Chapter 4

“Two more months, Mr. Lucas. Get your lawyer ready.”

Aria’s poisonous whisper echoed through Lucas’s mind all night. She had spoken those words beneath the relentless flashes of the media cameras when they had been forced to pretend they were a happy couple. But now, inside the cold, silent Manhattan penthouse, the mask of affection had completely fallen away.

Days turned into weeks, yet the atmosphere between them never thawed. Their contract marriage, born from the coercion of a will, the desperate arrangement made for Mrs. Sterling’s health, and business negotiations to fulfill Aria’s architectural dreams, had instead become a cold battlefield.

Tonight, Sterling Corp was hosting a grand gala to welcome New York Fashion Week, the most prestigious annual event fully sponsored by the Sterling family. As the CEO’s legal wife, Aria was required to attend.

Aria descended from the upper floor in an ivory silk-crepe evening gown. Its A-line silhouette draped elegantly over her figure, simple and free of excessive jewelry, yet radiating an effortless aura of strength and authority.

Lucas, who was adjusting his watch in the living room, froze for a moment. His dark eyes locked onto Aria. A strange sense of awe stirred in his chest, but his ego and formidable wall of pride quickly smothered the feeling.

“Remember your role tonight, Aria,” Lucas said coldly as he snatched up his black jacket. “The media will be watching our every move. Don’t embarrass me.”

Aria looked at Lucas through the mirror’s reflection, a faint, deeply sarcastic smile curving her lips. “Relax, Lucas. I’m always professional when it comes to fulfilling my contract. You’re the one who needs to keep your mistress from causing a scene.”

Chloe’s face went pale with restrained fury. As a server passed by carrying a tray of deep red wine, Chloe deliberately swung her elbow and struck the server’s shoulder hard.

CRASH!

A crystal glass flew from the tray. Dark red wine instantly splashed across the front of Aria’s ivory evening gown. The stain spread rapidly, ruining fabric worth tens of thousands of dollars in an instant.

Silence swept through the dining area. Whispers began to rise, and several journalists’ cameras in the distance turned toward them.

Chloe immediately covered her mouth with her palm, feigning shock with an innocent expression. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry, Aria! I really didn’t mean to!”

Aria stared at the large red stain on her gown for two seconds. There was no panic in her eyes. No cry of humiliation.

She lifted her head and looked at Chloe with a cold gaze and an exquisitely sharp smile.

“Save your cheap act for Lucas, Chloe. This fabric isn’t valuable enough to bring down my pride.”

Without wasting another moment, Aria turned and walked calmly toward the backstage area. Amid the bustle of stylists and dressers, her eyes caught sight of a large pair of steel fabric shears, their blades gleaming sharply.

Without the slightest hesitation, Aria reached for them.

SNIP! SNIP!

With the precision of an aspiring architect accustomed to cutting scale models with exacting care, Aria cut away the stained portion of the gown in an asymmetrical design. She trimmed the front up to mid-thigh while leaving the back to trail into a short, dramatic train.

In just five minutes, the ruined classic evening gown had been transformed into a modern, daring, eccentric asymmetrical haute-couture mini dress with a rock-glam edge.

Aria swept her hair into a sleek high ponytail, then strode back toward the main hall with her chin held high.

When Aria stepped back into the reception area, appreciative gasps rose from the guests. Camera flashes suddenly erupted. Fashion critics in the front row applauded softly, captivated by the bold, self-assured transformation.

Aria had not merely saved her appearance. She had taken over the room.

In a corner of the VIP area, Lucas Sterling stood motionless. He gripped the drink in his hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His black eyes remained fixed entirely on Aria.

He spared no glance at Chloe, who now stood humiliated in another corner. His eyes were drawn solely to the courage and incomparable aura radiating from his wife. Something warm and unfamiliar crept into Lucas’s chest, an intense sense of awe mingled with a burst of jealousy and a possessive impulse he had never experienced before.

The highlight of the evening arrived when the host invited Lucas and Aria onto the main stage.

“Mr. Sterling! Mrs. Sterling! Please stand closer for the media!” the photographers shouted.

Before Aria could step away, a strong arm moved swiftly. Lucas seized Aria by the waist in one firm, dominant motion, pulling her body tightly against his until not even a sliver of space remained between them.

The distinctive scent of sandalwood and amber from Lucas’s body immediately filled Aria’s senses. Lucas’s heart pounded as Aria’s breath brushed against his chest. His gaze dropped, locking completely onto his wife’s lips with an intensity that could make anyone hold their breath.

For the first time, the cold CEO lost control of his own defenses.

Yet amid the roar of applause and the camera flashes capturing their apparent intimacy, Aria maintained her elegant smile for the media. She did not push him away in public, but her body radiated a cold tension.

Aria tilted her head slightly, bringing her lips close to Lucas’s ear, and whispered in a soft voice that struck with razor-sharp precision:

“Enjoy the charade tonight, Lucas... Because when these two years are over, I’ll make sure you never get to touch me again.”

To be continued