chapter 8

I stood in the middle of the grand yet suffocating room, dressed in a pristine white suit. Ordinarily, I would have admired how well it fit me, how the fabric sat perfectly against my frame, exuding a kind of effortless elegance I usually took pride in. But today wasn’t an ordinary day. Today, nothing felt right.

Because today was the day I was getting engaged to that bastard, Adrian.

The very engagement I had fought to free my sister from had now become my own personal prison. No, not just a prison—a pit. A deep, dark abyss where my fate had been sealed, and there was no escaping it. My heart pounded against my ribcage, a relentless hammering that made my breath come short and uneven. I wasn't forced into this, not physically. No one held a gun to my head or dragged me here against my will. But was it truly free will when the alternative was unthinkable? When a single refusal could cost me someone I loved?

From the left corner of the room, my father stood, watching me. Smiling. Like I was his most beloved son, like this moment filled him with immeasurable pride. His eyes glittered with satisfaction, but underneath that polished mask, there was something else—an unspoken threat, a warning that told me to behave.

I could have brushed it off, pretended I didn't see it, and walked away. But then, my gaze landed on Evelyn, standing beside him.

She looked lifeless.

Her skin was pale—so much so that even the thick layers of makeup couldn’t fully conceal the bruises beneath. I knew exactly what had happened. I knew who had done it.

Father.

How could a man be this cruel to his own blood?

His words from last night echoed in my skull like a curse, his chilling promise laced with venom:

"If you dare back out of this, Evelyn will pay for it."

I clenched my fists at my sides, my nails digging into my palm. It hurt, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the helpless fury burning in my chest. Loving someone should be a good thing. It should bring warmth, protection, meaning. But when that love is used against you—when it becomes your greatest weakness—it’s nothing but a leash around your throat.

That was exactly what my father had done. He had turned my love for Evelyn into a weapon against me. And I had no choice but to surrender.

Across the room, Adrian still hadn't arrived with his father. A foolish, desperate part of me hoped he wouldn’t show up. Maybe, just maybe, he would be the one to back out first.

But that fragile hope was shattered the moment I saw him step through the doorway.

His piercing gaze landed on me immediately, as if he had been searching for me from the second he entered. He was unreadable, as always. Adrian had never been one to wear his emotions on his sleeve. Smiles, scowls, frowns—none of it ever crossed his face unless it served a purpose. But I knew. I could see it in the tension in his shoulders, in the way his jaw was set.

This wasn’t his choice either.

There was no way Adrian Thorne Dominic would willingly want to be engaged to someone like me—someone he hated. If anything, he was probably only going through with this for the same reason I was: because of his father.

And yet, there was something deeply unsettling about all of this.

My father was nothing compared to Mr. Dominic. The man was a powerhouse in the business world, a tycoon who could have secured a far more advantageous alliance than one with my father. My family had been bleeding money for months now, and compared to the elite, my father was hardly a contender.

So why had Mr. Dominic chosen him?

What did he stand to gain from this engagement?

I barely had time to process the thought when Adrian’s voice broke through my spiraling mind.

"You should smile and stop frowning."

I turned to him, narrowing my eyes. Says the one who doesn’t even know how to smile. The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

And then, to my utter shock, Adrian did something completely unexpected.

He smiled.

Not a smirk. Not the usual condescending curl of his lips. A full-fledged, almost sincere smile. It was the kind of smile that could fool anyone into believing he was happy. But I knew better.

Still, staring at it, I almost believed it myself.

Was he trying to impress someone? Or mock me?

"I do smile," he mused, turning slightly toward the small group gathered in the room. "Unlike someone."

I rolled my eyes so hard I was surprised they didn’t get stuck in the back of my head. Whatever game he was playing, I wasn’t interested. I wasn’t here to impress anyone, and certainly not Adrian Thorne Dominic.

But then, my gaze flickered to Evelyn, and my heart clenched.

Her expression was twisted in discomfort, her lips pressed together as if to stop herself from crying out. It took me mere seconds to notice the reason—our father’s hand rested behind her, hidden from most of the room but not from me. His fingers dug into her side, subtle but cruel, a silent reminder that he was still in control.

Rage burned through me like wildfire. My hands twitched at my sides, desperate to act. To throw him off her. To make him regret every bruise, every scar, every ounce of suffering he had inflicted upon her. But I knew better.

Instead, I forced a smile.

Not because he told me to. Not because I wanted to.

But because I needed him to stop hurting her.

I had already agreed to endure this farce. That should be enough. He had no reason to hurt Evelyn anymore.

"Try to make it genuine, at least," Adrian’s voice came again, quiet but pointed.

I wanted to ignore him. I wanted to snap back at him, to remind him that he was the last person who should be giving me advice. But deep down, I knew he was right. Even if this entire situation made me sick to my stomach, I had to act the part.

Fake it till I make it.

But for how long?

It felt like forever.

A voice cut through the tension, signaling the next step. "Now that both families are here, we can proceed with the exchange of rings before signing the papers."

Adrian moved first, slipping his hand into his suit pocket and pulling out a sleek silver ring.

I frowned.

Just one?

"Where’s my ring?" Adrian asked, tilting his head slightly, amusement flickering in his tone.

Shit.

I was supposed to bring a ring?

I glanced at my father, hoping for some kind of answer, but he simply looked at me like I was on my own.

Panicked, my eyes darted down to my hand, landing on the only ring I wore.

I didn’t want to give it up.

But I had no choice.

"Here," I said, raising my hand.

Adrian’s eyes flickered with something unreadable before he smirked. "Didn’t know you were this excited about the engagement."

I rolled my eyes again, biting back a retort. He could say whatever he wanted.

The exchange was made. The papers were signed.

It was done.

I turned to leave, desperate to escape this suffocating nightmare, but then—

"Matthew."

I stopped dead in my tracks.

My father’s voice.

Dread crawled up my spine as I turned back, watching him approach Mr. Dominic.

"You should greet your father-in-law," Mr. Dominic said, his smile sharp and unreadable. "What’s the rush?"

I forced another lifeless smile. "I’m sorry, father-in-law, I’m just—"

My father cut me off with a smug grin.

"Pardon my son. He’s just so impatient to move in with your son."

What?

Move in?

How?

And when the hell did I agree to that?