THE BAIT THAT STOLE HIS HEART

Chapter 6

Celeste's POV.

I froze.

The weight of his question pressed down on the back of my throat, making my heart beat unsteadily.

It wasn’t like I had expected him to whisper sweet words or confess some long-hidden affection. We were both too damn practical for that. But to be reminded so plainly that I was just another part of his plans, another pawn in this game we were both trapped in, I was way too valuable to be treated like that.

I took slow, calculated breaths, as I twitched uncomfortably on the once comfortable restaurant chair, trying to steady myself.

I knew I didn't give a f**k about Killian, but I didn't understand why his words stung so much.

What we had was obviously never about love.

It was a transaction - a forced bond formed because of duty, out of necessity.

And yet, hearing him ask what I'd do if he had someone else, so coldly, sent a sharp pang through my chest - a pain I didn't understand where it came from.

"You've still not answered my question." He asked, bringing my mind back to the present.

I cleared my throat. "I think your family and the rest of us deserve to know if you have a woman in your life, Killian."

His silence sent a mixture of awkwardness and fury down my spine.

"If there's another woman, then f**k duty. Go be with her." The crack in my voice betrayed me.

"If you have something going on, cool. It will be a perfect excuse to call off this ridiculous wedding thing. Just let our grandparents know, because I don't indulge in things that waste my time."

My eyes flickered to his - his icy cold gaze fixed on me, unreadable, as always.

My hands clenched so tightly around the glass that my knuckles were white. I gulped the strong wine down my throat thirstily.

"This marriage, it's clearly not because of love, Celeste. We have no interest in each other, but we all have a duty to carry out. I'm not sure we have a choice. Too much is at stake."

Of course I knew that.

I swallowed hard, the taste of bitter reality lingering at the back of my throat. But I would never allow myself to look weak or affected. Not infront of him like this.

"Of course I know that." I said sternly, trying to keep my cool. "You don't think that I give the slightest s**t about you, do you?"

I scoffed.

I stood up abruptly, unable to sit there any longer, unable to let him see how much it was all beginning to affect me, how much he was starting to suffocate me.

"I'm done here." I muttered as I put on my black fury jacket. Without looking at him, I started to walk away.

"We should wed in three days." His sharp, soothing voice stopped me.

"There's nothing to wait for anymore. I don't care about you, but we need each other." He added.

I froze.

Killian's POV.

She froze at the sound of my question. I didn't see it coming. Maybe I was overthinking, but I think my words stung her a little.

I watched her twitch uncomfortably, as if finding a perfect position to stay. I knew Celeste didn't care about me, so I couldn't understand where her reaction was coming from.

"You still haven't answered my question." I said breaking the awkward silence.

She seemed to have been lost in her thoughts.

She cleared her throat, while avoiding eye contact with me."I think your family and the rest of us deserve to know if you have a woman in your life, Killian."

She said coldly.

"If there's another woman, then f**k duty. Go be with her."

Now her voice was cracking. Her behavior had pushed me into silence. This woman was a mystery I did not want to try and unravel. She reminded me of myself - like the other half of me or something.

"If you have something going on, cool. It will be a perfect excuse to call off this ridiculous wedding thing. Just let our grandparents know, because I don't indulge in things that waste my time." She added sternly, interrupting my thoughts.

Our eyes met. I tried to read them, see if she meant those words. But as usual, they were unreadable..

"This marriage, it's clearly not because of love, Celeste. We have no interest in each other, but we all have a duty to carry out. I'm not sure we have a choice. Too much is at stake." I responded, a little more coldly than I had intended, but it was the truth.

"Of course I know that." She said in such rude time. "You don't think that I give the slightest s**t about you, do you?"

She scoffed.

I knew she didn't give a f**k about me and I didn't want to look weak by acting like I give a f**k about her either.

I knew even if I wanted to love her, she was going to make it hard for me, so I wasn't even going to try.

I watched her gulp that strong wine down her throat like she was having a glass of water. There was a lot I didn't know about this woman.

A second later, she stood up abruptly.

"I'm done here." She muttered, and put on her jacket, then started to walk away.

"We should wed in three days." I said sharply, stopping her from walking any further.

"There's nothing to wait for anymore. I don't care about you, but we need each other." I added.

I watched her freeze for the second time that evening.

She turned, giving me a hard stare. "I don't care about you either. My grandfather wants this, so let's do this."

She walked away graciously. I couldn't help but admire the woman I was about to get married to, duty-bound or not.

Three days later,

I didn't want anything loud or fancy. But, our grandparents had insisted we had something big, so it would get the whole internet buzzing.

The wedding hall, covered with expensive gold and white designs sent shivers down my spine. My grandfather liked to showoff, so I didn't expect anything less. The soft music from the piano and violins, and the flowers wedding bells that warmed my heart. Then I saw her coming - Celestine.

Arms in her grandfather's, she looked like a damn goddess, an epitome of beauty and royalty as she walked down the aisle.

My heart raced.