Chapter 6

The lock on my penthouse door clicked open with an electronic whir. Damien stepped inside, using the override access my father had given him, not even bothering to pretend he hadn't just invaded my private space.

"Get out!" I yelled, my eyes red and swollen from days of rage and grief.

He came closer, placing the gift box on my coffee table. He didn't sit. He stood over me, his voice a low, condescending purr. "I know you're upset, Elena. But you have to understand. Luna comes from nothing, just like I did. She has a purity that the world hasn't corrupted yet. I have a responsibility to protect that."

He was asking me to be "magnanimous," to "tolerate" her presence in our lives. He promised that once we were married, he would give me all the respect and honor a wife deserves, but that Luna would always be a special case, someone he needed to protect.

I looked up at him, and the last embers of my love turned to ash. He wasn't asking for my permission. He was giving me his terms. He expected me to accept an open rival for his affection and applaud him for his supposed nobility. The hypocrisy was more nauseating than the betrayal itself.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Luna. He answered immediately, his voice softening. "I'll be right there." He hung up and stood to leave.

"Don't be difficult, Elena. Be good," he said, placing the gift box on my nightstand before he left without another word.

Inside the box was a necklace. A simple, elegant diamond pendant. It was beautiful, but it wasn't a declaration of love.

It was a consolation prize. A leash.

I picked up the box, walked over to the trash chute in the wall, and dropped it in without a second thought.

I deserve a man who would give me the world, not one who would ask me to settle for his leftovers.

The evening of the Barron Group's anniversary gala arrived. It was to be the biggest social event of the year, a celebration where my father would officially announce my engagement.

As I was finishing my makeup, my butler entered my dressing room holding a large, beautifully wrapped box.

"This just arrived for you, Miss Barron. From Mr. Beach."

My heart skipped a beat. Hunter.

I opened the box. Nestled on a bed of black velvet was a breathtaking gown. It was a custom creation from a top international designer, the fabric a deep, midnight blue that shimmered with thousands of tiny, hand-sewn crystals, like a captured galaxy. Alongside it was a set of sapphire and diamond jewelry that mirrored the star-like pattern. A simple card was tucked inside.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get you the bag you wanted at Hermès," it read. "But in my eyes, only the stars and the sea are worthy of you. -Hunter."

A genuine smile, the first in a long time, blossomed on my face. When I put on the gown and the jewels, I didn't just feel like a princess. I felt like a queen.

As I was about to leave my room, I ran into Eve. She was also dressed for the party, but her eyes were fixed on the sapphires around my neck. Her smile faltered, a flash of raw jealousy in her eyes. She assumed they were from Damien.

"Those are... magnificent," she said, her voice tight. "Did Damien give them to you?"

I brushed past her without a word.

Her face twisted into a mask of pure hatred. "Don't get too comfortable," she hissed at my back. "He's only marrying you for the Barron Group. I'm the one he truly loves."

She stepped in front of me, blocking my path, and held up her phone. "He'll never touch you the way he touches me."

She pressed play. On the screen, a video began. It was her and Damien, tangled together in his office, their bodies moving in a rhythm of pure lust.

"He's never looked at you like that, has he?" she taunted, her voice cruel. "And it's not just him. Kennith, Leo... they all adore me. They'd do anything for me. You're just the tool they're all using to get what they want."