EpisodeThree
1046 Words
Chapter 3 – The Devil's Fiancée
I sat in the back of Adrian's car, to nervous to breathe. My dress was too tight, something I would never wear on my own. It had been delivered by one of his men hours earlier and I hardly had an option. Adrian sat beside me, scrolling through his phone like I wasn't there.
I cleared my throat, attempting to break the silence. "Do we even have a dinner to attend?"
"Yes." His gaze did not shift from the screen.
"What kind of dinner?"
"Business. Society. People who will look at you."
I frowned. "You could have warned me better."
"I did. I told you to dress in appearance."
"That's not the same thing as telling me I'd be going into a room full of people.".
He eventually glanced at me, his gaze piercing. "Do you want to withdraw now?"
I had my head shaking fast. "No."
"Then quit complaining."
I nibbled on my lip and gazed out the window. City lights were whizzing by. My chest felt heavy.
"Do I… do I need to speak with anyone?" I asked after a while.
"Only if they speak to you."
"And what do I say?"
"Keep it short. Smile if you can. Don't overact."
I pouted. "That's easy for you to say."
"You'll be okay."
The car braked. I caught glimpses outside—cameras. My heart skipped a beat.
"Why are cameras already out?" I panted.
"Because they're waiting for me," said Adrian calmly.
"And me?"
"Now, of course. You're my fiancée."
The word tensed my muscles. True or not, it sounded too real.
The car stopped. His driver opened the door. Adrian emerged, his height and composure unbroken. The flashes exploded. He spun around, holding out his hand to me.
I stood there, then accepted it. His was warm and solid. We walked together, lights blinding me. People shouted his name, and I could have sworn I heard mine as well.
"Elena, smile," Adrian growled under his breath.
I clenched one out, although my cheeks felt hard
Inside the hall, it was worse. The room was filled with sparkling dresses, designer suits, and too many eyes staring at me. People stopped talking when we entered.
"Who is she?" I heard someone gasp.
"She is too plain."
"Adrian must be serious."
Their words cut, but I kept walking, glued to Adrian's side. He didn't say anything.
At the table, his mom was already seated. She eyed me up and down, her expression unyielding. "This is her?"
Yes," Adrian said, pushing my chair out.
I sat down slowly. She didn't smile at me.
"You could have done better," she complained.
Adrian didn't comment. He filled a glass of water and drank.
I stared at my plate, not sure what to do. His mother inched closer. "What's your family name again?"
"Hayes," I said softly.
"Never heard of them." She leaned back, sighing. "Figures.".
I felt my face heat up. I wanted to hide under the table.
Adrian finally sat up. "Mother." His tone was cutting. "Enough."
She sealed her lips shut but did not complain.
The rest of the dinner conversation turned to business talk. I attempted to follow along, but I did not catch half of it. Stocks, mergers, deals—none of it made any sense to me.
I adjusted my position, unable to hide the fact that I was nervous. Surprisingly, Adrian's hand grabbed mine. He gave it a squeeze. My eyes widened.
I looked at him, but his face was impassive, his gaze still fixed on the man speaking on the other side of the table. It was not a caress. It was a cue: keep steady.
I nodded fractionally, tightening my hold on my fork with the other hand.
The dinner dragged on. Strangers every now and then asked me tiny questions.
"So, Elena, where'd you go to school?" a woman asked.
"Community college," I said.
Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh. That's… humble."
I smiled tightly. "Yes."
Another man asked, "Do you work?"
"Not currently," I admitted.
His smirk was obnoxious. "Of course not."
I wanted to vanish.
Adrian's voice cut in abruptly. "She doesn't work because she doesn't have to."
The table became silent for a moment. Then the subject changed again. I stared at Adrian in shock. He was still not looking my way, but I could feel the shield of his words protecting me, just a little bit.
I barely took anything for dessert. I wasn't sure I could contain anything if I tried.
And then, at last, dinner was finished. Everyone got up, standing in groups talking, handshaking. Adrian smiled graciously, his arm around me, at waist level. I said nothing.
As we made our way towards the exit, I heard a voice calling from behind me.
"Elena?"
I froze in place. Spinning around, I saw him—Damian Vale. My eyes opened wide. He looked older, more angular, but still had that same wonderful smile.
"It's really you," he said, moving closer.
Adrian glanced between me. "You two know each other?"
Damian grinned. "We went to the same college. I once saved her from a very unpleasant incident. She was too shy then to thank me properly."
My face flushed. "That was a whole lot of years ago."
Damian's face softened. "Some things you don't forget."
To my surprise, Adrian didn't look offended. He actually shook Damian's hand. "It's been ages."
"Do you two know each other?" I asked quickly.
Adrian nodded. "Best friends."
I blinked. That wasn't something I had been expecting.
Damian smiled at me again. "So you're his fiancée now. That's…surprising. But I'll take care of you, Elena. If you need anything at all, I'm here."
Just like back then, I felt shy. He wasn't joking.
Adrian's arm around my waist tightened, pulling me closer to him. His expression still relaxed, but his grip on me betrayed something else.
"Good night, Damian," Adrian spoke, voice last.
Damian glanced at me again then turned to head out.
I couldn't shake the mix of emotions. Relief, confusion, and something else.
Adrian took me out of the hall, his silence weighing more heavily than it had previously.
I had no idea what to say.
And I had no clue what was next.
- Writer
