trying to push him roughly with both hands while screeching.

“Get off me!”

He refused, and I saw him raise his hands to me again, making me shut my eyes momentarily in fear.

But after a few seconds, I didn’t feel anything sting my cheeks or any part of my skin.

I forced my eyes open, feeling another presence behind me, and the unfamiliar, refreshing scent of lavender and cedar.

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I saw who’d stepped in, and I found myself wishing for the ground to open up to devour me.

I— I couldn’t face him with a straight gaze.

Maximillian Brampton.

My childhood rival who’d turned my business competitor.

And my longtime enemy.

We were always at each other’s throats and had never been an inch close to each other.

Not as close as we were currently— he had his back in front of me, and his intimidating figure blurred the rest of Alessandro’s face.

I took a few steps backward, still shielding myself with his figure, but I kept my eyes on both men.

He’d held Alessandro’s hands from hitting me, and I saw his eyes— blazing and narrowed darkly at the horrible man who’d hit me.

“Don’t you even dare to touch her.”

I’d almost forgotten how deep and sexy his voice sounded. Yeah, I’d heard him speak a lot during interviews, including the ones we’d been together.

It turned out I wasn’t the only one watching, a little gathering had formed around us.

But I didn’t feel humiliated anymore.

Alessandro sneered, trying to act tough when we all knew he’d been humiliated. Everyone was scared of standing up to him, except— Maximilian.

“Get your hands off me.”

It was his turn to wriggle free, and it was hilarious to watch him struggle with only three fingers of Maximilian’s wrapped around his wrist.

Max shrugged his shoulders. “Okay.”

And then, he swiftly took his grip off, with the crowd booing in a way that made Cohen retreat in shame… slowly.

But I knew that was far from being over.

He wasn’t going to give up that easily.

And I was scared— for Max, Alessandro could hurt him since he was part of the mafia clan.

I took a deep breath in relief.

“Thank you—‘’

I turned around and couldn’t find my enemy who’d saved me. My eyes darted around the space, and my lips were curled up in confusion.

Where had he gone so fast?

And… who’d invited him there anyway?

*

“I have an announcement to make.”

Father had just taken the microphone the moment I ran back into the room.

I sank my teeth into my lower lip, already feeling my clammy hands. I knew what the announcement was, and I couldn’t allow him to utter that.

He couldn’t make it official— that would be way worse for me to break out of.

My eyes stared around, catching sight of the people who had all their focus on the stage, their eyes staring curiously while their hands held their glasses firmly.

Father’s raspy voice rang out again, reminding me once again of the emotional pit he was about to dig up for me.

“First, I’d like to make a toast. To my beautiful daughter, Summer, and her fiancé—‘’

“— Wait!”

The crowd murmured, and I rushed swiftly in my heels to the stage, smiling awkwardly as I snatched the microphone from him.

He furrowed his brows at me, questioning me with the usual reprimand I always saw in his eyes.

Except that wasn’t going to work on me tonight.

I shoved my rising fear aside, drawing a deep, shuddering breath. “I’d like to say something.”

Silence ensued for the next few minutes, but I caught sight of people whispering among themselves.

My eyes darted around the room, and I felt the unstoppable hammering of my heart in my chest.

I tried to find the words, but they refused to form. My eyes caught a glimpse of Alessandro, standing next to my mother in the crowd.

His eyes pierced into mine, like he was giving me a warning. I forced a swallow, ignoring the threatening gaze while returning my attention to the microphone.

“Summer?”

Father called me out with a stern voice, his eyebrows raised seriously at me in questioning.

Yes, back to the situation on ground.

I couldn’t pull through with the engagement to Alessandro. And I couldn’t entirely end the party without an alternative.

Something else had to be done.

The engagement was going to happen, but Alessandro wasn’t going to be the man.

I cleared my throat nervously, forcing a weak smile over my lips.

And then, I saw him.

Standing in the crowd, his steel green eyes piercing through mine keenly. He was watching me, and it felt like he knew what was about to happen and didn’t want me to do it.

“Tonight, I’m getting engaged.”

The crowd cheered in uproar, excitement dancing in the air as they clapped nonstop. I knew a few were probably whispering about the news.

After all, no man had wanted me in the last three years.

Father looked proud, and mother wouldn’t stop blowing kisses at me. But that proud, happy moment of theirs was about to be ruined.

“I'd like you all to meet my fiancé and the man I’m getting engaged to.” I took a deep breath, shut my eyes briefly, and turned to stare at him, his eyes narrowed at mine.

The words came out anyway, his name ringing a bell through the crowd as all eyes turned to him the moment I said his name.

“Maximilian Brampton.”