Chapter Three: Beneath the Spotlight
763 Words
The ballroom glittered like a dream Ella didn’t belong in.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting golden light over men in tailored suits and women dressed in gowns worth more than her entire past life. Soft music played in the background, but Ella barely heard it over the sound of her own heartbeat.
Adrian’s hand rested firmly on her waist.
It wasn’t gentle.
It wasn’t affectionate.
It was possessive.
“Relax,” he murmured near her ear. “You look like you’re about to run.”
“I might,” she whispered back.
His fingers tightened slightly. “Don’t.”
They stepped further into the room, cameras flashing almost instantly.
“Adrian!”
A tall woman with sharp features and a crimson dress approached them, her eyes landing on Ella with open curiosity.
“So this is the mystery wife,” she said, smiling thinly. “I’m Vanessa Cole.”
Adrian’s expression didn’t change. “Vanessa. This is Ella.”
Vanessa’s gaze swept over Ella from head to toe. “She’s… different from your usual type.”
Ella stiffened.
“I didn’t realize I had a type,” Adrian replied coolly.
Vanessa laughed. “Of course you didn’t.”
She turned to Ella. “How did you two meet?”
Ella froze.
She felt Adrian’s thumb brush against her side—a warning.
“We met through mutual connections,” Adrian said smoothly.
Ella forced a smile. “Yes. Fate has interesting timing.”
Vanessa raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but before she could respond, another man joined them.
“Blackwood! You lucky devil,” he said, shaking Adrian’s hand. “You disappear for weeks and return married?”
“Life moves fast,” Adrian replied.
The man turned to Ella. “You must be special.”
Ella swallowed. “I suppose.”
As the conversation continued, Ella felt like an actress reading lines from a script she hadn’t rehearsed. Every smile, every nod felt exhausting.
When the crowd finally thinned, Adrian leaned closer.
“You’re doing fine,” he said quietly.
She glanced at him. “That sounded almost kind.”
“Don’t read into it.”
They moved toward the balcony, the cool night air a relief.
Ella exhaled deeply. “Do you always live like this?”
“Like what?”
“Surrounded by people who want something from you.”
Adrian looked out at the city below. “It’s the price of power.”
She studied his profile—the tension in his jaw, the distant look in his eyes.
“Does it ever get lonely?” she asked softly.
He turned sharply. “That’s none of your concern.”
The wall went back up instantly.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean—”
“Remember the rules,” he interrupted. “No personal questions.”
Before she could respond, a sudden shout erupted inside.
They rushed back in.
A man had spilled champagne all over Ella’s dress.
“I’m so sorry!” he stammered.
Ella stared at the spreading stain, humiliation burning her cheeks.
Adrian stepped forward, his voice icy. “Get away from my wife.”
The room went silent.
The man paled and retreated quickly.
Adrian turned to Ella. “Come with me.”
He led her through the crowd, ignoring the stares, and out into the hallway.
Her breath shook. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did,” he replied. “No one disrespects what’s mine.”
The word sent a shiver through her.
“I’m not a possession,” she said quietly.
He stopped walking.
Slowly, he turned to face her, eyes dark.
“You signed the contract,” he said. “That makes you mine in the eyes of the world.”
“And what about in private?” she challenged.
For a moment, something unreadable flickered across his face.
Then he stepped closer, his voice dropping.
“In private,” he said, “you should remember how dangerous it is to provoke me.”
Her heart raced—but she didn’t back away.
“Maybe you’re afraid I’ll see through you,” she whispered.
His breath brushed her skin.
“Be careful, Ella,” he warned. “Curiosity has consequences.”
For a second, the air between them crackled—anger, tension, something else neither wanted to name.
Then Adrian stepped back.
“Let’s go home.”
As they walked away, Ella’s heart pounded.
Because beneath the cold contract…
She had seen something crack.
And it terrified her.
End of Chapter Three
- Writer
