Chapter 2 The Engagement Party

Evelyn's pov.

The moment I stepped into the grand ballroom, the weight of the world settled upon my chest. It felt like I was walking into my own personal hell.

The glittering chandeliers hung above me, their golden light casting a warm, almost mocking glow on the smiles of the guests around me.

They all looked so happy, so relaxed. But I felt as if I were suffocating beneath the weight of a hundred eyes watching me, judging me, expecting me to play my part.

I could feel my heart beating louder in my chest with every step I took, as if it were trying to escape. But there was no escape from this. I had been trapped in this world for years, and tonight, it felt like my last breath of freedom before everything I knew came crashing down.

The engagement party.

The moment that would mark the end of my life as I knew it.

The moment my parents' plan would finally come to fruition.

I didn't want this. I didn't want him. I didn't want any of this. But my desires didn't matter. Not when the weight of our family's future rested on this marriage.

My gaze swept over the room, landing on my mother and father, standing near the center of the ballroom, looking every bit the perfect couple they always appeared to be.

But their smiles were too polished, too rehearsed. There was no warmth in their eyes. Only cold calculation, the kind of look that reminded me of the business deals they made, the promises they kept, the sacrifices they demanded.

Then I saw him.

Liam.

He stood at the far end of the room, surrounded by well-wishers, his figure impossibly tall and straight, with an air of arrogance that seemed to demand attention.

His dark hair was perfectly styled, as always, and his piercing blue eyes scanned the room with detached interest, like a lion surveying its kingdom.

He was beautiful, yes, in that clean-cut, perfect way. But to me, he was nothing more than a stranger. A stranger my parents had chosen for me.

I tried to ignore him, tried to tell myself that I didn't care, but my body betrayed me. My heart thudded in my chest, and my fingers curled into fists at my sides.

I couldn't look away.

The guests around me moved like fluid, their laughter and murmurs blending into a dull hum in my ears. My gaze was locked on him, and the moment our eyes met, a wave of something dark, something powerful, passed between us. I hated him. He hated me. We both knew it, without words.

I took a breath, steeling myself. He would make this harder, wouldn't he? He would be just as cold, just as distant, just as cruel as I knew him to be.

My mother's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. "Evelyn, darling, come over here. We need to greet our guests."

I hesitated for just a moment before walking toward them, knowing I couldn't avoid this anymore. My feet felt like lead, each step heavier than the last. But I had to go through with this. I had no choice.

As I reached them, my mother greeted me with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She had that look again, the one that made me feel like a pawn in a game I didn't even understand. Beside her, my father's gaze was cold, calculating, as always.

"Evelyn," my father said, his voice low but commanding. "This is the moment, you know. The start of something important. Do your part."

I nodded, my throat tight, my stomach churning. I didn't respond. What was there to say?

Liam was only a few steps away now. I could feel his presence as if he were a shadow looming over me. I couldn't even bring myself to look at him.

My mother's voice broke the tension. "Liam, darling," she said, her tone sugary sweet as she greeted him with practiced warmth. "It's so lovely to have you here. We're so glad everything's finally settled."

Liam barely acknowledged her, his lips curving into a thin, almost smug smile. He was always so composed, so calculated, always in control. He was the kind of man who thrived in situations like this, where appearances were everything and emotions were a weakness.

"I agree," he said, his voice low and smooth. He glanced at me, and our gazes collided once more. His eyes were cold, distant like ice, and yet there was something dangerous about them. "Everything's been arranged perfectly. This will be interesting."

I wanted to rip his smug smile off his face, but I held my tongue, forcing myself to stay composed. I couldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me lose control.

"Well, Evelyn," he said, his voice dripping with mock sweetness, "it's finally time. Shall we get this show on the road?"

I felt my fists clench at my sides, the anger building up inside me. This was a game to him. He saw it as a transaction, a deal that was already settled. And he was right. I had no say in this.

I forced myself to smile, a smile that didn't reach my eyes, a smile that felt like a betrayal to everything I stood for. "Shall we?" I echoed, the words tasting like poison on my tongue.

He stepped closer, and I could feel the heat radiating off his body, like a force I couldn't escape. I wanted to pull away, but I couldn't. Not now. Not with my parents watching, their eyes full of expectations.

His hand, cold and firm, brushed against mine as he offered it to me. I didn't take it at first. But the pressure from behind me, the knowing gaze of my parents pushed me forward. I reluctantly placed my hand in his, feeling the contact burn through my skin.

His fingers wrapped around mine, and I knew this would be the start of a nightmare.

I could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on me. This wasn't just a simple engagement. This was a promise, a contract. My parents had sold me out for their own ambitions, and now I was trapped in this deal with him, with him of all people.

Liam's eyes never left mine as he led me through the crowd, his every step measured and calculated, his movements almost predatory. I wanted to pull away, wanted to scream, but I kept my composure. The last thing I needed was to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

As we reached the center of the ballroom, the sound of the music and chatter faded into the background. The world seemed to narrow, until there was only him, standing in front of me, and the rest of the world a blur around us.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. This was it. This was the moment I would be bound to him forever. A thought that made my stomach twist in knots.

Liam leaned closer to me, his breath warm against my ear. "I'll make you regret this union every day of your life."

His words were like a slap across my face, but I couldn't react. Not now, not in front of everyone. I didn't know if I wanted to cry, to scream, or to punch him in the face. But I did none of that. Instead, I stayed perfectly still, a mask of indifference plastered on my face.

The music began again, the sound filling the room like a wave crashing against the shore. We were expected to smile, to pretend that this was a happy occasion. But I knew better. This wasn't a happy occasion. This was a prison sentence in disguise.

And Liam knew it.

The night wore on, the minutes stretching into hours, and I stayed by his side, the silence between us a suffocating force. Neither of us spoke much, and when we did, the words were sharp and cold, nothing but formality and duty. We were two strangers trapped in the same cage, forced to pretend that we could ever be more than that.

But deep inside, I knew what he was capable of. I could see it in the way his eyes glinted with cold amusement, in the way he moved with a quiet confidence that made my skin crawl. He wasn't just playing the game. He was out for blood.

And somehow, I was the one who had to lose.