The Billionaire's Stand-in Bride

Chapter Four

The air in the mansion felt colder than usual as Isabel stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the strap of her dress. Her thoughts were a mess of confusion and hope. It had been two days since that night—since Damian had kissed her and called her Ariana. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed between them, but she wasn’t sure if it was for better or worse.

The invitation to the charity gala had come the night before, and Damian, in his usual cold manner, had asked her to attend with him. He had been brief, almost detached. “Get ready,” he had told her, his voice as flat as ever, and then he left her alone in their shared silence.

She stood there, staring at her reflection, wondering if he remembered anything from that night. The way he had looked at her, the way he had held her, had felt so real. But when she tried to bring it up, he was always distant. Maybe it was all just a drunken mistake, she told herself, brushing the thought away as she adjusted the final touches to her hair.

She would tell him tonight. The gala would be her moment, the perfect opportunity to confess. To lay her feelings bare. She couldn’t hide them anymore.

Isabel grabbed her clutch and walked out of the room, finding Damian standing by the front door, dressed sharply in a tailored suit. His expression was unreadable, but she could feel his eyes on her as she approached. He barely acknowledged her presence as he opened the door, waiting for her to follow.

She stepped out, her heart pounding in her chest. As they drove to the gala, she kept her eyes fixed on the window, trying to calm the storm inside her. Damian didn’t speak. It was as if the night had already begun, and he was lost in his own thoughts. Isabel’s fingers drummed nervously against her thigh as they pulled into the grand venue.

The gala was held in a lavish ballroom, glittering with lights and filled with the sound of laughter and clinking glasses. The who’s who of society were gathered, all in their finest attire, socializing and basking in the luxury of the event. Isabel tried to focus on the crowd, but her nerves were on edge. She felt like a stranger in her own skin, surrounded by people who didn’t know her at all.

As they walked through the entrance, Isabel’s eyes scanned the room, but she froze when she saw him.

Stephen.

Her first love. The boy she had spent countless hours with, talking about everything and nothing. The boy who had made her heart race with just a glance. Seeing him now, after so many years, sent a rush of memories flooding back. They had been so young, so full of hope, before life had pulled them in different directions. She hadn’t even realized how much she missed him until that very moment.

Stephen saw her too, his eyes widening in recognition. A smile broke across his face, and before she could stop herself, Isabel found herself walking toward him, drawn to him as if by some invisible force.

Damian noticed the exchange, his eyes narrowing slightly. He said nothing, but the tension in his jaw tightened. He watched as Isabel and Stephen exchanged greetings, their words flowing easily, their laughter filling the space between them. The old chemistry between them was undeniable, and Damian could feel something gnawing at him, though he kept his face neutral.

He turned away, his hand slipping into his pocket as he made his way across the room. He didn’t care. It wasn’t like it mattered.

Isabel, however, was too distracted by the whirlwind of emotions to notice Damian’s retreating figure. Stephen’s presence brought back feelings she had buried deep inside. They talked about the old days, the times they’d shared, and the paths they’d taken since then. She laughed, genuinely, for the first time in what felt like ages.

As the conversation went on, Isabel found herself becoming more and more lost in the moment. She didn’t notice Damian coming back toward her until his voice sliced through the air.

“Isabel,” he called coldly, standing a few feet away from her. “We’re leaving.”

Isabel blinked, her smile faltering. She had almost forgotten where she was. She turned to face him, seeing the disapproval in his eyes. The way he looked at her, like she had done something wrong.

“Damian, I—” she began, but he cut her off with a harsh wave of his hand.

“Let’s go. Now.” His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.

She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment, but she couldn’t help the anger that began to rise in her chest. “Damian, you can’t just—”

“No, you don’t get to talk now,” he snapped, his voice low but firm. “You want to act like nothing happened last night? Fine. But I won’t be a part of this charade. You can keep playing your little games, but don’t think for one second that I’m going to stand here and watch it.”

The room seemed to close in around her, and she felt her stomach twist. Damian’s words were sharp, each one cutting deeper than the last. The humiliation hit her all at once, and she could feel the eyes of others on her, watching, judging.

“Damian, please,” she said, her voice trembling. “I—”

But he turned away, not giving her a chance to finish. Isabel stood there, her body frozen in place, as he walked toward the exit without a second glance.

Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She couldn’t. Not in front of all these people. Not in front of him.

She ran.

Out of the ballroom, down the grand staircase, out into the cold night air. She didn’t know where she was going, only that she needed to escape the suffocating weight of Damian’s rejection.

Behind her, she could hear footsteps, heavy and quick. Stephen. He had followed her.

“Isabel!” His voice called out to her, soft but urgent.

She didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop.

Her heart was racing, and her thoughts were a mess. She didn’t want to feel this way, but the sting of Damian’s words, the humiliation of it all, was too much. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think.

She heard Stephen’s footsteps drawing closer. She could feel him now, just behind her, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be anywhere but there.

But just as she turned a corner, she stumbled. The ground felt unsteady beneath her, and for a moment, her world tilted. Her hand shot out to steady herself, but the pain in her chest was unbearable.

Stephen caught her, his hands firm on her shoulders. “Isabel,” he said gently. “Stop. Please. Just stop.”

She turned her face to him, tears streaming down her cheeks, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “He doesn’t love me,” she whispered, the words tasting like ash in her mouth. “Damian doesn’t love me. I thought he did, but…”

Stephen’s arms enveloped her, holding her close. “You deserve so much better,” he murmured, his voice soft against her ear.

Isabel clung to him, torn between the man she had once loved and the man she had tried to build a life with.

And in the distance, in the darkened ballroom, Damian stood watching, his cold eyes burning with something Isabel couldn’t understand.

The night had only just begun, and it felt like everything was falling apart.