CHAPTER 32: GLASS AND VELVET

Leo’s POV

​I stood near the grand archway of the ballroom, a crystal glass of whiskey heavy in my hand, watching the sea of silk and jewels swirling under the chandeliers.

​My mind was somewhere else entirely. I couldn't stop thinking about Lucian’s insane ultimatum. He was going to force Eva into a fake marriage—a contract born of blackmail and ambition—and she was sitting upstairs right now, completely trapped in his net. Eva wasn't a pawn. She was a woman of fire and independence, and the thought of her being cornered by my brother made a bitter, dark heat pulse through my veins.

​I needed to reach her before my mother took the stage to announce the betrothal. I had to tell her there was another way out.

​"Leo, my darling."

​I turned to see my mother stepping out of her private lounge, radiant in a trailing emerald velvet dress. I pushed my dark thoughts aside, forcing a smooth, charming smile as I offered her my arm.

​"Happy birthday, Mother," I murmured, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her cheek. "You look utterly breathtaking tonight."

​She beamed, adjusting the sparkling diamond necklace at her throat as we began our walk down the grand staircase into the packed hall. All eyes turned toward us, murmuring in polite awe as the orchestra adjusted its rhythm.

​"Are you not excited for your brother?" my mother whispered, glancing up at me with bright, giddy eyes as we reached the bottom landing.

​My jaw tightened slightly. "He told you?"

​"Of course he told me!" she giggled softly, tapping my arm. "Why wouldn't he? Eva is such a divine girl. I always hoped one of my sons would be smart enough to keep her... though, to be completely honest, I always thought it would be you."

​The words hit my chest like a quiet lead weight.

​"So did I," I whispered to myself, the words barely audible over the swelling violins.

​Before I could process the sting in my chest, my father stepped forward to claim my mother for the opening waltz. I handed her off smoothly, bowing slightly, and immediately turned to slip away toward the stairs to find Eva.

​"Leo."

​My father's deep, authoritative voice cut through the noise of the crowd. I froze, turning around to see Duke Sterling watching me with a cold, evaluating stare.

​"Father," I said, suppressing the surge of panic rising in my throat. "I was just heading upstairs—"

​"You will stay right here," Father instructed, taking a sip from his goblet. "Now that Lucian is securing his match and preparing to take over the main estate duties, you will be taking his place at my side. You will accompany me to the provincial trade summits starting next week."

​I stared at him in disbelief. "Lucian is taking a wife, Father, not moving to another country. You don't need to completely alter my schedule."

​"He needs personal space to establish his household and produce an heir," Father replied coldly. "Your brother's focus will be shifted for a time."

​"Are you all insane?" I hissed, taking a step closer so the surrounding nobles couldn't hear us. "You haven't even officially announced the match! And how are you letting Lucian marry a maid? You're not the type of man to tolerate a commoner in our bloodline, Father. What is wrong with you?"

​Father’s expression flattened into a wall of unyielding ice. "Your mother wants this. Frankly, I dislike the Eva girl just as much as I dislike any outsider, but if she keeps your brother content, I will allow it."

​I glanced desperately toward the upper balcony, my heart hammering against my ribs. The music was already winding down, signaling the end of the opening dance. Time was running out.

​My mother was already walking toward the center platform, raising her glass to call for the province's attention—and I was trapped at the bottom of the stairs, unable to reach the woman I loved before her trap snapped shut.

Eva’s POV

​I stood before the full-length mirror, staring at a stranger.

​The gown Lady Eleanor’s seamstresses had laced me into was made of liquid ivory silk, the fabric shimmering beneath the warm candlelight. My dark hair had been styled in soft, intricate curls that cascaded down my back, pinned with delicate golden clips. I looked like royalty—a cruel, twisted illusion given the chains wrapping around my neck.

​The quiet click of my bedroom door breaking the silence made me freeze.

​Lucian stepped into the room, impeccably dressed in a dark tailored coat. He paused for a fraction of a second, his dark eyes sweeping over me, a brief, unreadable flicker passing through his gaze before his jaw set back into its usual rigid line.

​"We need to go downstairs together," he said clippedly. "My mother is waiting."

​I didn't utter a word. I simply set the hairbrush I was holding down onto the vanity with a sharp snap, smoothed the front of my silk skirt, and walked toward the doorway.

​"Eva," Lucian called out, his voice sharp enough to make me pause at the threshold. "Try to smile. I need to convince everyone downstairs that we are madly in love, not just my mother."

​I offered him a tight, bitter nod, turning to leave once more.

​"Wait," he ordered.

​I turned around to see him reach into his coat, pulling out a folded piece of parchment and a small vial of ink with a quill. He laid the document flat on the side table near the door.

​"Sign this," he said.

​I stared at the black ink on the page, a disbelieving laugh threatening to bubble up from my throat. "You... you actually drafted a legal contract for this?"

​"Of course I did," Lucian replied smoothly, pulling a pocket watch from his vest. "When we eventually marry, what happens if you decide you do not want to leave? What if you try to claim my title or my family's estate? I need this paper to prove our marriage was planned from the start—a temporary arrangement so we can divorce the moment I no longer need you."

​The absolute audacity of his words sent a jolt of pure fire straight through my chest.

​I took a step toward him, my eyes narrowing into slits. "You are truly insufferable, do you know that? You force me into a corner with threats of prison, drag me into your political farce, and then have the utter nerve to act as if I am the ruthless leech trying to claw my way into your noble family? You are arrogant, rude, and entirely insufferable."

​Lucian’s face darkened instantly. He took a swift step forward, closing the distance between us, his tall frame towering over me.

​"Mind your tongue," he growled, his voice dropping into a harsh, dangerous whisper. "You are speaking to the future Duke De Witt. You will do well to remember your place and never speak to me like that again."

​The raw, cold authority in his voice hit me like a slap. I swallowed hard, forcing my head down, burying my fury behind a mask of submissive silence.

​"Forgive me, My Lord," I whispered coldly.

​"Good," Lucian muttered, adjusting his cuffs.

​He held out his arm, offering it to me so we could make our grand entrance into the hall together. I looked at his proffered arm, ignored it completely, and swept past him into the grand corridor.

​We reached the top of the sweeping marble staircase. Below us, the ballroom was a dazzling, chaotic sea of high society—lords and ladies in vibrant velvets, gold jewelry glinting beneath massive crystal chandeliers, and the swell of the orchestra filling the air.

​As Lucian stepped up beside me, every head in the room began to turn. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wildfire. Hundreds of pairs of sharp, calculating eyes locked onto me.

​A suffocating wave of nerves crashed over my chest. My heart hammered wildly against my ribs. I felt small, exposed, and utterly terrified.

​Desperate for a single anchor in the sea of cold, judgment-filled faces, my eyes frantically scanned the ballroom floor. I wasn't looking for the Duke. I wasn't looking for Lady Eleanor.

​I was looking for a specific pair of warm, protective dark eyes.

​I searched every corner of the crowded room, desperately hunting for Leo—the only person in this cursed house who made me feel safe. But as the crowd pressed closer to the bottom of the stairs, his face was nowhere to be found.