006

Maria POV

The dress felt like a cage.

Every step I took down the grand staircase made me feel heavier, the pale blue fabric clinging to me like an accusation. My heart pounded in my chest, but my face remained calm, schooled into the expression Ophelia had coached into me for weeks. "You are an Everlight," she'd said over and over. "Act like it."

At the bottom of the stairs, the double doors to the dining room stood open. Voices murmured inside, low and purposeful, a symphony of control and negotiation.

I took a steadying breath and stepped into the room.

Ophelia was already seated at the table, her hand resting lightly on Victor's arm as she spoke. Her laughter drifted across the room, light and rehearsed. Victor, as usual, looked smug, leaning back in his chair as though the entire evening had been orchestrated for his benefit.

And then there were the Von Grimms.

Two men sat across from Ophelia and Victor. The older one, Gerald Von Grimm, I assumed—radiated authority. His gray suit was impeccable, his salt-and-pepper hair perfectly combed. He barely acknowledged my entrance, his focus on Victor, the faint smirk on his lips betraying some unspoken advantage he held.

But it was the younger man who made my stomach twist.

He sat straight-backed and composed, his blond hair slightly tousled, his sharp blue eyes locking onto me the moment I entered. His face betrayed nothing, no warmth, no curiosity, only a polite, detached interest.

"This is Maria," Ophelia said, her voice cutting through the low hum of conversation. She gestured toward me, her smile wide and practiced.

Victor stood, his hand landing on my shoulder with the weight of a boulder. "Our pride and joy," he said, his tone oozing false warmth.

I didn't flinch, though I wanted to. Instead, I kept my chin high and nodded at the Von Grimms.

The younger man rose from his seat smoothly, every movement precise. "Leonardo Von Grimm," he said, his voice deep and steady.

He held out a hand, and for a moment, I froze.

The room was silent, every gaze fixed on me, waiting. Slowly, I extended my hand, his larger one enveloping mine briefly. His grip was firm, but not overbearing, and he released me quickly.

"It's an honor," he said simply, his tone measured.

The words should have sounded formal, but something about the way he said them made my chest tighten.

"Shall we sit?" Victor said, breaking the moment.

I sat between Ophelia and Victor, my body rigid, my hands folded in my lap. Across the table, Leonardo sat with perfect ease, his sharp gaze flicking briefly over me before settling back on Victor.

The conversation flowed around me—discussions of business alliances, territories, and mutual benefits. It was all veiled in pleasantries, but the undercurrent was clear.

Control was the prize, and I was the bargaining chip.

Dinner passed in a blur. I barely touched the food on my plate, my stomach too tight to even consider eating. Across the table, Leonardo cut into his meal with practiced precision, each movement deliberate and unhurried.

He said little, but when he spoke, the room shifted. His words carried weight, drawing attention even when his tone remained calm.

"You've built an impressive legacy, Mr. Greystone," he said at one point, his gaze cutting sharply to Victor. "It would be a shame to see it mismanaged."

Victor's smile stiffened, his hand tightening briefly on his wineglass. "I assure you, Leonardo, our family is quite capable of handling what's been entrusted to us."

Leonardo's lips curved into a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I hope so."

I glanced between them, my chest tightening. The tension was subtle, but it was there, a battle of wills dressed up in politeness.

Suddenly Ophelia turned to me, her smile too bright. "Leonardo has asked if you'd like to join him for a walk in the garden," she said, her tone light but firm.

My stomach churned.

I looked at Leonardo, but his expression gave nothing away. His hands rested lightly on the arms of his chair, his posture relaxed, as though my answer didn't matter to him one way or another.

But it did, at least to my step parents.

"Of course," I said, the words heavy on my tongue.

Victor's approval came in the form of a slight nod, but I didn't look at him. Instead, I pushed my chair back, standing as Leonardo rose to join me.

The night air was cool, the garden quiet except for the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. The moonlight cast long shadows across the stone pathways as we walked side by side, neither of us speaking at first.

Finally, I broke the silence. "Why are you doing this?"

He glanced at me, his blue eyes unreadable. "Doing what?"

"This," I said, gesturing vaguely around us. "The marriage. The alliance. You don't even know me."

Leonardo stopped walking, turning to face me fully. His gaze settled on mine, sharp and calculating. "And you don't know me."

The words sent a chill down my spine.

"But that doesn't matter, does it?" he continued, his tone even. "This isn't about us. It's about them."

He didn't say their names, but we both knew who he meant.

I crossed my arms over my chest, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me. "And you're fine with that?"

"No," he said simply.

His honesty caught me off guard.

"But what I want doesn't matter," he added, his tone colder now. "And neither does what you want. So let's not pretend this is anything more than what it is."

The words stung, but I couldn't argue with them.

I turned away, looking out at the darkened garden. "I didn't ask for this."

"Neither did I," he said quietly. "And besides, I happen to find you attractive." he added closing the distance between use, held me by my waist and placing his index finger on my lips.

"Didn't your mother teach you never to go out alone with a stranger?"