Chapter 4

Bailey POV

His words, simple and direct, resonated deep within me, stirring a fragile hope I hadn't realized I still possessed. He wasn't just accepting my impulsive proposal; he was taking ownership, promising something more than just an escape.

"Just... don' t be late," I managed, a small smile finally breaking through my guarded expression. "Please. Don' t be late."

He met my gaze, his eyes serious now. "I won' t. I promise."

I walked back into the Robinson mansion that evening, feeling lighter than I had in years. The air in the dining room was thick with the scent of roasted lamb and unspoken tension. My parents were at the head of the long table, Holt beside my father. And across from Holt, looking utterly smug, sat Chandra, her hand resting casually on Kurtis' s arm. Kurtis stiffened when he saw me, his eyes darting away.

My parents exchanged uneasy glances. "Bailey," my mother said, her voice strained. "Please, join us. We were just about to eat."

I shook my head. "No, thank you. I' m not hungry." I started to turn away, heading for the stairs.

"Bailey, wait." My father' s voice was firm. "We need to talk. We have an announcement."

I stopped, my hand on the banister, a cold premonition settling in my stomach. I turned slowly, my eyes lingering on Kurtis and Chandra. They both avoided my gaze.

My father cleared his throat. "We are delighted to announce the engagement of our beloved Chandra to Kurtis Meyers." He beamed, as if he expected applause.

The words hit me, but surprisingly, they didn' t sting. They simply confirmed what I already knew, what I had seen. My gaze flickered to Kurtis. He stared at his plate, his face a pale mask. He couldn't even look at me.

A bitter, humorless laugh escaped my lips. It was quiet, but it cut through the silence of the dining room.

"Bailey, darling," my mother began, her voice falsely sweet. "We know this might be difficult for you, but Kurtis and Chandra have found true happiness. It' s for the best, really. You and Kurtis... you were always so different."

I cut her off, my voice calm, almost detached. "I have no opinion, Mother. None at all." I looked directly at Kurtis and Chandra. "Congratulations. I wish you both immense joy." My words were a poisoned arrow, delivered with a smile.

Kurtis winced. Chandra' s triumphant smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty.

I turned and walked upstairs, the sound of my own footsteps echoing in the silence. I reached my room and closed the door softly. A minute later, a knock.

"Bailey, please, open the door," Kurtis' s muffled voice pleaded from the other side.

I ignored him. He knocked again, more insistently. "Bailey, I know you' re upset. But we can talk about this. Please, just listen."

I opened the door, just a crack, and stared at him, my face devoid of emotion.

He pushed the door open gently, stepping inside. He looked desperate, his eyes pleading. He reached for my hand, but I pulled it away.

"Bailey, you' re being irrational," he said, his voice soft, coaxing. "You' re acting out because of the gala. I understand you' re hurt. But this... this marriage you' re planning? It' s a mistake. A terrible mistake."

I watched him, a hollow feeling in my chest. He actually thought I was just throwing a tantrum. He truly believed I was still the same girl who chased his approval, who lived for his smiles.

"You don' t understand anything, Kurtis," I said, my voice cold.

"I do!" he insisted. "I care about you, Bailey. I always have. But Chandra... she needs me. She' s fragile. And you and I... we' re better as friends. Business partners, maybe." He took a deep breath. "Look, I can still ensure your position at Robinson Dynamics. And I can even... I can even put in a good word for you with some of my contacts, help you find a suitable match. Someone financially stable, someone who understands your... unique interests."

I stared at him, my mind flashing back to his words on the stage. Rules are rules. Especially when the reputation of Robinson Dynamics is at stake. And then, his quiet betrayal, his eyes avoiding mine. My dear sister Chandra.

I remembered a conversation from weeks ago, after I' d returned. He had said, "Bailey, you' re so brilliant, so detached from all this social nonsense. It' s refreshing. But sometimes, you need to play the game. You need to smooth things over. Chandra, she understands that. She' s so much more... adaptable."

Adaptable. That meant compliant. That meant not challenging the family' s old ways. It meant not being me.

Now, he stood here, offering me a consolation prize, a token of pity, as if I were some broken toy. He didn' t just betray me; he utterly misunderstood me. He never saw me, not truly. I was just another asset, another strategic alliance, easily traded for a more convenient one.

"You want to find me a suitable match?" I repeated, my voice a dangerous whisper. "You think I need your help, Kurtis?"

He nodded, earnest. "Of course, Bailey. You' re family. I want to see you happy. But not like this. Not with... him. A maintenance worker. It would completely ruin your social standing."

My blood ran cold. He genuinely believed that my worth, my happiness, was tied to my social standing, to who I married. The man I had loved, the man I had planned a future with, was a stranger. A shallow, calculating stranger.

A wave of pure, incandescent rage surged through me, burning away the last vestiges of hurt and disappointment. I pushed him, hard, shoving him back.

"Get out!" I screamed, my voice raw, echoing in the room. "Get out of my room! Get out of my life!"

He stumbled back, shock etched on his face. "Bailey, don' t be like this..."

"GET OUT!" I roared, pointing towards the door.

He looked at me, a flicker of fear in his eyes, then turned and fled. I slammed the door shut, my body trembling with a fury I hadn' t known I possessed.

I heard the whispers from downstairs again, muffled. They were planning Chandra' s birthday celebration, which, coincidentally, was on the same day Dangelo had promised to marry me. They were all going. Leaving me, alone, in this house. This monument to my family' s indifference.

They still thought it was a game. They thought I would break, that I would beg them to intervene, to save me from my own impulsive decision. They thought I would choose them.

They were wrong.

I walked to the window. The sky outside was a brilliant, clear blue. A new day. A new beginning.

"Timothy," I called out, my voice steady, to the old family orderly who was always discreetly tending to my needs. "Please bring the car around. I have a wedding to attend."

I smoothed down the simple white dress I had chosen, my hands steady. This wasn't a wedding to spite them. This was a wedding for me. I walked out the door, leaving the silent, empty mansion behind.