Chapter Three:The Ice and the Flame
960 Words
The wedding was as cold as the man she was marrying.
No music, No smiles , No one to walk her down the aisle.
Just silence, white walls, and the faint rustle of silk as Liana stepped into the private hall of Callisto Estate, where her fate would be sealed with a simple vow.
Her gown was pure ivory, sleek and simple. It draped softly over her body, hugging her waist and flowing to her ankles. No veil. No diamonds. Just elegance. Her dark hair was swept gently into a soft bun, with a few loose curls brushing her cheeks.
Liana took slow steps toward the front, where Damien Callisto stood beside the officiant, waiting.
His expression was as unreadable as ever. But his eyes ...those sharp grey eyes locked onto her the moment she entered, and for a second, they didn’t move.
Damien had seen hundreds of beautiful women. Women who wore their beauty like armor, loud and glittering. But Liana was something else.
She wasn’t trying to impress him.
She wasn’t trying at all.
Yet she looked like a dream.
Damien had expected to feel nothing today. This marriage was a business arrangement. No emotions. No complications. She would wear his ring, share his name, and stay out of his way
But as she walked closer, he found it harder to breathe.
There was a quiet grace in her steps. A calm that unsettled him. She was nervous, clearly, but her eyes stayed forward. Her chin stayed high. She wasn’t weak. She wasn’t pretending.
She was… real.
And stunning.
Liana stopped beside him. She glanced up at his face briefly, then turned toward the officiant. Neither of them spoke. The air between them was heavy with something unspoken.
The officiant cleared his throat.
“We are gathered here today to witness the union of Mr. Damien Callisto and Miss Liana Hart in legal matrimony…
The words drifted past Liana like a blur .
She wasn’t here for the ceremony. She was here for her family, for her mother’s treatment, for the debt that had swallowed her father’s company. This was duty. Not desire.
Yet when she stood beside Damien, she couldn’t help but feel… small.
He was tall, powerful, the very definition of control. His scent was clean and sharp, and his presence filled every corner of the room. She didn’t dare look at him too long, afraid he’d see the swirl of nerves behind her composed face.
When the officiant asked her the question, she responded without hesitation.
“I do.”
The room fell into a brief silence before the same question was turned to Damien.
“I do,” he replied, his voice low and steady.
No pause. No expression. Just the cold, firm words of a man who was making a deal.
“You may now” the officiant began.
“There will be no kiss,” Damien cut in quickly.
The officiant gave a respectful nod.
Liana lowered her eyes. She wasn’t surprised. But something inside her chest gave a quiet, hollow ache. It was her wedding, yet it felt like a meeting. A contract. And now, she was officially his wife.
Damien stepped to the side and gestured toward the hallway.
She followed him out in silence.
As they entered the mansion again, the soft clack of Liana’s heels echoed in the grand hallway. The estate was even larger than she had imagined. High ceilings, black marble floors, golden chandeliers. It was beautiful, yet cold. Like the man who owned it.
“You’ll be staying in the east wing,” Damien said, walking ahead of her.
She nodded and kept close.
He opened a door, revealing a large suite that looked more like a five-star hotel than a room. A king-sized bed sat beneath a crystal light fixture, and the curtains shimmered silver with the morning sun.
“This is yours. You’ll find clothes, accessories, and essentials in the closet. My staff had them prepared according to your measurements.
She looked around slowly.
“It’s beautiful.”;
“You’ll be comfortable here. Meals can be taken here or in the dining hall. You may go wherever you like within the estate, but my private wing is off-limiit
“I understand
Damien turned toward her, ready to leave, but then he stopped.
She was standing by the window now, sunlight pouring over her. Her hair glowed warm brown. Her profile was soft, and her hands gently rested against the glass. She looked out with a faraway gaze, and for the first time, Damien saw something more than just an obligation.
She was breathtaking.
Not in the way models strutted under lights. No. This was quieter. Stronger. She had a presence that crept in without asking permission. It pulled at him. Tugged at a corner of him that he had long buried.
He cleared his throat.
“You will begin attending events with me next week. My assistant will inform you of the schedule.”
Liana turned and nodded. “I’ll be ready
Their eyes met
There was a flicker of something in her nervousness, maybe...but it was wrapped in resolve. Damien felt his chest tighten
This wasn’t supposed to happen. He had chosen her for her simplicity. Her quietness. He believed she would fit into his life without complication.
But Liana Hart was already becoming a distraction.
He stepped back.
”Rest. The staff will knock if anything is needed.”
Then he turned and walked away
Once the door shut behind him, Liana let out a soft breath
She was married to a man who didn’t want her
But strangely, when she looked at him...truly looked...she had the strange feeling that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as heartless as he appeared.
- Writer
