Chapter 6: You Will
1075 Words
The ballroom still buzzed with shock.
Nobody had recovered from Damien Volkov's proposal.
Whispers spread like wildfire beneath the golden chandeliers.
Some guests stared at Ariana with envy.
Others with pity.
Most with curiosity.
But nobody looked away.
Because this wasn't normal.
Nothing about Damien Volkov was normal.
And the terrifying part?
He still hadn't taken his eyes off Ariana.
The intensity of his gaze made her chest tighten.
It felt suffocating.
Dangerous.
As if the entire world had suddenly narrowed down to the space between them.
Ariana forced herself to breathe.
This couldn't be happening.
None of this could be real.
Marriage?
To Damien Volkov?
Absolutely not.
The very idea sounded insane.
She barely knew him.
No—
She didn't know him at all.
All she knew were the rumors.
The stories.
The fear surrounding his name.
Men disappeared after crossing him.
Business empires collapsed overnight because of him.
People lowered their voices when speaking about him.
And somehow—
That terrifying man wanted to marry her.
Ariana finally found enough strength to speak.
"No."
The single word echoed through the silent ballroom.
Several guests gasped softly.
Lucas looked surprised.
Even the reporters froze.
Because almost nobody rejected Damien Volkov.
Ariana lifted her chin despite the storm raging inside her chest.
"I won't marry you."
Her voice trembled slightly.
But she still said it.
Damien remained completely calm.
Too calm.
The corner of his mouth lifted faintly.
Not a real smile.
Something colder.
More dangerous.
Almost amused.
The expression sent chills down Ariana's spine.
Lucas suddenly let out a short laugh.
Relief flashed across his face for the first time all evening.
"See?" he said quickly.
"This has gone far enough."
But Damien ignored him entirely.
His grey eyes stayed fixed on Ariana.
Studying her.
Watching every emotion crossing her face.
Ariana hated how aware she suddenly felt beneath that stare.
Like he could see through every layer she tried to hide behind.
The heartbreak.
The humiliation.
The fear.
Everything.
Damien took one slow step closer.
The movement was enough to silence the whispers again.
Ariana instinctively stepped backward.
Bad idea.
Because Damien noticed immediately.
His gaze darkened slightly.
Not angry.
Something worse.
Possessive.
"You refuse me?" he asked quietly.
The low sound of his voice made her heartbeat stumble.
Ariana swallowed hard.
"Y-Yes."
The amusement in his eyes deepened.
As if her answer entertained him.
That irritated her instantly.
Was this a game for him?
A distraction?
Ariana forced herself to stand straighter.
"I don't even know you."
That finally made Damien pause.
For a second, something unreadable flickered across his face.
Then it disappeared.
Hidden beneath cold control once again.
"No," he agreed softly.
"You don't."
The ballroom remained painfully silent.
Nobody dared interrupt.
Nobody dared move.
Even Lucas looked tense now.
Because the atmosphere surrounding Damien had changed again.
Darker.
Sharper.
Like something dangerous lurked beneath his calm exterior.
Ariana's pulse raced.
Every instinct screamed at her to leave.
To run.
But Damien stood directly in front of her like an immovable wall.
Terrifying.
Powerful.
Completely in control.
Lucas suddenly stepped forward.
"This entire thing is ridiculous."
His voice sounded frustrated now.
"Ariana clearly said no."
Damien slowly turned toward him.
And just like that—
The temperature in the room dropped.
Lucas immediately stiffened.
Because Damien's expression had become ice-cold.
"You seem very interested," Damien said quietly, "for a man who publicly threw her away ten minutes ago."
Several guests winced.
Lucas's face darkened with humiliation.
"Ariana is emotional right now."
Ariana looked at him in disbelief.
Emotional?
After everything he had done?
Lucas sighed dramatically.
"As her former fiancé, I'm trying to prevent her from making another mistake."
Another mistake.
The words hit hard.
Damien's eyes narrowed dangerously.
The ballroom grew tense again.
Lucas clearly realized too late that he had pushed too far.
Because suddenly—
Damien smiled.
And somehow that smile was more frightening than his anger.
Cold.
Controlled.
Deadly.
He slowly looked back at Ariana.
Then they finally spoke the words that sent chills through the entire ballroom.
"You'll marry me."
Ariana stared at him.
Her breath caught.
"W-What?"
The smile remained on Damien's face.
Small.
Dangerous.
Confident.
"You said no," he said calmly.
"But you will."
The certainty in his voice terrified her.
Not arrogance.
Not ego.
Certainty.
As if he already knew the future.
As if her answer had already been decided.
Ariana's chest tightened.
"You can't decide that for me."
Damien tilted his head slightly.
"Can't I?"
The question wasn't playful.
It sounded like a warning.
A dangerous one.
Lucas stepped forward again angrily.
"Volkov, enough."
Damien didn't even look at him.
"I'll give you one chance to stay out of this, Hart."
The quiet threat instantly silenced the room.
Lucas clenched his jaw.
But for the first time all evening—
He looked genuinely nervous.
Because everyone knew Damien Volkov wasn't a man who made empty threats.
Ariana suddenly felt exhausted.
Emotionally exhausted.
Everything had spiraled completely out of control.
Hours ago she had entered this ballroom believing she was celebrating her engagement.
Now:
Her relationship was destroyed
The internet was exploding
And the most feared man in New York had decided he wanted her.
None of it felt real.
Damien studied her silently for several seconds.
Then his expression shifted slightly.
The dangerous edge softened just enough to confuse her again.
"You should go home," he said quietly.
The sudden gentleness caught her off guard.
Ariana blinked.
Damien glanced briefly toward the crowd surrounding them.
"They're staring."
Only then did Ariana fully realize it.
Hundreds of eyes.
Phones recording.
People were whispering.
Watching her heartbreak is like entertainment.
Humiliation burned through her chest again.
Damien noticed instantly.
Of course, he did.
His jaw tightened slightly.
And suddenly—
He looked angry.
Not at her.
At them.
At everyone was watching.
That realization unsettled Ariana deeply.
Before she could say anything—
Damien removed his black suit jacket calmly.
Then draped it over her shoulders.
The warmth startled her.
So did the faint scent of black coffee and expensive cologne surrounding the fabric.
The ballroom erupted with whispers again.
Lucas looked furious.
Ariana looked up at Damien in shock.
He leaned down slightly.
Close enough for only her to hear.
And in a low dangerous voice, he whispered:
"Get used to my name beside yours, Ariana."
Then he stepped back.
And walked away like he hadn't just destroyed the entire city's peace.
- Writer
