LIORA'S POV
"Isn't that Damien?"
"Yes… it's him."
"And who is that woman next to him?"
"I thought he was engaged to Vanessa."
Vanessa… The name hung in the air for a second, sharp and heavy. But I had no room left in my life for any more enemies.
The whispers rose behind us, growing louder with every step.
Damien's hand slid down to my waist, his fingers pressing firmly into my dress. "Just smile," he murmured. "Tonight decides where you will actually belong."
"Don't worry about me," I whispered back with a smooth smile.
Worry about how you will look when this night is over.
"Mr. Damien," a man approached with a broad, practiced smile. Damien shook his hand without letting go of my waist. "How is the construction going on Macas Road?"
My hand tightened into a hidden fist against my dress.
Mr. Eric. He was another one of them—the kind of man who used warm smiles and fake laughter to destroy innocent people.
“Mrs. Taylor Hale, you will have to pay for what you did!”
“Eric... I can't believe you are involved in this too...”
Memory flashed behind my eyes, but Damien's calm voice pulled me back to reality. "I have decided to gift that land to my wife."
Eric narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting to me. "She is…?"
"Mine," Damien replied, pulling me closer against his side. His arm tightened possessively around my waist before he turned to me. "Darling, this is Mr. Eric."
Mr. Eric forced a polite smile and extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Sterling."
I looked at his outstretched hand for a beat, then smiled sweetly as I offered mine. "Nice to meet you... again, Mr. Eric."
He chuckled, "Again...? You do look remarkably familiar."
"Maybe," I said, smoothly retracting my hand.
He turned back to Damien with an uneasy grin. "Mr. Damien, about Macas Road, I think—"
"Not tonight. No business talk in front of my wife."
Mr. Eric’s smile froze.
Before he could speak again, the sharp clinking of a metal spoon against a champagne glass echoed across the speakers, silencing the room.
I looked up toward the grand stage.
Dora was walking up to the microphone, smiling brightly for the crowd. That stage… the exact same stage she had climbed onto using my father's endless connections.
"Today, we celebrate the continued trust the public has placed in our company," Dora announced into the mic. "Unfortunately, Mr. William Sterling is away on an urgent business trip, but we have his son, Mr. Damien Sterling, here representing him. Let's welcome Mr. Damien to the stage!"
Thunderous applause erupted through the ballroom.
Damien turned to me, pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead, and walked toward the steps.
Dora smiled widely as she handed him the microphone, making sure her fingers brushed over his as he took it.
"Good evening, everyone," Damien's commanding voice cut through the venue. "I want to apologize on behalf of my father for his absence... but I am here tonight to settle a few things."
“You’re really enjoying looking at him, aren't you?” Oscar’s voice slid up behind me, slick with mock amusement.
My hand tightened around my glass, but my eyes remained fixed on Damien speaking calmly on stage.
“I haven’t seen you look this beautiful in all the three years we dated,” Oscar whispered, stepping uncomfortably close to my bare back. “How has life been… Mrs. Sterling?”
I gripped my glass so tightly. I wanted nothing more than to splash the wine right into his smug face, but I couldn't create an unprompted scene here. Not yet.
“I want to give you back what you left behind, Liora,” he murmured, dangling an object in front of my face with a smirk.
My gaze snapped to it.
Our couple's ring. The custom ring I had worked hard to afford just to propose to him.
“Does Damien know I almost became your husband just a few days ago?” Oscar whispered, leaning in closer. “Does he know how you begged me to marry you?”
I couldn't believe I had ever loved a fool like him.
It was time to put him in his place. "Listen—"
“...And I am truly grateful to my beloved partner,” Damien’s deep voice cut through the crowd.
I looked up at the stage.
"The woman who has been my strength..." Damien continued, his dark eyes locked on mine. "Liora."
Whispers exploded instantly.
"What is Damien doing?!" someone near the bar gasped.
Dora’s cheerful smile froze on stage, and color drained from Oscar’s face beside me.
Damien is doing exactly what I need him to do, Public attention.
I smiled back at him, and he slowly extended his hand toward me from the stage.
My heels clicked against the marble as I glided toward him, feeling the heat of dozens of stares burning into my open back.
He took my hand, helping me up the steps. I stepped closer, pressed a soft kiss to his left cheek, then another to his right. Damien frowned slightly before his hand tightened around my waist.
“We have gathered tonight to announce that Liora and I have decided to spend our lives together,” Damien stated calmly for the news cameras flashing in the front row. “In life, and in death.”
The room erupted into frantic murmuring.
“And I expect every single one of you to respect my decision,” Damien added.
"Mr. Sterling!" a reporter’s voice cut through the noise. "Mr. Damein Is your father aware of this marriage? We were informed that he had already arranged a marriage alliance for you with—"
"I advise you not to bring up the past," Damien interrupted.
“Besides,” Damien added smoothly, “I wanted to surprise him... surprise him with a wife upon his return.”
This family is getting interesting.
"So... respect our decision," Damien concluded.
He took my hand and led me off the stage. I smiled gracefully as we walked down, completely ignoring Dora, whose face had turned white. We stepped off the platform, his hand firm on my back, guiding me through the parted crowd.
Glasses clinked around us as prominent guests rushed to offer their fake congratulations.
“Congratulations, Damien,” a senior executive called out, raising a glass.
“Thank you,” Damien replied smoothly.
"Mr. Damien," a young assistant in a suit hurried over, leaning in to whisper into Damien's ear.
Damien’s hand slid away from my waist. He looked at me before nodding at the assistant and followed him out.
What is really going on in this family? Why is Damien openly going against his father?
I picked up a glass of wine from a passing waiter's tray, slowly taking in the room. Several young socialites were glaring at me with pure hatred. My gaze shifted, and halted on Oscar who was throwing back one drink after another.
I smirked and slowly took a sip of my wine.
“So you really did run to him after all the drama you created,” a tiny voice sneered behind me.
Dora stepped into my space, reaching out to snatch the glass right out of my hand.
I tightened my grip and pulled the glass back before she could touch it. "You should learn to take only what's yours, Dora."
She forced a smile. "Little sister... I just hope you aren't foolish enough to think you and Damien actually belong together." She took a step closer, her voice dropping. "I’m just trying to help you survive in your new home."
I reached out and calmly straightened the crooked collar of her dress.
"Dora..." I said gently, meeting her eyes. "You should worry about keeping your boyfriend under control before he turns into a drunk idiot, instead of stressing over my husband and me."
"Are you still bitter because I took him from you?" She smirked, tilting her head. "Let it go, sis. Some things are meant for the right person anyway. He never loved you." She grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and took a slow sip. "During the three whole years you dated him, he was dreaming of me. He stayed with you because he pitied you. But you were never smart enough to realize it..."
My fingers tightened around the stem of my wineglass, and I quickly raised my hand toward her face. She flinched before steadying herself.
"Dora... keep him." I leaned into her ear. "But are you really sure your soulmate has completely forgotten about me?"
Her smile faltered for a second.
"Because just a few moments ago," I whispered, "he was standing right behind me, telling me how beautiful I looked..."
"Liora!" Oscar’s slurred roar shattered the atmosphere, drawing the eyes of every guest to us.
