Chapter 4
1206 Words
“You’re losing your mind,” Abcde said, his voice sharp and furious.
Before I could even react, the woman beside me tightened her grip on my hand. It wasn’t painful, but it was firm, possessive, final. With a single, subtle gesture from her fingers, the men in black suits moved instantly. Too instantly. Like trained shadows.
They restrained Abcde and dragged him away from me.
“Don’t dare touch what is mine,” the woman said coldly, her voice calm but edged with warning. “You have no idea what I’m capable of, Sir.”
Then she walked forward, pulling me along with her as if I had no choice—because I didn’t.
I wanted to turn back. God, I wanted to run to Abcde, to scream his name, to cling to him like he was my last lifeline. But fear rooted me in place. This woman—Ms. Veronica Yuw was not ordinary. She wasn’t just powerful.
She was dangerous.
A goddess.
No—what nonsense. She was just… unbelievably beautiful.
Her eyelashes were long and thick, framing eyes that looked like they could see through every lie. Her eyebrows were perfectly shaped, sharp yet elegant. Her nose—God, even my nose felt insecure next to hers. “Perfect” wasn’t enough to describe her. She was beyond that word, beyond comparison. “Don’t stare at me like that, Ms. Ymor.”
“H-huh? I’m not,” I denied quickly, turning my gaze away.
Then she leaned in. My entire body froze when she whispered near my ear. I could feel her breath, warm and intoxicating. She smelled expensive, like confidence, power, and something dangerously addictive. I swear, I could get drunk just inhaling her scent.
“You can stare at me anytime you want,” she murmured. “Just ask. Besides… we’re getting married anyway.”
“What? No—” I spun around to face her, only to realize she hadn’t stepped back. Our faces were inches apart. One move. Just one careless breath—and we’d kiss.
My heart was pounding violently.
She smiled. Slowly. Deliberately. “Better,” she said, still not pulling away.
I couldn’t move. My brain shut down completely. My body forgot how to function. Only my heart remained alive, beating like it was trying to escape my chest.
“Miss Yuw, I’m not staring at you,” I protested weakly.
“Don’t deny it, Miss Ymor,” she replied calmly. “I don’t mind. As long as I know.” She smiled wider
—damn her.
“Ahem. Ms. Yuw, we’ve arrived,” the driver interrupted, holding the car door open.
“Oh,” she said lightly. “By the way… you’re blushing.” She stepped out of the car.
I followed, trying to regain my composure. She offered her hand to help me down, but I ignored it out of stubborn pride. Big mistake. She took my hand anyway, gently but firmly, leaving me no choice but to accept.
Her hands were soft.
Warm.
Steady.
She didn’t let go as we walked into an elegant Italian restaurant; luxurious, glowing with golden lights, marble floors, and crystal chandeliers. The moment we entered, people greeted us enthusiastically. Smiles. Whispers. Then applause.
Applause.
My body trembled.
I wanted to disappear.
I wanted the floor to swallow me whole.
We walked toward the stage, where I saw my father standing. He was smiling, but his eyes told a different story. There was regret there. Guilt. An apology he couldn’t say out loud.
“I am honored to begin this evening with an announcement,” my father said into the microphone. “My daughter, Zyhra Angelique Ymor—” He gestured for me to step forward and held my hands. “—is engaged to the beloved daughter of Xabdro Klert Yuw…Veronica Yuw.”
The applause roared.
I wanted to scream. To stop them. To run.
But I didn’t.
I couldn’t humiliate my father.
And so, I stood there—trapped.
The night passed like a blur. Veronica introduced me to countless people—business partners, elites, names I couldn’t remember. I smiled. Fake. Polite. Exhausted. I didn’t cause another scene. I didn’t want to shame my father again.
Later, we gathered in a private office inside the restaurant. That’s when I learned they owned the place.
What else did this woman own?
“Thank you for tonight,” Veronica said warmly.
“No need to thank me,” my father replied. “And please, call me Dad. After all, you’ll be married to my daughter in just a few days.”
I couldn’t stop myself.
“This all still feels like a business transaction,” I muttered. A sudden silence fell over the room.
Everyone stared at me while my father shot me a warning look.
“She’s right,” Veronica said suddenly, squeezing my hand. “Let’s stop the formality. We’re family now—not business partners.” Her eyes met mine, unwavering, and for a heartbeat, I almost believed her. Almost.
“You don’t need to be afraid, Zyhra,” she whispered softly, her voice lowering just enough that only I could hear. “I won’t let anyone treat you as a commodity—not your father, not me, not anyone. We start fresh… together. But you have to trust me, even if it’s hard.”
Her confidence, her calm authority, was intoxicating. I wanted to hate her for everything that had happened, for how she’d taken over my life, for the way she made my heart pound and my thoughts tangle… but the warmth in her gaze made me pause. I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. My fingers curled instinctively around hers. And for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt a flicker of something I didn’t want to name.
Eventually, everyone decided to leave. The wedding details will be discussed another day.
I thought I was finally going home. I was wrong. When I found out I’d be staying at her penthouse instead, I nearly lost my mind.
Now I was inside her car, arms crossed, sulking. She better not talk to me and I might actually pull her hair out.
“Sorry,” she said quietly, staring out the window.
“Sorry isn’t enough,” I replied, my voice cracking as tears welled up. “You ruined my life.”
She turned to me then. Really looked at me, eyes softening just a fraction, scanning me like she could see every frustration, every fear I had tried to hide.
And for the first time… she didn’t look like a goddess.
She looked human. Vulnerable, in a way that made my chest tighten. Not flawless. Not untouchable. Just… real. And somehow, that made everything worse. Because if she was human, then all the control she had over me—the power to make my heart race, to trap me in this chaos wasn’t magic. It was real.
Her lips twitched, maybe a smile, maybe pity that I couldn’t tell. Her eyes, though, were steady, unflinching, holding me accountable in a way that no one else had dared. I hated that I felt small under her gaze, and yet… I couldn’t look away.
- Writer
