Chapter 3

Corinna POV:

Graham was about to say something else, some parting instruction, when Robert, his aide, appeared at his elbow, whispering urgently. Graham' s expression shifted from feigned concern to genuine annoyance. He sent Robert a sharp glance, then squeezed my hand. "Later, my love. I promise."

He gave me a mysterious, almost mischievous smile, then took my hand, leading me towards the grand double doors that opened onto the estate' s sprawling gardens. "Come on, I have a surprise for you."

My heart hammered against my ribs, a dull, frantic drum. A surprise? Tonight? After everything? I wanted to resist, to pull away, but I needed to maintain the facade. I needed him to believe I was still his.

He stopped me at the threshold, his hands gently covering my eyes. "No peeking, my beautiful Corinna. This is something special. The perfect way to end a difficult day, and to remind you of our future." His voice was soft, seductive, a practiced lullaby.

I felt his breath on my ear as he began to count down. "Five... four... three... two... one!"

He lifted his hands, and I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the soft glow of the garden lights. Above us, suspended against the inky canvas of the night sky, hundreds of drones lit up, shifting and swirling, forming intricate patterns. They danced, a mesmerizing ballet of light, until finally, they coalesced into a single, breathtaking image: my name. CORINNA. It glowed, brilliant and ethereal, a testament to his power, his wealth, his performative love.

He wrapped his arms around me from behind, pulling me flush against his chest. "Happy anniversary, my love," he whispered, his lips grazing my earlobe. "Seven years since we met. Seven years of the greatest love story I know. Every year, I try to outdo myself, to show you how much you mean to me."

Seven years. Seven years of me believing in this carefully constructed fantasy. Seven years of me, the naïve girl, falling for the charismatic politician who promised me the moon. I used to look at surprises like this and feel my heart swell with love, with gratitude. Now, it felt like a cruel joke. A gilded cage.

I remembered the girl I was seven years ago. Full of hope, brimming with ambition, yet willing to set it all aside for the man I believed was my soulmate. I had been so earnest, so dedicated. I had walked away from my own burgeoning political career, from the path my father meticulously laid out for me, to support his. To be his strategist, his confidante, his quiet strength behind the scenes. I had been a fool. That girl was gone now, replaced by a cold, calculating woman.

"And every year, I succeed," he chuckled, his voice thick with pride. "You deserve nothing but the best, Corinna. You always have." He turned me in his arms, his gaze intense, about to lean in for a kiss.

Just as his lips brushed mine, his phone vibrated again. The harsh buzz shattered the romantic illusion, tearing a hole in the carefully crafted moment. He pulled back, his jaw tightening in annoyance. He snatched the phone from his pocket, his eyes flashing with irritation.

But then he saw the caller ID. His expression, so full of performative romance a second ago, drained of all color. His eyes widened, a flicker of panic, then a raw, uncontrolled desire. It was her. "Little Canary."

He fumbled with his phone, trying to silence it, to hide it. Too late. I had already seen. My heart, already a fractured mess, splintered further. The sheer audacity of it. Calling him now, at my father' s memorial, at our "anniversary" celebration.

He tried to compose himself, a mask of weary apology settling on his face. "Corinna, I... I'm so sorry. It's a family emergency. A crisis I have to handle immediately." His eyes pleaded for understanding, for belief.

Hope. A tiny, foolish spark, flickered within me. Maybe it wasn't what I thought. Maybe it was a misunderstanding. Maybe...

"Is everything alright, Graham?" I asked, my voice a delicate thread, almost fragile.

He shook his head, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "No, my dear. Not at all. It's... complicated. My aunt, an unexpected health issue. I need to go. Immediately." He avoided my gaze, his eyes darting towards the gates.

He reached out, his hand gently cupping my cheek, then pressing a soft, almost chaste kiss to my forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Please, go inside, get some rest. I'll call you as soon as I'm free."

He was already turning away, his mind clearly elsewhere. "Don't wait up for me."

"Of course, Graham," I replied, my voice a soft, compliant whisper. The obedient fiancée. The trusting woman. It was a role I played well, years of practice.

He gave me a quick, grateful smile, clearly relieved by my easy acceptance. "That's my girl." He strode away, his security team scrambling to catch up. I watched his sleek black sedan disappear down the drive, the drone lights still spelling out my name in the sky, a final, mocking touch of his carefully constructed illusion.

There was no way I was going inside. Not now. Not when the truth was calling. I quickly hailed a discreet car from the security detail, one he wouldn't notice. "Follow him," I instructed the driver, my voice low and firm. "Keep a distance. I need to know where he's going."