BILLONIA ROMANCE

I DUMPED MY FIANCE FOR HIS BILLONIA FRIEND

CHAPTER 1 — The Public Betrayal

The crystal chandelier above me sparkled like a thousand judgmental eyes, mocking me as I stood frozen in the middle of the grand ballroom.

Tonight was supposed to be our night. Daniel had promised.

He said he had something “special” planned. I’d spent hours choosing the perfect gown, imagining the moment he would finally go down on one knee and slide a ring onto my finger.

But instead, I watched him stand on the stage ,the same man I had loved for four years ,with his arm wrapped around another woman.

Her red silk gown clung to her curves like a second skin, and the smug smile on her face burned into my memory.

Then Daniel lifted the microphone, his voice smooth, confident, cruel:

“Everyone, meet Sophia Lane… my future wife.”

The applause was instant. Loud. Deafening. But in my ears, it sounded like knives cutting through my heart.

I froze, the champagne glass slipping from my trembling hand, shattering into glittering pieces on the marble floor. Gasps filled the air, followed by whispers sharp enough to pierce through my soul.

“Wasn’t Nina supposed to be the one?”

“I heard she chased him for years.”

“Poor thing. He’s trading her up for Sophia.”

My vision blurred. I felt the walls closing in. The man I thought I knew, the man I thought loved me… had just publicly destroyed me.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to slap him. I wanted to run. But my legs refused to move.

And then… he saw me.

Daniel’s gaze found mine across the room, cold and unapologetic. He didn’t look guilty. He didn’t even look ashamed. He looked like a man who had just won.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, my chest tightening painfully. That was when I felt a warm, firm hand on my shoulder.

I turned… and froze again.

Adrian Cole.

Daniel’s best friend. Billionaire. Untouchable. The man I’d secretly hated since the day I met him.

His storm-gray eyes locked on mine, unreadable. Calm. Powerful. Dangerous.

He leaned down, his voice low enough for only me to hear.

“If you want to fight back, walk with me. Now.”

I blinked, stunned. “W-What?”

His grip on my arm tightened just slightly, grounding me.

“Unless you want to let them tear you apart tonight, Nina… walk away.”

Before I could respond, the crowd erupted into laughter and applause again as Daniel kissed Sophia’s hand like the perfect gentleman.

My lungs burned. My heart shattered.

And for reasons I couldn’t explain, I placed my trembling hand in Adrian’s… and let him lead me out of the ballroom, leaving behind the stares, the whispers, and the ruins of my dignity.

We didn’t speak until we reached the hotel rooftop.

The cool night air hit my face, but it didn’t soothe the fire in my chest. I turned on him, finally finding my voice.

“Why?” My throat was raw. “Why are you helping me, Adrian? You hate me.”

He leaned against the railing, hands in his pockets, completely unfazed by my outburst.

“Because Daniel played you like a fool,” he said flatly. “And if you think this humiliation ends here… you’re wrong.”

I flinched. “What do you mean?”

He turned his head slowly, his gaze sharp and calculated.

“Daniel didn’t just replace you, Nina. He planned this. He made sure the media would be here, that the right people would talk, that your name would be dragged through the mud before morning.”

My heart thudded painfully as his words sank in.

“This…” I whispered, shaking my head. “Was this all deliberate?”

Adrian’s jaw tightened. “He wanted to break you. And now he thinks he’s won.”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “Well, he has.”

Adrian’s gaze didn’t waver. “Not if you let me help you.”

I frowned. “Help me? Why would you”

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, his voice deep and steady.

“Because if you want revenge, Nina… you’re going to need me.”

I stared at him, speechless, my breath caught somewhere between anger and confusion.

And then, as if he hadn’t just shattered my entire world with those words, he leaned down and whispered something that stole the air from my lungs:

“Marry me.”

I froze. “What?”

His lips curved into the faintest, most dangerous smirk I’d ever seen.

“Marry me,” he repeated. “And together, we’ll make Daniel Hunter regret the day he ever crossed you.”

My knees felt weak. My heart raced violently in my chest.

And in that single moment, standing beneath the city lights with the man I thought I hated most… I realized my nightmare had only just begun.

End of Chapter One

Cliffhanger:

A fake marriage proposal from her ex-fiancé’s billionaire best friend? Nothing will ever be the same again.

CHAPTER 2 — The Billionaire’s Proposition

The cold wind swept across the rooftop, whipping through my hair as I stood frozen, staring at Adrian Cole like he had just lost his mind.

“Marry you?” I managed to whisper, barely believing my own words.

Adrian’s expression didn’t falter. Calm. Controlled. Dangerous.

“Yes.”

I blinked rapidly, shaking my head. “Adrian… I just watched the man I loved humiliate me in front of the entire city. And now, his best friend,the man I barely even like, is standing here, asking me to marry him?”

He tilted his head slightly, his storm-gray eyes narrowing.

“I’m not asking, Nina. I’m offering you a way out.”

I scoffed, the bitter taste of betrayal still heavy on my tongue. “A way out of what? The mess your friend created?”

His jaw tightened at the mention of Daniel, but his voice stayed cool, razor-sharp.

“This isn’t about Daniel anymore. It’s about you. You’re the victim of a scandal, Nina, whether you realize it or not. By morning, your name will be everywhere not as Daniel Hunter’s heartbroken ex, but as the woman who wasn’t good enough.”

I flinched. He was brutal. And worst of all… he was right.

“I don’t need your pity,” I whispered, fighting the tears stinging my eyes.

Adrian’s gaze softened barely, but I noticed.

“This isn't a pity,” he said, stepping closer. “This is strategy.”

I shook my head furiously. “Strategy? Adrian, this is my life, not some business deal!”

“Exactly,” he countered smoothly. “And right now, you’re losing. But if you marry me even if it’s just for show you take back control. You change the narrative before Daniel destroys you completely.”

His words hit harder than I wanted to admit.

I stared at him, torn between anger, humiliation, and desperation. “Why would you even care? You and I can barely stand each other.”

For the first time, Adrian’s expression shifted a fleeting shadow crossing his face, gone as quickly as it came.

“Let’s just say,” he murmured, his voice low, “Daniel and I… aren’t on the same side anymore.”

I froze, my breath catching. “What are you talking about?”

He didn’t answer immediately, and the silence stretched painfully between us. Then, finally, he sighed slowly, deliberately, and heavily.

“Daniel thinks he’s untouchable. He’s been hiding things from you, Nina. Things that… you’re better off not knowing. But trust me when I say this: he’s not the man you thought he was.”

My stomach twisted painfully. “And you are?”

Adrian’s lips curved into the faintest hint of a smirk. “No. But at least I don’t pretend to be.”

I hated him for his arrogance. I hated him for his control. But most of all… I hated that a part of me believed him.

I turned away, hugging my arms around myself as the wind cut through the silence.

“This is insane,” I whispered. “I can’t just marry you.”

“Not marry me,” he corrected softly. “Agree to a fake engagement. Six months, Nina. That’s all I’m asking. I’ll make sure you’re untouchable. Daniel won’t be able to lay a finger on you without burning himself in the process.”

Six months. Six months of pretending to belong to Adrian Cole.

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it, but the sound caught in my throat.

“You’re asking me to play with fire,” I said quietly.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice to a near whisper.

“I’m giving you the matches.”

My chest tightened, my heart pounding in my ears. I opened my mouth to argue , but before I could speak, a vibration in my clutch caught my attention.

I pulled out my phone, and my blood ran cold when I saw the name flashing on the screen.

Daniel.

I hesitated, then answered, my voice shaky. “What do you want?”

His voice was sharp, mocking, dripping with venom.

“I just thought you should know, Nina… this is only the beginning. By tomorrow, everyone will know exactly why I left you for Sophia. You’ll wish you had stayed invisible.”

And then click.

The line went dead.

My entire body trembled as I lowered the phone, my breath uneven.

Adrian’s sharp gaze found mine instantly. “What did he say?”

I swallowed hard. “He’s planning something. Something big.”

For the first time tonight, Adrian’s expression hardened completely. No smirk. No arrogance. Just cold, calculated danger.

“Then we need to move fast,” he said, his voice like steel. “Before Daniel makes his next move.”

I shook my head, overwhelmed. “I can’t do this, Adrian. I can’t”

He stepped so close I could feel the heat radiating from him, his voice low and commanding.

“You can. You will. And when this is over, Nina… Daniel Hunter will regret ever touching you.”

I stared up at him, my heart hammering in my chest, and for the first time since tonight began, I saw something in his eyes that scared me more than Daniel ever could.

Adrian Cole wasn’t just dangerous.

He was lethal.

End of Chapter Two

Cliffhanger:

Nina is caught between heartbreak, revenge, and danger… but Adrian’s plan is only just beginning.

CHAPTER 3 — The Deal with the Devil

I didn’t sleep that night.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the chandelier lights from the engagement party, Daniel’s mocking smile, Sophia’s triumphant face, and Adrian’s storm-gray gaze when he said, “Marry me.”

The words haunted me.

By sunrise, I found myself pacing the length of my apartment, my phone in my hand, scrolling through social media despite knowing better.

And there it was ,the trending headline, bold and humiliating:

“HUNTER & SOPHIA: THE REAL LOVE STORY BEHIND THE BROKEN ENGAGEMENT.”

A thousand comments followed, each one sharper than the last:

“Poor girl didn’t stand a chance.”

“Sophia is way prettier, duh.”

“Classic gold-digger move gone wrong.”

My stomach twisted with shame and rage.

I wanted to scream, to cry, to disappear but instead, my phone vibrated again. This time, it wasn’t Daniel.

It was Adrian Cole.

I hesitated before answering, my voice raw from exhaustion. “What do you want?”

“Meet me. Ten o’clock. My office.”

“That’s not a request,” I muttered bitterly.

“Exactly,” he replied, and hung up.

At Adrian’s Office

Adrian Cole’s penthouse office towered above the city, all glass, steel, and power. Everything about it screamed control , just like the man himself.

I stepped inside, trying to steady my breathing, and found him standing by the massive window, hands in his pockets, watching the skyline.

He turned when he heard me, his expression unreadable. “You’re late.”

I glared. “I didn’t agree to anything.”

Adrian walked over to his desk, where a sleek black folder lay open. He slid it toward me.

“This is a contract,” he said simply.

I stared down at the document, my brows furrowing. “You’re serious?”

“Deadly.”

I scanned the first page, my pulse racing.

Terms of Agreement:

A six-month fake engagement.

Appear together publicly as a couple.

Attend events, interviews, and photoshoots as required.

No real romantic involvement unless mutually agreed.

Compensation: A significant financial settlement upon termination.

I dropped the pen like it burned me. “This is insane.”

Adrian leaned back in his chair, watching me with unnerving calm. “You wanted control, Nina. I’m offering it.”

I laughed bitterly. “Control? Adrian, this isn’t control , it’s manipulation.”

“Call it what you want,” he said smoothly, “but this is the only way to beat Daniel at his own game. If you don’t stand up now, you’ll be nothing more than a headline he destroys.”

My throat tightened. He was right, and I hated it.

I sank into the chair across from him, staring at my trembling hands.

“What do you get out of this?” I asked quietly.

Adrian’s gaze locked on mine, his jaw tightening. “Let’s just say… ruining Daniel Hunter is a bonus.”

Something unspoken passed between us sharp, electric, dangerous.

I didn’t ask for more. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Finally, with my heart pounding and my pride shattered, I picked up the pen and signed my name.

Adrian’s lips curved into the faintest smirk.

“Welcome to the game, Nina.”

The First Move

By evening, the news exploded.

“ADRIAN COLE ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT TO NINA HART EX-FIANCÉE OF DANIEL HUNTER.”

The internet went into chaos.

Half the comments accused me of being a gold-digger. The other half screamed about betrayal, drama, and revenge. Exactly the kind of attention Adrian wanted.

And then, just when I thought things couldn’t spiral any further, my phone buzzed again.

A private message.

From Daniel.

Daniel: “So this is your game? Parading around with my best friend? Be careful, Nina. You’ve started a war you can’t win.”

I stared at the screen, my fingers trembling. Before I could reply, another message came through ,this time, an anonymous number.

“You don’t know the real Adrian Cole. Be careful before he destroys you too.”

My breath caught. I looked up at Adrian, who was calmly sipping his whiskey by the window, as though nothing in the world could touch him.

I felt a shiver run down my spine.

Because suddenly, I realized something terrifying.

This wasn’t just about revenge.

Adrian Cole had his own secrets.

And somehow… I had just signed myself into them.

End of Chapter Three

Cliffhanger:

Nina has agreed to Adrian’s fake engagement, but Daniel is plotting revenge and someone mysterious warns her that Adrian isn’t who he seems.

CHAPTER 4 — The Billionaire’s Fiancée

The flashing lights blinded me the moment we stepped out of Adrian’s sleek black limousine.

“Smile,” he murmured under his breath, his hand tightening around mine.

I forced my lips into something resembling confidence as we walked up the red carpet leading into the grand ballroom of the Cole Foundation Charity Gala Adrian’s first move in our little game of revenge.

Paparazzi screamed our names, cameras clicking wildly.

“Nina! Over here! Adrian, is it true you’re engaged?”

“Nina, are you using Adrian to get back at Daniel Hunter?”

“Mr. Cole, any comments on stealing your best friend’s fiancée?”

Adrian’s arm slipped around my waist, pulling me closer. He leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.

“Relax,” he whispered. “Tonight, we own the story.”

I swallowed hard, lifting my chin as we posed for the cameras.

Inside, the ballroom glittered with opulence crystal chandeliers, champagne towers, and hundreds of New York’s elite. Every gaze seemed fixed on us, whispers rippling through the crowd.

I could practically hear the headlines forming in their minds:

“Daniel Hunter’s Ex-Fiancée Now on the Arm of Billionaire Adrian Cole.”

The Game Begins

The first hour passed in a blur of polite smiles and fake laughter. Adrian was in his element charming, confident, untouchable. I, on the other hand, was drowning in the weight of a thousand judging eyes.

When we paused near the champagne table, I hissed under my breath, “Do you enjoy this? Parading me like a trophy?”

Adrian took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes sharp. “I don’t parade trophies, Nina. I showcase victories.”

Before I could reply, the air shifted.

A low murmur rippled through the room, growing louder, thicker, heavier until the source emerged like a storm through silk curtains.

Daniel Hunter.

My breath caught as he strode in, devastatingly handsome in a black tailored suit, Sophia clinging to his arm like a well-polished accessory.

And he was smiling.

Not the charming smile I used to know. No. This was something darker.

His gaze locked on me instantly burning, taunting, lethal.

The Confrontation

Daniel didn’t waste time. Within minutes, he was standing right in front of us, Sophia trailing behind like a shadow.

“Well, well,” he drawled smoothly, his voice dripping with mockery. “Nina Hart. Or should I say… Nina Cole?”

My chest tightened, but before I could speak, Adrian stepped forward, his expression cold, commanding.

“Watch your tone, Daniel.”

Daniel laughed at a low, dangerous sound that made the entire room go silent.

“You think you’ve won?” he sneered. “You think dragging her on your arm changes what she is?”

I froze, humiliation burning my skin.

Adrian’s hand slid protectively over mine, his voice like steel. “Careful.”

Daniel leaned closer, his breath brushing my cheek. “You were always a placeholder, Nina. Sophia was the real prize.”

It was like being slapped.

Before I could react, Adrian moved, stepping into Daniel’s space, his voice low but lethal.

“Say that again, and I swear I’ll bury Hunter Enterprises before sunrise.”

Gasps echoed around us. Sophia tugged on Daniel’s sleeve, clearly panicking, but he wasn’t finished.

He straightened his tie, smirked, and dropped his bombshell.

“Funny thing, Adrian. You think you’re saving her… but she doesn’t know, does she?”

I blinked, confused. “Know what?”

Daniel’s eyes glittered with cruel satisfaction. “Ask your new fiancé about Elena Winters.”

Silence.

I glanced at Adrian and for the first time since I met him, I saw his mask crack.

The Past That Haunts

“Who’s Elena?” I demanded, my voice shaking slightly.

Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Not here.”

Daniel chuckled darkly. “Secrets always have a way of finding the surface, Nina. You should be careful whose game you’re playing.”

Then, with a satisfied smirk, he walked away, dragging Sophia behind him.

I turned to Adrian, my heart pounding. “What the hell was that about? Who is she?”

Adrian’s expression hardened, his voice low and final. “Drop it.”

But I couldn’t. Not after seeing the flicker of panic in his eyes.

Before I could press further, a woman’s voice called softly from behind us.

“Adrian…”

We both turned.

And there she was.

Tall. Elegant. Strikingly beautiful. Her ice-blue dress shimmered under the chandeliers, her lips painted the exact shade of danger.

I didn’t need anyone to tell me who she was.

Elena Winters.

The Cliffhanger

My stomach dropped as she approached, her eyes locked on Adrian like he was oxygen and she’d been drowning without him.

“Adrian,” she whispered again, her voice like silk and sin. “We need to talk.”

I stared between them, a chill racing down my spine.

Because in that moment, I realized something terrifying:

Whatever this woman represented…

Whatever history she shared with Adrian…

It wasn’t over.

And I had just walked straight into the center of a storm I didn’t understand.

CHAPTER 5 — Secrets, Scandals, and Shadows

I couldn’t breathe.

Elena Winters stood there like she owned the room, her icy-blue eyes locked on Adrian as though I didn’t exist.

“Adrian,” she said again, softer this time, “we need to talk. Alone.”

I waited for him to deny her, to laugh, to tell her to walk away. But he didn’t.

Finally, he found his voice. “This isn’t the time, Elena.”

Her lips curved into a knowing smile. “Oh, Adrian… It's been a long time.”

The way she said his name sent a shiver down my spine.

I hated her already.

The Woman Who Shouldn’t Exist

I stepped between them before I even realized I’d moved. “I’m sorry, who exactly are you?”

Elena’s gaze finally shifted to me, sweeping over me like I was something she’d ordered off a clearance rack.

“Elena Winters,” she said smoothly, offering her hand like we were at brunch. “Adrian’s… unfinished business.”

I ignored her hand, crossing my arms. “That’s cute. I’m his fiancée.”

Her perfectly arched brows lifted slightly, but her smirk never wavered.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she purred, leaning in like we were sharing secrets, “you really should ask him what happened in Paris before you wear his rings

Paris?

My heart stopped. I turned to Adrian, searching his face for answers, but his expression was unreadable, sharp, guarded, distant.

“Elena,” he said coldly, “leave.”

She tilted her head, smiling like a cat who’d just cornered a mouse. “You can’t run from the past forever, Adrian. It always finds you.”

And then she walked away, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor, leaving chaos in her wake.

The Argument

I rounded on Adrian the moment she was gone. “Do you want to explain what the hell that was?”

“Not here,” he said firmly, his tone clipped.

“Not here?” I snapped, keeping my voice low as people pretended not to watch us. “You parade me in front of cameras, make me face Daniel, and then that woman shows up hinting at God-knows-what, and your answer is not here?”

He exhaled slowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “This isn’t the place for this conversation, Nina.”

I glared at him, anger boiling under my skin. “Then you better make it the place.”

Before he could respond, a soft ding echoed through the ballroom.

Dozens of phones lit up. Murmurs spread like wildfire, sharp and frantic.

Then I heard someone gasping behind me.

“Oh my God… Nina Hart?”

The Scandal Breaks

I pulled my phone from my clutch and my blood turned to ice.

Trending #1: “Gold Digger Nina Hart Steals Billionaire Best Friend”

Below the headline was a photo of me and Adrian arriving at the gala, my hand in his, his lips near my ear right next to another photo of Daniel, looking heartbroken and betrayed.

And the caption?

“From rejected fiancée to billionaire’s bedmate Nina Hart’s shameless climb into wealth begins.”

My stomach churned.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

Adrian cursed under his breath, grabbing his phone. “This is Daniel’s doing.”

I stared at him, shaking my head. “He wouldn’t”

“Oh, he would,” Adrian growled, his jaw tight. “Hunter Enterprises owns three media outlets. He just declared war.”

I tried to steady my breathing, but the whispers around us were deafening now:

“Is that her?”

“She left Daniel for Adrian.”

“God, the nerve.”

The walls felt like they were closing in.

And then, just when I thought things couldn’t get worse… Elena returned.

Elena’s Strike

She slid up beside us like she belonged there, her voice low but sharp enough to cut glass.

“Daniel isn’t the one you should be worried about,” she murmured, sipping her champagne. “It’s the board.”

Adrian’s head snapped toward her. “Stay out of this.”

But Elena ignored him, her gaze fixed on me.

“You really thought about this… engagement… would it stay hidden?” Her lips curled into a cruel smile. “The shareholders are furious, Nina. Adrian’s personal scandals could cost Cole Industries billions.”

I blinked at her, stunned. “What are you talking about?”

Adrian’s jaw clenched, his silence deafening.

And that’s when it hit me.

There was something he wasn’t telling me.

Something big.

The Line is Drawn

I swallowed hard, turning to Adrian. “Tell me the truth. Now.”

His gaze locked with mine, unreadable as ever, but his fingers tightened on the glass in his hand until it nearly cracked.

“Nina,” he said finally, his voice low, dark, and deliberate, “there are things about Elena… about Paris… that I promised myself I’d never drag you into.”

I shook my head, heart pounding. “Too late. I’m already in it.”

Before he could reply, Elena leaned closer, her breath brushing my ear.

“Careful, sweetheart,” she whispered. “You’re playing a game you don’t understand… and Adrian isn’t the hero you think he is.”

Her words sank into me like ice, twisting something deep in my chest.

Then she turned, heels clicking, and disappeared into the crowd once more.

Adrian cursed under his breath, tossing back the last of his drink.

I didn’t know what scared me more, Daniel's revenge, Elena’s secrets… or the fact that Adrian wasn’t denying a single thing.

The Cliffhanger

That night, after we left the gala, my phone buzzed again.

A single anonymous text.

“Ask him about Paris… before it destroys you.”

My hands shook as I read it.

Because now I knew one thing for sure:

Adrian Cole wasn’t just hiding secrets.

He was hiding the secret.

And if I didn’t find out what it was soon, it was going to destroy us both.

End of Chapter Five

CHAPTER 6— The Hunter Strikes Back

The following evening, Adrian picked me up in a sleek black Bentley.

I had spent two hours getting ready, staring at my reflection, trying to convince myself that this wasn’t a mistake. That I wasn’t in way over my head.

My red silk dress clung perfectly, my heels matched, and my makeup was flawless but inside, I was chaos.

When I stepped out of my apartment, Adrian’s sharp gray eyes scanned me from head to toe. He didn’t smile. He didn’t compliment me.

He simply opened the door and said, “Get in.”

For some reason, that made my heart race even faster.

The Gala

The event was an exclusive charity gala filled with CEOs, celebrities, and cameras everywhere.

As soon as Adrian and I stepped onto the crimson carpet, blinding flashes went off. Reporters shouted our names, microphones shoved forward.

“Nina! How does it feel to be engaged again after Daniel?”

“Adrian, is this relationship real or just business?”

“Is this revenge against the Hunters?”

Adrian didn’t flinch. His hand slid smoothly around my waist, pulling me closer as he leaned down to whisper in my ear:

“Smile like you’ve already won.”

I forced myself to lift my chin, my lips curving into the faintest smirk. And instantly, the crowd erupted lou

But then… It happened.

The whispers shifted. The cameras turned. And like a predator entering his territory, Daniel Hunter walked in.

Face to Face

He looked infuriatingly perfect, crisp navy suit, confident stride, that smug smile I used to fall for. But his eyes… they were darker than I’d ever seen.

Sophia clung to his arm like a trophy, dripping in diamonds, her gaze dripping venom the moment she spotted me.

Daniel didn’t waste a second. He walked straight toward us, ignoring the reporters, ignoring the crowd, his stare locked on Adrian.

“Well, well,” Daniel drawled when he stopped in front of us. “I didn’t believe it when I saw the headlines. But here you are, proving you’ll sleep your way up the ladder.”

My breath caught. The entire crowd gasped.

Before I could respond, Adrian stepped forward, his voice calm but lethal.

“Careful, Hunter. This isn’t one of your frat parties. Watch your mouth.”

Daniel smirked, leaning closer. “Oh, I’m watching. But you… you’re making a mistake, Nina.”

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. “The only mistake I ever made… was saying yes to you.”

Gasps echoed around us.

For a moment, silence hung heavy until Daniel’s lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile.

“Then I guess you don’t know who you’re really saying yes to now.”

He slipped something from his pocket into a thin, sealed envelope and pressed it into my hand.

“When you read this,” he murmured, low enough for only me to hear, “you’ll understand what kind of man you’re engaged to.”

And then he walked away, Sophia strutting behind him, her laughter sharp and cruel.

The Envelope

I stared at the envelope in my hand, my palms slick with sweat.

Adrian noticed immediately. “What is that?”

“I… I don’t know,” I whispered.

He reached for it, but I instinctively pulled back. “Maybe I should read it first.”

For the first time since I met him, Adrian’s calm cracked. His jaw tightened, his