Stolen Moments

Engaged

A few months ago, Elena had been certain she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Liam, her longtime lover. Their relationship was a classic story of childhood sweethearts, an enduring bond until the day she found him with Alicia.

Though they weren't caught in the act, the position she had discovered them in strongly suggested either a previous involvement or a clear intention to be intimate. Liam had apologized profusely, offering multiple excuses: he had blamed his inappropriate closeness to Alicia on the devastating death of his father, to whom he had been very close, and he also deflected, citing the fact that Elena was constantly buried in her work.

Liam had vehemently promised that nothing had happened between them and insisted he was only treating Alicia as a sister, going so far as to put the blame on Elena for "reading the position wrongly." Despite his earnest apologies and explanations, Elena found it almost impossible to forget or fully trust him again.

Now trapped in the spotlight, knowing there was a steep price to pay no matter what decision she made, Elena was certain of one thing: Her love for Liam had died that day she found him with Alicia.

She quickly glanced across the sea of smiling faces. She spotted her sister’s, which was seething with rage and jealousy, and her mother’s, contorted into a silent, potent threat.

But it was her father’s face that gave her the words to speak. It was a clear, desperate plea. The union between the Hayes and the Bennets was one that stood to benefit her family far more than the Hayes, and in that agonizing moment, she decided. She could either live in a loveless marriage or, perhaps, learn to love Liam and trust him again, the way the young and naïve Elena once did. It was a choice between her own emotional truth and her family's financial stability.

Turning to Liam, who was still crouched on one knee, his hand extended, she forced a thin, public smile.

"Yes," she said clearly, the word ringing through the now-silent room. "Yes, I will marry you."

The tension broke. A roar of applause and cheers erupted, led by the immediate relief on her parents' faces. Liam, his smug victory now complete, rose and slid the enormous, glittering ring onto her finger, sealing her fate with a possessive kiss.

After a few final congratulatory remarks, the party finally came to a close. Elena desperately wanted to avoid Liam. Just as she was about to slip toward the stairs, Liam grabbed her from the back, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

"I’m sorry I took you by surprise, my love. I figured it was the perfect day, considering our victory over the Pierres. Thank you for agreeing to be my wife."

His actions were always about trapping her, giving her no room to protest. "It's alright, Liam," she conceded, unwilling to start an argument as she noticed her mother’s glaring eyes fixed on them. "I’ve had a long day and need to retire early."

"I’ll just come along and tuck you in," he suggested, already guiding her up the stairs.

When they reached her room, he made a move to undress her. "You looked ravishing tonight despite the fatigue. I long to take you in my arms and make you mine forever," he murmured, the words soft and seductive in her ear.

"Liam, you know we can't do this. We’ve waited so long and..."

"But we are engaged now, aren't we? In a matter of weeks, we’ll make it official."

"I know, Liam. We might as well just wait until then. Don’t you have an early morning meeting tomorrow? Now, go ahead. I’m so tired that I can’t even walk you to the car. Goodnight, babe." With that, she gave him a light peck and hurried toward her dressing room.

Liam stood for a minute, contemplating if he should pursue her or head home, and ultimately decided on the latter.

Hearing the door click shut behind him, Elena finally heaved a sigh of relief. She sincerely hoped she wasn't making a grave mistake by saying yes.

Just as she was about to head into the bathroom, she caught them again—though this time, it clearly seemed like Liam was trying to push the drunken Alicia away. Her sister had always tried to steal whatever belonged to her. Elena wondered if she had also succeeded in stealing her man.