"Smile. Everyone’s watching."
Logan’s voice slid through the air like venom, his lips so close to my ear that his breath warmed my neck.
My fingers trembled against the lace of my gown as the grand ballroom erupted into applause. The officiant had just announced the start of the engagement ceremony. A dazzling chandelier loomed above, casting fragmented light across the gathered elites. Beneath the glamour, the weight of his words coiled around my spine.
“I know about your father, Cassandra.”
My breath caught. No.
His grin sharpened, his steel-gray eyes locked on mine. His grip on my waist tightened as we turned to face the crowd. I felt like a marionette, my strings pulled taut by his will.
He doesn’t know. He can’t.
But the confidence in his tone unraveled my conviction.
“Try running,” he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s see how fast everything crumbles.”
I stole a glance at my father, seated among the dignitaries. His usual stern countenance bore signs of strain. Lines of worry etched his forehead, a stark contrast to the opulence around him.
He knows. Oh God, he knows.
"What do you want?" I hissed through a clenched smile.
Logan’s smirk widened, his lips brushing my ear as he murmured,
"You."
The word sank into my chest like lead. I wanted to lash out, to shove him away, but the stares of the guests pinned me in place. Every practiced bow and polite smile from the crowd reminded me what was at stake.
The Claremonts could not afford a scandal, not with my father’s precarious position in the company.
"You’re a monster."
My voice was a blade dulled by desperation, slicing weakly against his control.
He chuckled.
"And you’re an angel fallen from grace. How poetic."
His hands guided me as we descended the dais, navigating through a sea of eager handshakes and champagne flutes. My stomach churned with every step, the voices of congratulations around us a deafening chorus of mockery.
At the edge of the room, he stopped abruptly, spinning me to face him. His smile, a mask of civility, cracked as he leaned closer.
"Say yes, Cassandra. Or everything burns."
My chest heaved with the effort of keeping my composure. My options flickered like a dying light. Refuse, and I’d doom my father. Agree, and I’d lose myself.
“Why me?” I whispered, the words trembling between us.
His gaze darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes.
“Because you’re perfect.”
Before I could respond, the ballroom erupted in laughter. Logan’s hand dropped to mine, and I realized we were the center of attention.
"A toast to the future Mrs. Wright," he announced, lifting his glass.
The crowd erupted in applause again, their cheers like knives carving into my resolve.
I felt his hand at the small of my back, guiding me toward the balcony. My heart thundered as the noise of the ballroom faded behind us. Outside, the city sprawled in glittering defiance of the darkness.
“You think this is over?” I asked, my voice stronger now.
His smile returned, cruel and confident.
"This is just the beginning."
He stepped closer, the crisp scent of his cologne mingling with the chill of the night air.
And then, without warning, he tilted my chin up and pressed his lips to mine.
The kiss wasn’t tender or hesitant. It was a claim, raw and undeniable. Gasps echoed from the doorway as the guests watched, frozen in their tracks. My hands curled into fists at my sides, rage and humiliation surging through me.
Logan pulled back, his lips brushing against my ear once more.
"From now on, you’re mine, Cassandra."
