Chapter 2 The Unavoidable Engagement

Verena trailed behind Richard, her eyes catching sight of a group of people gathered around someone.

Towering at 6.2 feet, Darren stood out amongst the crowd, his handsome face carrying a hint of frostiness and impatience.

She didn't join the throng, opting instead to silently observe the familiar face from a distance.

How could she forget so easily given the events of last night, when their liaison was still fresh in her mind?

Last night's image of him was starkly different-glistening with sweat as it cascaded down his face, collarbone, chest, and abs. Now, he was clad in a suit, his hair meticulously styled, exuding an aura of cool reserve, like an unattainable monarch.

The obsidian beaded bracelet adorning his wrist added a touch of aloofness to his demeanor.

She was not shocked to see Darren again. It was planned, after all.

Darren turned to face her, scowling as he looked at her.

As their eyes briefly met, she felt a shiver run down her spine. His gaze seemed to penetrate her very soul.

Unable to withstand the intensity of his scrutiny, Verena discreetly slipped into the crowd, hoping to escape notice.

"Darren, it's been a while. We hope you'll be staying in Fledo for an extended period this time," greeted William Briggs, head of the Briggs family and Verena's fiancé's father, with utmost respect.

"Hmm," Darren responded coldly before being ushered away to the table, eagerly welcomed by the Fowler family, with Richard following suit.

"So, when does this engagement start?" Darren inquired, glancing at his watch.

That timepiece was worth two houses in the heart of Fledo.

William wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "We might have to delay it, I'm afraid."

"Delay? For what?"

Darren's words carried weight, striking William's heart like small hammers.

William's men were yet to locate Eric. With noon fast approaching, tensions rose as Eric remained absent.

"We're waiting for Eric." A clear female voice cut through the silence. "Seems he's not keen on getting engaged to me and has made a run for it."

Darren's gaze shifted towards Verena amidst the crowd.

Though her face was unremarkable, her presence was undeniable when she spoke.

This engagement, forged since childhood, had been sealed by Darren himself.

Eric's abandonment of the engagement was akin to a slap in the face for Darren.

William hastened to explain. "It's not what you think. Eric's just caught up in some urgent matters. He'll be here before you know it."

Verena watched on, her expression frosty. "It seems you're still searching in vain. Shall I provide you with an address?"

She then gave him the address of an apartment; her best friend's address.

With a hint of embarrassment, William dispatched someone to fetch Eric. Before long, Eric, bearing the signs of indulgence in carnal pleasures, appeared before everyone.

"You rascal! Hurry up and change into proper attire. The engagement ceremony should be underway by now!" William snapped at his son.

"Dad, I've told you I can't get engaged to Verena. She's hideous. Just the thought of her makes me nauseous. If my friends knew I was engaged to such an unsightly woman, they'd mock me endlessly. How could I ever show my face in front of them?"

Eric's gaze towards Verena dripped with disdain. He blamed her for his predicament.

"Whether you like it or not, the ceremony will proceed today!" William commanded before turning to the attendants. "Escort Eric to change his clothes!"

Eric's tantrums couldn't sway William's resolve.

Verena, too, was ushered to prepare for the ceremony. In the dressing room, she struggled with her gown's zipper; it stubbornly refused to cooperate.

Just then, the door creaked open. Though Verena couldn't discern the visitor's identity, she leaned forward nonetheless, revealing her neck as she attempted to address them.

"Could you lend a hand with this?" she implored.

A large hand reached out, deftly maneuvering the stuck zipper upwards.

"Thank you," Verena began, turning to express her gratitude, only to freeze upon seeing the handsome face before her, panic seizing her heart.

Shouldn't he be outside, basking in the adulation of the crowd? How did he manage to sneak up on her like this?

"How did you even get in here?" she demanded.

"You tell me," Darren responded.

As he advanced, his presence seemed to suffocate her, making it hard to draw breath.

"You've got some nerve, setting me up like this!" he accused, his grip unyielding.

Verena's neck was slender. It felt as though her very life hung in the balance if he squeezed it more.

Last night, Darren had shown no mercy, leaving behind a trail of marks on Verena's neck, now concealed beneath layers of makeup.

"You've got to be pulling my leg, Darren. Turns out you're Eric's uncle," Verena exclaimed, her eyes settling into a new calmness as she regarded Darren.

Her face was pretty plain, but her eyes sparkled with life.

"Anyone who tries to pull the wool over my eyes usually ends up in a sticky situation!" Darren's grip on her tightened.

Verena felt the air getting thick in her lungs. This guy was just as ruthless as the rumors painted him!

Even though last night was part of her meticulously crafted plan, Verena wasn't about to confess to it now. "Eric can gallivant all he wants. Why should I be the one left twiddling my thumbs? He's been caught red-handed with another woman today, and who knows how many times he's strayed before?"

Her tone carried a hint of resentment, enough to make Darren ease his hold slightly.

It wasn't exactly news that Eric was playing the field. How could a Casanova like him live a monk's life? Darren also knew that Verena had been as pure as the driven snow until last night.

"I don't give a hoot what's going through your head. Your engagement to Eric is still on!" Darren said coldly.

Verena blinked, a mocking smile dancing on her lips. "Darren, you're fully aware that the engagement isn't going anywhere. So why the cloak-and-dagger routine? Aren't you afraid of getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar?"

Technically speaking, Verena and Darren shouldn't be acquainted. But being caught alone in a room before the engagement party was sure to raise a few eyebrows.

Avoiding Verena's gaze, Darren issued a cold warning. "I suggest you mind your Ps and Qs. Otherwise..."

He left the sentence hanging, but the threat hung heavy in the air.

"We're practically strangers until today, Darren. I'm not quite catching your drift." Verena raised her head, implying she wouldn't tell anyone about Darren and her.

Darren snorted. "As long as you have the memo."

Releasing his grip on Verena's neck, Darren made a beeline for the dressing room door.

But before his hand could latch onto the handle, a woman's voice piped up from outside. "Verena, are you in there? I have something important to tell you. I'm coming in."

Verena stayed silent, but the woman on the other side showed no signs of budging.

If she barged in now, she would catch Verena and Darren alone in the room.