Chapter 4 The Billionaire's Gambit

That voice. It wasn't loud, but it sliced through the ugly silence on the terrace like a laser. Every single head, including mine, snapped towards the source.

Standing near the edge of the terrace, where he'd apparently been watching the whole nightmare unfold, was a guy I'd definitely never seen before. And even if I had, I wouldn't have forgotten him. He was tall, way taller than Dylan, and built like he actually used a gym instead of just having a membership. He was wearing a suit, but not like the stuffy ones my dad wore. This suit looked like it had been custom-made for him, dark and sharp, fitting him perfectly. It screamed money, but not in a flashy way. More like quiet, terrifying power.

His hair was dark, perfectly cut, and his face... wow. He wasn't classically handsome like Dylan. He was more... striking. Intense. Sharp jaw, intelligent eyes that seemed to see right through everyone, and an expression that said he was not impressed by any of this drama. There was an aura around him, a kind of dangerous energy that made the air crackle. Even the way he just stood there, relaxed but completely in command, made everyone else on that terrace suddenly look small and insignificant.

"And who the hell are you?" Mom demanded, her voice still shaking with anger, but now there was a new note in it. Caution. Even she could recognize raw power when it was staring her in the face.

The guy's eyes, a cool, piercing grey, swept over the crowd, pausing for a nanosecond on Hailey's shocked face, then on Dylan's confused one, before finally landing on me. For a split second, I thought I saw something flicker in their depths – surprise? Pity? – but it was gone so fast, I might have imagined it. His expression settled back into that unreadable, formidable mask.

"My name," he said, his voice calm, deep, and carrying easily over the suddenly hushed whispers, "is Alexander Sterling."

A collective gasp, like the air being sucked out of the terrace. Alexander Sterling. The name hit me like a shockwave. Even I, who lived under a rock when it came to business news, knew that name. Sterling. As in Sterling Industries, one of the biggest, most powerful tech and investment conglomerates on the planet. He was supposed to be a myth, a recluse, the kind of billionaire who moved markets with a single word but was rarely seen in public. What on God's green earth was he doing at Hailey's engagement party? And why was he stepping into my personal hell?

Even Hailey looked stunned. Her smug, triumphant expression melted away, replaced by a look of utter disbelief. I saw her fingers clench, her knuckles white. This was definitely not part of her plan.

Mr. Sterling – Alexander – continued, his gaze now fixed on my mother, then flicking dismissively towards Hailey. "I believe I was the 'random guy' Skye was supposedly with last night."

Another wave of murmurs, louder this time, buzzing with shock and disbelief.

"I had a suite here for the night," Alexander Sterling explained, his tone completely level, like he was discussing the weather, not a scandal. "A private matter. I'd had a long flight and retired early. It appears Ms. Miller – Skye – was mistakenly given a key to my suite by your incompetent hotel staff. She was clearly unwell and disoriented when she entered."

He paused, letting his words sink in, his gaze briefly meeting mine again. This time, I was sure I saw a flicker of something that looked like... apology? Regret? In his eyes. "I was, unfortunately, already asleep and had taken a rather strong sleeping aid. I only became aware of her presence when I woke up this morning. She was, quite understandably, distressed by the mix-up and left as soon as she realized her mistake."

His story was smooth. Believable. He made it sound like a stupid, unfortunate accident. He didn't mention Hailey, or the drugged drink. He was protecting me, but in a way that didn't directly point the finger at my sister. Not yet, anyway.

Hailey looked like she'd just been slapped. Her face was a splotchy, angry red. I saw her eyes dart down to her phone, then back up, her expression a mixture of fury and dawning, horrified realization. The texts. She must have been told I was in the wrong room – Alexander Sterling's room. Her perfect plan to ruin me with some random hookup had backfired spectacularly. She'd accidentally thrown me into the orbit of one of the most powerful, and notoriously private, men in the world. The rage coming off her was almost visible.

Alexander Sterling then turned his attention to Dylan. "Mr. Hayes, is it?" His voice was polite, almost formal, but with an underlying edge of steel that dared anyone to challenge him. "My apologies for this... unfortunate series of events, and for any distress it has inadvertently caused you or your fiancée."

Dylan, who had been looking completely lost, just stammered, "Uh, no... no worries, Mr. Sterling. Thanks for... clearing that up." He glanced from me to Alexander Sterling, then to Hailey, his face a canvas of confusion. The disappointment he'd shown me earlier was morphing into bewilderment, and maybe, just maybe, a tiny spark of doubt about Hailey's story.

Mom looked like she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. To have publicly shamed me, her own daughter, only to find out that the "random guy" involved was the legendary Alexander Sterling... the social fallout would be catastrophic for her carefully crafted image. Her mouth opened, then snapped shut. For once, Nicole Miller was speechless.

I just stood there, my cheek still burning, my head spinning. Alexander Sterling, this impossibly powerful, intimidating stranger, had just walked in and, with a few calm, authoritative sentences, completely flipped the script. He hadn't exactly proven my innocence – Hailey's photo still made me look guilty as hell – but he'd given an explanation that made Hailey's accusations sound like the vicious, petty lies they were.

Just as Dylan was about to say something else, probably to apologize to me for believing Hailey, Alexander Sterling spoke again. His voice was still calm, but now it had a chilling finality to it, a command that no one in their right mind would dare to disobey.

"In light of this... regrettable incident," he announced, his piercing gaze sweeping over the stunned, silent crowd, "and to ensure Ms. Skye Miller's reputation is fully insulated from any further malicious speculation or damage..." He paused, his eyes finding mine, holding them. "I feel it is my duty, and indeed my preference, to rectify the situation comprehensively. Therefore, I am offering to marry her."

Silence. Absolute, deafening, pin-drop silence. If the air on the terrace had been charged before, now it felt like it was about to explode.

Marry me? Alexander Sterling wanted to marry ME?

My jaw hit the floor. I stared at him, my brain completely short-circuiting. Was this guy for real? This had to be some kind of insane, billionaire power play. We'd literally just met!

Hailey looked like she was about to have an aneurysm. Her face was contorted with a rage so intense it was actually scary. This was so far off script, so far beyond anything she could have possibly imagined. Her plan to ruin me hadn't just failed; it had somehow resulted in a mega-billionaire proposing to me. The universe had a seriously twisted sense of humor.

Before I could even find my voice, which had apparently decided to abandon me, Dylan stepped forward, his face tight with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Hold on a second, Mr. Sterling! You can't just... marry her! That's insane!" His voice was louder now, defensive. He took a step closer to me, almost protectively. "Skye doesn't even know you! And what about Hailey? I'm her fiancé!"

His concern for me, so open, so fierce in the face of Alexander Sterling's shocking pronouncement, was like a tiny spark of warmth in the icy chaos. But it was also like gasoline on Hailey's fire.

Her head whipped towards Dylan, her eyes blazing. "Dylan! What are you doing?" she hissed, her voice dangerously low. "This has nothing to do with you! Why are you so worried about her?" The jealousy in her tone was raw, ugly, and impossible to miss. She looked from Dylan's protective stance over me to Alexander Sterling's imposing figure, and her expression hardened into one of pure, venomous fury. It was clear she felt like she was losing control, and she hated it.

Alexander Sterling barely glanced at Dylan. His focus remained on me. "Mr. Hayes's... prior commitments are his own concern. My offer is to Ms. Miller."

"No," I finally managed to choke out, my voice a hoarse whisper. "No, thank you, Mr. Sterling. I... I can't. This is... this is too much." My head was spinning. Marrying a complete stranger, a billionaire who radiated danger, to escape my sister's drama? It was like trading one cage for another, possibly more gilded, but a cage nonetheless.

He looked at me, his dark grey eyes unreadable, yet somehow... understanding? "Ms. Miller," he said, his voice dropping slightly, becoming almost gentle, but still with that unbreakable core of steel. "Perhaps we can discuss the particulars of this arrangement privately. My offer, however, is non-negotiable if you wish for this entire unpleasant matter to disappear. I believe it is the most honorable, and frankly, the most practical solution for all parties involved. Especially for you."

His gaze flicked briefly to Hailey, whose face was now a mask of pure hatred, then back to me. He was offering me a way out, a shield against Hailey's malice, against the public shame. But the price... it felt impossibly high.

Dylan looked like he wanted to argue more, his fists clenched, but he was clearly intimidated by Sterling's sheer presence. Hailey looked like she was seconds away from exploding. Mom just looked like she'd seen a ghost and was trying to calculate the social damage versus the potential gain of an alliance with Sterling.

And I, Skye Miller, the quiet girl who just wanted to draw on her tablet and be left alone, was suddenly trapped. Trapped between a ruthless, enigmatic billionaire, a confused and angry ex-almost-boyfriend who was now Hailey's fiancé, and a sister who clearly wanted me to suffer. My life hadn't just been hijacked. It had been launched into a completely different, terrifying, and unbelievably complicated dimension.