chapter 2: The Ring
1148 Words
Sierra's POV
My head was pounding.
Not the normal kind.
This felt like someone dragged a drum set inside my skull and started performing directly on my brain.
I kept my eyes closed trying to remember what happened after the bar.
Tara crying behind the bathroom door.
Alex on his knees.
Martin standing beside me.
"She's worth more than a man like you."
Then nothing.
Everything after that disappeared completely.
I slowly opened my eyes and immediately knew something was wrong.
The ceiling was too high.
Too white.
Too expensive.
Sunlight poured through massive glass windows stretching across the room while a crystal chandelier sparkled above me.
This definitely was not my apartment.
Panic hit instantly.
I sat up too fast and the room spun violently around me.
"God."
I pressed my fingers against my forehead waiting for the dizziness to settle before finally looking around properly.
Luxury hotel suite.
Huge bed.
Black marble floors.
Fresh flowers near the windows.
The kind of room people like Martin stayed in.
Not people like me.
I looked down at myself quickly.
Same red dress.
Same ruined makeup.
Same emotional disaster from last night.
But my heels were missing.
And then I noticed it.
The ring.
A sharp breath caught in my throat.
The diamond sitting on my finger was massive.
Not pretty massive.
Terrifying massive.
I stared at it in horror.
"What the hell?"
I immediately tried pulling it off but it refused to move.
Perfect.
Either my fingers were swollen or I accidentally got engaged while drunk.
"Good morning."
I nearly screamed.
My head snapped toward the doorway so fast pain shot through my neck.
Martin stood there holding a cup of coffee like he hadn't just scared ten years off my life.
White shirt.
Dark pants.
Messy hair.
No tie.
Morning light poured across his face making him look softer than last night somehow.
Which honestly felt more dangerous.
"What is this?" I held up my hand accusingly. "Why is there a ring on my finger?"
Martin walked toward me calmly.
Too calmly.
"You don't remember?"
"That's usually what happens when people black out."
Something almost amused flashed briefly across his face.
"It was your idea."
I blinked.
"My what?"
"The engagement."
"I'm sorry?"
"You told your ex-boyfriend you'd rather marry a stranger than spend another second with him."
Heat rushed straight to my face.
"Oh my God."
"You were very committed to it too."
I covered my face with both hands immediately.
"Please stop talking."
Martin sat carefully at the edge of the bed leaving enough distance between us not to scare me.
"You also threatened to throw a champagne bottle at him."
I peeked through my fingers.
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
"That honestly sounds fair."
A quiet laugh escaped him unexpectedly.
It caught me completely off guard.
That smile changed his entire face.
For a second he stopped looking like a cold billionaire and looked almost human.
It felt creepy.
I looked away quickly.
"What happened after that?"
The amusement disappeared instantly.
"Alex wouldn't leave you alone."
Something dark settled behind his eyes now.
"He kept grabbing your arm. Kept begging. Then he got angry when you refused to forgive him."
My stomach twisted painfully.
"That sounds like him."
Martin looked at me quietly for a second before continuing.
"He said no man would ever stay with you."
The tears came back immediately.
Not dramatic.
Not loud.
Just silent tears rolling down my cheeks before I could stop them.
I hated that those words hurt.
I hated even more that a small part of me believed them.
Martin noticed instantly.
His jaw tightened.
"He was wrong."
My breathing caught softly.
Why did hearing that from him matter so much?
"You barely know me."
"I know enough."
The room became quiet after that.
I looked down at the ring again.
"So this is fake?"
Martin leaned back slightly.
"That depends."
I frowned.
"Depends on what?"
"Whether you want it to be."
I stared at him.
This man is completely insane.
"You cannot seriously expect me to pretend to be engaged to a stranger."
"You already did last night."
"That was drunk behavior."
"You seemed very passionate about it."
I grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at him immediately.
To my horror, Martin caught it easily.
Then he smirked.
"You're annoying."
"And you're still wearing my ring."
I looked down at the diamond again.
It sparkled mockingly under the sunlight.
"How much does this thing even cost?"
Martin shrugged carelessly.
"I honestly don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I bought it years ago."
"For your ex?"
Something unreadable passed across his face.
"Yes."
Oh.
Suddenly the room felt sad again.
"She left before I could use it," he said quietly. "Chose someone richer."
I blinked slowly.
"Richer than you?"
A soft laugh escaped him.
"There's always someone richer, Sierra."
The way he said my name made my stomach flip unexpectedly.
God.
This is very bad.
I quickly pushed the feeling away.
"So let me get this straight," I said carefully. "I got drunk, publicly accepted a fake proposal from a stranger, passed out, and woke up engaged inside a billionaire's hotel suite?"
"When you say it like that it sounds concerning."
"It IS concerning."
Another small smile almost appeared on his face.
Then suddenly his phone buzzed.
The warmth disappeared instantly.
Martin glanced at the screen and his entire expression changed.
Cold.
Sharp.
"What happened?"
He looked at me for a long second before speaking.
"Your mother just reported you missing."
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"Funny. She didn't care when I was standing right in front of her."
Martin stood slowly then extended his hand toward me.
The giant diamond flashed under the sunlight between us.
"Then maybe it's time everyone sees who you belong to now."
My breath caught.
****
Martin's POV
She stared at my hand like it was dangerous.
Smart.
Most women would've grabbed it immediately.
Most women saw my name and stopped seeing me.
Sierra Bennett wasn't like that.
She looked suspicious.
Confused.
Terrified.
And somehow that was worse.
Because it made me want to convince her.
A mistake I should never make.
My phone buzzed again.
Another news alert.
Another article.
Another headline about Sierra disappearing with a billionaire.
The city was already tearing her apart.
I watched her wipe away a tear.
Something inside me tightened.
I didn't like it.
I especially didn't like the fact that I cared.
Alex had humiliated her.
Her mother had betrayed her.
Her best friend had stolen her future.
Yet somehow she was still sitting here trying not to break.
Strong.
Stronger than she realized.
Dangerous.
The last strong woman I trusted walked away and taught me exactly what loyalty was worth.
Never again.
I should've left Sierra at the bar.
Should've walked away.
Instead, I was standing here offering her my hand.
- Writer
