Olivia knew this was coming.
She had felt the tension building for days—the weight of unspoken truths, the way Ethan’s eyes lingered on her for too long, the way her heart raced whenever he touched her.
The line between reality and their arrangement had blurred beyond recognition.
And now, it was about to break.
---
A Storm Brewing
The engagement party was less than a week away, and the Montgomery estate buzzed with preparations.
Flowers were being arranged. Tables set. Family members debated over seating charts.
But Olivia barely heard any of it.
All she could think about was Ethan.
And the way things between them had shifted.
She found him in his father’s old study, staring out at the vast estate grounds. His shoulders were tense, his hands shoved into his pockets.
“Ethan.”
