Chapter 1 The Deal

It was breezy, perfect for an evening on a balcony. Amy took a deep breath as she stepped onto the balcony, resting one hand on the rail while the other held her glass. The breeze blew on her face and neck, and she wished she was wearing a much freer dress to feel it on all parts of her skin. Not that she minded the dress, it was after all a beautiful piece. Her mother had impeccable taste, leaving her with three different options. This dress had been her choice. She was also glad she chose it because it had helped in selecting her indulgence for the night.

There had been an array of drinks: wine, whiskey, all the likes. But she decided the moment she could see the color of her fabric in the slender glass, she wanted champagne. She loved that her drink and dress matched, it made her feel a certain kind of control.

It had been quite suffocating in there, she thought to herself. The party, which was the anniversary of a company where her father was one of the major shareholders, was her first of attending such a formal event. One where she was identified as the daughter of Robert Martins. It was quite dramatic and unnecessary. That after years of going solo to events- sometimes with his wife- she suddenly appears at this one, by his side. The daughter that no one knew much about. She would have loved to remind her father that her life was not a Bridgerton story but she was not sure he would appreciate her humor. Robert Martins after all was a very traditional man.

She supposed the celebration ought to be a more private affair but on the contrary, it seemed almost everyone in the business world was in attendance. For all her father's overprotectiveness, she was grateful she had never been made to attend such parties all these years. Just over an hour in and she already felt she would lose her sanity if she had to make anymore conversation.

She sighed softly, taking a sip from her glass and staring ahead. The city lights were a beautiful sight at night. It was one of the things she thought she would never get tired of seeing.

Considering her family's estate was a bit far off the city, it was not always a common sight for her.

Amy was a literal princess locked away from the world in a castle. Well not literally, considering it was a mansion and she did leave the house when she wanted; to work for instance, albeit with bodyguards watching her from a distance. She was almost sure too there were people watching and reporting her every move to her father where she worked. Her office was one of her father's businesses but she was good at her job no doubt. It might have been handed to her on a platter but she made sure to do her best to earn it.

Someone joined her then on the balcony. A man she noticed, but did not care to take a good look at him. Amy was surprised however, when the man made no attempt to talk with her, not even a question about how she was enjoying the night. She supposed like her he just needed to take a breather before rejoining the party. Although if she were the one entering an occupied balcony, she would feel inclined to say something, at least in greeting. But she also appreciated the silence. She herself had no desire to talk anymore than necessary.

She thought about her current situation, how she would escape from the arranged marriage her father had planned. She knew her attending the party meant things were going to be different. She would soon be some business man son's wife. And it was a way of meeting her potential husbands as well.

At first, after learning of her father's plan to marry her off, she had wondered how much older the man her father would choose would have been. Would he have been ten years older? Maybe less? Or more? Her father had over ten years on her mother and theirs had not even been an arranged marriage. She had been surprised then when her father had suddenly given her some papers containing names and information of suitable partners. Not only had none of them been forty, but she had also gotten a chance to select which one of them she would prefer. Though she supposed it did not mean much. She would not be surprised if her father already had a particular one in mind for her. One that would benefit him the most.

Perhaps she should be grateful for the courtesy, but to her, the entire situation was like breaking out of prison only to end up in hell. Amy liked to be prepared for anything so entering an arranged marriage was like walking blind for her. Which was why despite her indifference, she had willingly learnt as much as she could about her father's candidates from the documents he had given her.

She was really not interested in choosing any one of them, but based on what she knew her father would benefit from the most, she had marked about three names out for further consideration. Amy had spotted one of them at the party earlier, but she had been quick to make an escape before her father bothered with introductions.

Amy shook her head slowly, trying to rid herself of her thoughts.

"No more thinking", she decided. The pleasantness of her reprieve had worn off with the road her mind had taken, leaving her wistful. Perhaps she should make conversation after all to keep to that decision.

From her periphery, Amy noticed the man who had been standing with her move to return to the party. She turned finally catching a glance of him. She stared at him even after he walked through the glass doors and disappeared into the crowd.

What were the odds that she had been standing with her most prospective suitor?