Chapter 4

The silk of my dress felt cool against my skin. It was a shade of periwinkle, the color of twilight, and I'd chosen it carefully, hoping it conveyed a sense of quiet elegance. My hair, usually a wild, untamed thing, was neatly plaited into a single braid, a touch of delicate control. Today was a big day, a pivotal one. A young man and his parents were due any minute, ready to discuss a possible marriage alliance, a prospect that both thrilled and terrified me.The main thing what excited me was if this goes success, I can escape from this living hell.

As I finished adjusting a stray strand of hair, my stepsister, Belle, sauntered into my room, her movements a calculated choreography of confidence. "Don't think you can escape," she purred, her eyes glinting like polished obsidian. "If I stand in front of your gentleman, he will forget about you and fall for me. Don't forget that."

Her words, designed to sting, barely registered. I'd long since learned to filter out the poison. I offered her a small, genuine smile. Despite her constant barbs, I couldn't help but see her as a sister, someone I wished we shared a closer bond with.

The door swung open again, this time revealing my stepmother, her face plastered with an uncharacteristic sweetness. "Oh, Ella, you look so beautiful!" she exclaimed, her voice dripping with syrupy praise. But I saw through it, the calculation and the scheming lurking beneath the surface. She was up to something, something designed to derail the marriage plans. The compliment, so out of sync with her usual behavior, only confirmed my suspicions. Why this sudden pretense?

Before I could delve deeper into her motivations, a car horn blared outside. "They're here!" my father called, his voice laced with nervous anticipation. My stepmother practically shoved me aside in her haste to greet our guests, her false sweetness on full display.

I took a deep breath, smoothing down my dress. The young man, whose name I believed was Alexander, and his parents were ushered into the parlor. Pleasantries were exchanged, but the air was thick with unspoken expectations as the discussion of marriage began. I sat quietly, listening, my heart hammering in my chest.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the stuffy formality, a voice I'd never heard before. "Ella! Ella! Where are you?" it called, the tone urgent and surprisingly unfamiliar. My brows furrowed in confusion as a figure appeared in the doorway, making their way directly into the sitting room.

He was breathtaking, no other word for it. Tall and broad-shouldered, with dark, wavy hair and a pair of eyes that shimmered with an almost mischievous light. He was undeniably handsome, his features sharp and sculpted. He strode directly toward me, a smirk playing on his lips. "What is going on, Ella? Do you not love me anymore?"

I stared at him, utterly bewildered. Who was this man? And what was this bizarre charade?

My father, his face creased with confusion, stepped forward. "Who are you?"

The stranger offered a charming, if somewhat unsettling, grin. "I am Ren. Your daughter's boyfriend. We have been in love for two years."

The silence that followed was deafening. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what was unfolding. Two years? I didn't even know this man.

Then, the dam of polite restraint broke. The young man's father, his face a thunderous mask of fury, shot to his feet, glaring at my father. "Damian! What the hell is going on? Are you trying to fool me? Your daughter has a boyfriend!" He pointed a trembling finger at me, his voice rising to a bellow. "I am very disappointed in you. I came here to discuss marriage with your family only because you are one of my most trusted friends. I didn't think you would cheat me."

Without another word, the man stormed out of the house, his wife scurrying behind him. The air was heavy with the wreckage of the broken arrangement.

As I sat there, paralyzed by shock, the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place.

This whole charade, the sudden compliment from my stepmother, the perfectly timed appearance of this complete stranger claiming to be my boyfriend—it had to be a carefully orchestrated ploy. My stepmother, in her twisted way, had found a method far more theatrical than I could have ever imagined to sabotage my potential marriage. I stared at Ren, at the glint of amusement playing in his eyes, and a sense of dizzying disbelief washed over me. This was going to be far more complicated than I could have ever predicted.