The ride was quiet, the hum of the engine the only sound filling the air. City lights blurred past the tinted window, painting fleeting colors across Damien’s face as he stared straight ahead, unreadable. I leaned back against the leather seat, tracing idle patterns on my lap. The silence between us wasn’t awkward—it was heavy, almost like an unspoken language only we understood.But my chest ached. I couldn’t stop replaying the memory of Jason’s lips crushing mine. I had slapped him afterwards, disgusted with myself for letting it happen, but the guilt still clawed at me.The car slid smoothly down a private lane toward the jet terminal. Beyond the glass, runway lights shimmered like stars scattered across the ground. My pulse quickened when I saw Damien’s jet waiting for us, its sleek frame gleaming beneath the floodlights like a promise of escape.“Where are we headed?” I asked softly, though I already knew this was the beginning of our honeymoon.“Somewhere beautiful—like you,” Da
Today wasn’t just any day—it was my wedding day. Not by choice, but by my father’s. A marriage for power, as everyone liked to remind me. “You’ll be powerful standing next to Damien King,” they said.Damien wasn’t a bad man—at least, not from what I knew—but love? That wasn’t part of this deal. After everything, I had sworn never to love again. Yet, something inside me whispered that the walls I’d built were already crumbling around him.The sound of footsteps broke my thoughts. My mother swept in with a group of maids and stylists trailing behind her.“Good morning, rise and shine—it’s your day!” she beamed with excitement.“Yeah…” I murmured, forcing myself out of bed, bracing for whatever awaited me.⸻Inside, the cathedral was breathtaking. Towering arches reached for the heavens, etched with centuries of devotion. Stained-glass windows cast streams of colored light across the marble floor, while polished pews stretched toward a grand altar adorned with golden candlesticks and fra
The sun poured through my bedroom window, but the light did little to chase away the shadows in my mind. I sat on the edge of my bed, fingers wrapped tightly around my phone, staring at Jason’s missed call. It was like a ghost haunting me, a reminder of a past I was desperate to leave behind.I didn’t want to answer. Not now, not ever. But the sound of my phone buzzing again made my heart race. My walls, though cracking from Damien’s gentle persistence, were still firmly up when it came to Jason.⸻“Zara, are you ready?” Mum’s voice floated up from downstairs, cheerful and oblivious to the storm inside me.“Almost,” I called back, sliding my phone into my purse.Today was the first big public event since the engagement party—a charity gala hosted by the Kings family. It was all glamour and smiles on the surface, but beneath it was the silent pressure of expectations, and the weight of the past looming closer every second.⸻I slipped into a shimmering silver gown that hugged my figure
The morning after the engagement party, I woke to the dull ache of a headache and the weight of what lay ahead. I lay still, staring at the ceiling of my room, my thoughts swirling like a storm.How had my life come to this? A forced engagement to a man I barely knew, tangled in a web of family expectations and old wounds I hadn’t healed.My phone buzzed on the nightstand. A message from Damien: “Thinking of you. Hope you slept well.”I stared at the screen, unsure how to respond. In fact, I wasn’t even going to respond. Anything feeling building for that man? My plan was to kill it. I wasn’t ready for heartbreak number two. I wasn’t sure if I wanted him—or if I could even trust my own heart again.⸻Breakfast was tense. Mum was chirpy as usual, busy planning the next few weeks of parties, dinners, and social events. Theo and Ella exchanged sly glances, like conspirators in some game I hadn’t signed up for.Dad was his usual commanding self, asking after Damien’s plans and business sc
The day of the engagement party finally arrived, and I wasn’t ready. Not mentally, not emotionally. But there was no turning back now. The entire Quinn family and the Kings clan gathered at the grand estate—a mansion so vast and magnificent, it could have starred in movies or glossy magazines.I took one last look at my reflection before heading downstairs. My dress was a sleek, deep crimson gown that hugged every curve. The color made my fiery red hair glow and brought out the piercing blue of my eyes. Damien had said he loved red. Funny—because it reminded me of blood, the kind I wanted to spill whenever I thought about how fast everything was moving.Mum waited for me in the living room, perfectly dressed in an elegant navy blue gown. She smiled warmly, but beneath that pride was something else—hope, maybe? I looked so much like her with my red hair and blue eyes, and Dad often told me I was her twin.“You look stunning, Zara,” she said softly.“Thanks,” I replied, though I didn’t
After all the pep talks from Mum, my sister, and Theo about how Damien was the perfect match for me and how we’d be a power couple, I was still unconvinced. Even after reminding Mum of his scandals, she just said I could “change him” once we were married. I practically rolled my eyes.Earlier, I called Dante after seeing a load of missed calls and messages from him checking if I was okay. After apologizing, I spilled all the tea. He was shocked and sorry to hear that my fiancé was the infamous Damien King. We scheduled to meet the next day at our favorite café.I adjusted my red dress, staring at my reflection in the mirror.“You look beautiful,” Mum said as she stepped in.I ignored her compliment.“You knew about this?” I asked, picking up my purse.“Honey, we talked about this,” she said. “The Kings family will make you power—”“Or Dad powerful. I’m just a pawn in the game,” I cut her off.“Zara—”A knock interrupted us.“Ma, the driver is here,” a maid said.“I’m off,” I said, hea