Chapter 6 : The Game Behind the Smile
822 Words
The music in the ballroom continued playing softly, but the atmosphere around Aria suddenly felt much heavier.
Victoria’s words lingered in the air like a quiet threat.
Aria forced herself to keep her composure. She had already learned that people in Ethan’s world were always watching, always judging.
Showing weakness here would only make things worse.
Victoria finally turned her attention back to Ethan, her expression returning to that elegant, practiced smile.
“I must say,” she said lightly, “your engagement came as quite a surprise.”
Ethan’s voice remained calm.
“Life is full of surprises.”
Victoria tilted her head slightly, studying Aria again.
“Yes,” she replied slowly. “Some are more surprising than others.”
The silence between them stretched.
Then someone approached Victoria from behind and whispered something in her ear. She nodded before turning back toward Ethan.
“Well,” she said smoothly, “I won’t keep you both. Enjoy the evening.”
Her eyes flicked toward Aria one last time.
“I’m sure we’ll speak again soon.”
Something about the way she said it made Aria’s stomach twist.
Victoria walked away gracefully, disappearing into the crowd.
Only when she was gone did Aria release the breath she had been holding.
“Who exactly was that?” she asked quietly.
Ethan picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
“Victoria Laurent,” he replied.
Aria frowned.
“She seems… intense.”
Ethan took a slow sip.
“She’s also the daughter of one of the most powerful investors in the city.”
Aria blinked.
“Oh.”
“And,” Ethan continued calmly, “for the past two years, our families expected us to get married.”
Aria nearly choked.
“Wait… what?”
Ethan looked completely unfazed.
“It was a strategic arrangement.”
“A strategic arrangement?” Aria repeated.
“Business alliances often work that way.”
Aria shook her head in disbelief.
“And now suddenly you’re engaged to a random waitress,” she said. “I guess she didn’t take that well.”
“No,” Ethan replied simply.
“She didn’t.”
Across the ballroom, Victoria stood near a group of elegantly dressed guests.
But her attention wasn’t on them.
Her eyes were fixed on Aria.
A man in a dark suit approached her quietly.
“Did you find anything?” Victoria asked.
“Not yet,” the man replied.
“But we’re looking into her background now.”
Victoria’s gaze sharpened.
“I want everything,” she said.
“Where she lives. Where she works. Her family. Her past.”
The man nodded.
“You think she’s lying?”
Victoria’s lips curved slightly.
“No,” she said softly.
“I think Ethan is.”
Her eyes returned to Aria, who was now standing beside Ethan near the dance floor.
“And I intend to find out why.”
Back across the room, Aria tried to relax.
The ballroom was beautiful, but the attention was exhausting.
Everywhere she turned, people seemed to be whispering.
Judging.
Analyzing.
She leaned slightly closer to Ethan.
“Do they always stare this much?”
“Yes.”
“That’s terrifying.”
Ethan almost smiled.
Before Aria could say anything else, a group of businessmen approached them.
“Ethan,” one of them said warmly.
“Congratulations on the engagement.”
“Thank you,” Ethan replied politely.
The man turned to Aria.
“And you must be the lucky woman.”
Aria forced a polite smile.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“Where did you two meet?” another man asked.
Aria froze.
That question hadn’t been in the contract briefing.
She glanced at Ethan quickly.
He answered smoothly.
“At a café.”
The men chuckled.
“A billionaire meeting his fiancée at a café,” one of them said.
“That’s almost romantic.”
Aria relaxed slightly.
But across the room, Victoria had heard the conversation.
Her smile slowly faded.
A café.
That was interesting.
Later that evening, as the event slowly began to wind down, Ethan and Aria stepped out onto the quiet balcony outside the ballroom.
The cool night air felt refreshing after the crowded room.
Aria leaned lightly against the railing.
“I think I understand your warning now,” she said.
“About enemies.”
Ethan stood beside her, looking out over the city lights.
“Victoria will try to expose you.”
Aria looked at him.
“You say that like it’s guaranteed.”
“It is.”
“And when she finds out I’m just a waitress?”
Ethan’s expression remained unreadable.
“That depends on how well you play your role.”
Aria sighed.
“No pressure.”
But deep down, she could fee
l it.
Victoria wasn’t going to let this go.
And Aria had a feeling the real battle had only just begun.
- Writer
