I sat in the silence of my office, the city's skyline a glittering puzzle beyond the glass. My mind was a vault, scouring the memories of my past life for any clue, any hint as to why the Vancourts were so intent on this marriage.
In my first life, blinded by infatuation, I had seen only a fairy tale. Now, I saw the architecture of a trap, but I couldn't find the trigger. What did they gain from binding Liam to me that they couldn't achieve through a business merger alone? The Sterling fortune? Our corporate holdings? It didn't add up; the Vancourts were nearly as wealthy as we were. There was a piece missing, a hidden objective I couldn't see.
Frustration was a cold knot in my stomach. I was playing a game of chess against an opponent whose endgame was a mystery. Kaelen's warning echoed in my mind: "You are so focused on destroying them, you seem intent on taking yourself down with the blast." He was right. I was so busy sharpening my knives for Liam and Chloe that I was ignoring the larger, more dangerous beast circling us all.
The only way to uncover the truth was to get closer to the heart of the beast. To step into the wolf's den willingly.
The decision crystallized with a cold, clear certainty. If I could not find the answer from the outside, I would learn it from the inside.
I found my father in his office, the scent of old leather and polished wood a familiar comfort that now felt like a prelude to a siege. He looked up from his papers, his eyes tired but warm.
"Elara? Is everything alright?"
"Daddy," I began, my voice carefully calibrated to be both resolute and serene. "I've been analyzing the Island Residence project. The investor confidence is… fragile. It needs a catalyst, a story stronger than financial projections." I leaned forward, folding my hands on his desk. "A story of legacy and unity. A formal engagement announcement between Liam and me would be that story. It would tell the world that the Sterling and Vancourt alliance is so unshakable, it's being cemented by blood. It's the ultimate guarantee for the project, and for our future."
Charles Sterling studied me, his paternal concern warring with his CEO instincts. "Just the other day, you asked to delay this very discussion. I thought you needed more time. What's changed? Is this truly what you want, my dear? Will this make you happy?"
I met his gaze, offering a smile that felt like shards of glass in my soul. "My happiness is the future of this family and this company. I have been living a good life, enjoying the perks of being a Sterling. And now it's time for me to pay my dues. The Island Residence needs this. We need this. It's the right strategic move." The lie was a shield, and I wielded it with the precision of a master blacksmith. I was no longer just his daughter; I was a strategist laying a trap, using my own engagement as the bait.
He searched my face for a long moment before his expression softened into reluctant acceptance. "If you're certain, my girl. Then we shall make the announcement."
At dinner, as the maids served the desserts, my father cleared his throat.
"David and Anna have been asking recently. About Elara's and Liam's engagement arrangements. I have spoken to Elara and we have decided it's time to formally announce her engagement to Liam," he stated, his tone leaving no room for debate. "It will provide the stability the Island Residence project needs."
The silence was deafening.
Diana was the first to react. Her smile was one of strained benevolence. "Charles, darling, that's wonderful news! But are we certain now is the right time? With the recent… press about me… perhaps we should let the dust settle? We wouldn't want anyone to think this is a hasty reaction to bad publicity." Her words were silk wrapped around a dagger, a desperate attempt to buy time for her daughter.
"It is precisely the right time," I interjected smoothly, my voice sweet yet firm. "This announcement will overshadow any lingering gossip. It ends all speculation. Permanently."
I turned my gaze to Chloe. She had gone very still, her fork hovering over her plate. The color had drained from her face, leaving two bright spots of fury high on her cheeks. She was looking at me, and in her eyes was a pure, undiluted hatred that she could not conceal. She said nothing, but the message was clear: the war between us had just been declared.
Later that night, a soft knock announced Miriam's arrival. She slipped into my room like a shadow, her face grim.
"Miss Elara," she whispered. "After dinner, Miss Chloe was… distraught. Madam Diana noticed and went straight to her room. I was in the adjoining linen closet; I could hear them. But only parts of the conversation."
"Tell me," I commanded, my heart a cold, steady drum.
"Miss Chloe was crying. She said, 'You promised I will have everything! I will become a true Sterling! How can you let this happen? You promised!'" Miriam's voice dropped even lower, mimicking Chloe's hysterical whisper. "And Madam Diana, she told her to be quiet. She spoke in a low register, so I could only hear parts of it, something about 'engagement is not a marriage. It is a public transaction.' They said something else and Miss Chloe went out after that."
I stared into the darkness beyond my window. So that was their plan. Diana saw the engagement as a mere obstacle, a "public transaction" to be navigated. She was advising Chloe to play the long game, to wait in the shadows. They had no intention of accepting this. I guess they never had. I wonder when Liam and Chloe really 'got together'. Was it before or after the engagement?
Whatever it is, I had no intention of this being a mere transaction. For them, it was a delay. For me, it was the bait in a trap. Let them scheme in the shadows. They had no idea they were dancing on the web of a spider who knew every step they would take.
The following evening, Liam came to the mansion, his demeanor a blend of triumph and nervous energy. He found me in the library.
"Elara," he said, his voice warm. "My father told me. I'm so glad you… see things clearly now."
"I do," I said, offering him a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "It's what's best for everyone."
He reached out, taking my hand. "It is. And it will be good for us, you'll see." His thumb stroked my knuckles, a gesture that once would have sent thrills through me. Now, it felt like a snake coiling around my wrist. "Think about the engagement. We will do whatever and however you like."
Dinner was a meticulously orchestrated performance of familial bliss. My father beamed, Diana offered polished congratulations, and I played the part of the blushing, contented heiress to perfection. Liam, seated beside me, was the picture of the devoted fiancé-to-be.
But the cracks were there, visible only to those who knew to look.
It happened when my father proposed a toast. "To the future," he boomed, raising his glass.
As we all lifted our glasses, Liam's eyes, for a fraction of a second, flickered across the table. It wasn't a casual glance. It was a quick, darting look laden with a silent, anxious message, aimed directly at Chloe.
And she received it. Her eyes, red-rimmed from her tears, met his. In that fleeting exchange, I saw it all: his concern for her, her feigned heartbreak at the news, and a secret understanding that excluded everyone else at the table. I was slightly taken aback. I had been keeping an eye on them but somehow they still managed to find their way into each other's arms.
Chloe's lips curved into a small, bitter smile before she took a sip of her wine, her gaze dropping demurely. The message was clear. She knew she still held a piece of him, and she was letting me know it.