Chapter 5 The Performance

My kiss on his knuckles wasn't submission; it was a seal.

I was bargaining my life to erase the sour taste of defeat. No more humiliation. No more betrayal. No more cheating.

Just as I pulled away, his grip turned to iron, eyes darkened, stripping away my courage.

"Do you swear on your life, Kristine?"

My throat dried at the intensity but playing along, I nodded firmly, "I swear on my life, Zayne,"

Zayne's smirk didn't fade. Instead, it sharpened, into a victorious, devilishly, predatory one that was beyond my comprehension.

"Good girl," he hummed, pleased with my submission and stepped back.

"Let's cover the loopholes before proceeding,"

"What loopholes?"

"The public needs to see a united front. The engagement announcement needs to be real, immediate, and utterly convincing."

He pulled out his phone, already conveying a series of orders into it that required immediate obedience.

"Get me a line to JNews. I demand a live, streamed interview with Lia James in thirty minutes. Tell them Mr. Nightwood and Miss Iglesias have a major personal announcement."

He snapped the phone shut, his eyes returning to me with chilling coldness, his eyes judged me, observing all of my inches.

"What?"

"You look too casual, Kristine, for the interview. Fix the look. You are not that loser's girlfriend anymore, you are my soon-to-be bride. Look like one," he ordered dominantly, taking me by surprise.

I blinked, standing like a statue, registering his words because such swift progression was not a part of my plan.

He was about to go back to his phone but paused, "Why are you still standing? Go,"

"Okay,"

Exactly thirty minutes later, dressed formally, I sat beside him in his private conference room, pumping my blood in anticipation.

The meticulous setting was done to look both intimate and luxurious. Soft lights, sheer supremacy, and a branded window view of the city skyline.

'Take that, Edric!' I thought victoriously.

With a sly smile, our one hand was intertwined as a display of affection. His other hand spread across the headrest, asserting his dominance.

"We are live in three, two..."

Clearing her throat, the interview went live, people started watching immediately, filled with intrigue to know what we had to say about the pregnancy.

"Welcome, viewers," the interviewer, Lia James, beamed.

"We are here with Zayne Nightwood and Kristine Iglesias, following the... scandalous news of their unexpected pregnancy."

"The word 'scandal' is inaccurate, Lia," Zayne interrupted, his voice deep, smooth, and laced with a strange affection.

"What is accurate then, Mr. Nightwood?"

Zayne turned his head slowly, meeting mine. An unreadable gleam flickered as he squeezed my hand possessively.

My eyes twitched, failing to read through his actions when he lifted our joined hands and kissed the back of my palm.

"This is not a scandal. Merely a surfacing of a complicated, irresistible relationship." He paused, letting the implication hang, gaining all the attention.

"A passion we can no longer hide due to our baby,"

Pressing my knuckles under his cheek, he immaculately displayed his affection openly, convincing everyone due to the fake softness.

Even I felt the heat rise, my beats amplified, studying his mystifying expressions shifting smoothly to solidify this act.

Playing my part too, I forced myself to lean into him, resting my head lightly on his shoulder. It felt shockingly natural when our eyes locked in such public proximity.

"Are you confirming what the world is hoping for, Mr. Nightwood? That you are committing to Kristine and the child?"

Lia gasped, she knew she was going to receive a bonus.

Zayne didn't break the stare, his expression melting into something intensely tender. He tucked a stray strand of my hair behind her ear, tracing his fingers on my jawline, inducing a fire in my body.

"Kristine Iglesias is going to be my wife," he declared, earning a series of gasps.

"What?"

"June. Ring."

"Yes, Sir,"

Shifting back slightly, his hand extended when his assistant placed the beautiful carved box in his palm only to reveal a spellbinding ring.

He held the look, daring me to break character, smirking playfully while sliding the ring smoothly into my finger, sealing this act officially.

I took my cue though my heart pounded in frantic rhythms, shocked and disheartened at the same time by the way things turned.

This wasn't the future I imagined.

But, this was certainly the path I had chosen.

I must not stray from it and uphold my frontage too.

Subsequently, I stared at Zayne as if he was my entire world. The man who had pulled me from the wreckage of my previous relationship.

My Savior.

"We are absolutely ecstatic to be welcoming our child and we are announcing our engagement. Let's live happily ever after, Dear,"

Liar. All of it is a lie, a voice screamed in her head. But the camera saw only devotion and so did my pretty eyes.

"Of course... Dear," I smirked, my gaze darkening.

He saw my strong desire for vengeance, and it made him chuckle.

"Miss Iglesias, many are saying this is a sudden, dramatic shift from your relationship with Mr. Carton. Can you address the claims that this new relationship was born out of revenge?" Lia pressed.

I sat up straight, letting go of Zayne only to place one hand flat on my chest and another towards the camera to show off the diamond ring.

"Edric and I... we have closed that chapter," I said, injecting just enough sadness to make it believable.

"The pain was real, yes. But Zayne, he showed me what real commitment and passion felt like."

"We wish Mr. Carton well, but we are focused on our future."

Before Lia could make another judgement, he spoke up first, setting up clear-cut boundaries.

"Also, if anyone tries to interfere with my fiancé or my family, they will be dealt with severely."

Zayne continued from my side, hand pressing firmly on my shoulder to serve the perfect ending - a strict warning.

"Obviously. Good luck to you two,"

The interview was a smashing success.

It doubled their rating. Spreading like fire caught on silk, raising more talk and attention, all accordingly.

Zayne had played the devoted partner perfectly, subtly emphasizing the possessive angle of his 'love.'

I had played the grateful, devotional, overwhelmed bride.

As soon as the camera light clicked off, and we were left alone in the conference room, Zayne's smile, hand, everything dropped, exhaling in frustration.

I smirked, "Excellent performance, Zayne,"

"You too," he said, leaning back, loosening his tie, looking undeniably handsome like this.

"Now, the public story is set. The wedding is in two weeks," he enunciated out of the blue, staggering me.

"What? Two weeks?! Zayne, that's insane! I need more time-"

"You need to do what you are told."

He leaned forward, towering over me, his hands locking onto the armrests of my chair. He caged me in, his chest so close I could feel the heat of his skin through his shirt.

The air turned electric. My breath caught as he leaned down, his lips inches from mine, breaths blending beautifully.

My eyes fluttered shut, waiting for the collision, for the seal of the deal, for the bite of the predator, instead-

"Sir- Oh! I am so sorry!"

His assistant's voice cut through the tension. I pulled back instantly, my face flushing a deep, traitorous crimson, blinking to regain my senses.

Zayne didn't look embarrassed, just amused.

"Go home, Kristine," he commanded huskily while he licked his lips slowly, tasting the air where I had just been.

"Rest. You will need your strength. Being a Nightwood is much harder than playing one on TV."

I didn't say another word. I turned and left silently with a determination gathering around me to not stray from my goal.

... Without realizing I might end up receiving more than I bargained for.