Forced Marriage, Hidden Scandal

-felt like nothing more than a distraction from the charged silence that hung in the air. Across the table, Aidan watche

e low but steady. She kept her gaze on his, refusing to look away even

y, almost deliberately, before setting it down with a soft clink. His fingers d

ing darker behind it. "Our marriage may have started as a business arrangemen

ched. "You think

" he said. "And unpredictabili

ould've thought about that

en't dragged, Elara. You walked into thi

nce," she shot back. "Not to be con

s intensity. "You were never meant to be controlled, Elara. But

her heart pounding.

g me. You don't involve yourself in affairs that could compromise the family name. A

ng hotter, more dangerous-rage. "So that's it? You

is world," he replied.

nd. "This is exactly why I didn't want this marriage in the

alm. He moved around the table slowly, deliberately, unti

d quietly. "It's not j

part of her-the same reckless part that had begun noticing how he looked in those cr

ou. I thought you'd be just another piece in the puzzle, someone easy to manage.

ice barely above a whisper

ause I don't let go of thing

erything he'd said. She wanted to be angry, to scream at him, to walk away and never look back. But a part of her-traitorous, confusing-was intrigued. Not by the wealth or

ng had happened. She stepped out without a word, walking ahead of him into t

him, finally brea

ted. "What d

heiress, any socialite. Someone easier. Someon

emained steady. "Because none of them

answering th

lights streaming in through the windows. "Maybe I wanted someone who didn't

caught. "Yo

" he m

her heart was pounding too loudly for her to think straight. She needed

a dangerous game

rd, closing the space betwee

ness, the marriage contract-it all faded into the background. There was only him and

t this happen. Not

stepped back, breaking the

s response. Her hands were trembling, her breath uneven.

glass of whiskey in his hand. The city stretched out before him,

ar

ersonally. Everything had always been calculated, controlled. But with her... it was different. She defied

he whiskey

he could walk away when it got too dark. But she di

eeping her here

eede

hadn't figu