The morning after the engagement was announced, the entire city seemed to buzz with excitement. Every headline carried the same photo — Bianca Dante and Luca Moretti, side by side, their smiles perfectly rehearsed for the cameras.
Inside the Moretti estate, the mood was mixed. There were congratulations from business partners, renewed interest from investors, and a visible sigh of relief from Mr. and Mrs. Moretti. Yet, for Luca, every word of praise felt like a thorn pressed deeper into his skin.
He stood by the large window of his room, staring out at the manicured gardens. Everything felt unreal — too quiet, too calm, as if the world had decided to celebrate his surrender.
His mother entered quietly, carrying a cup of tea. "It's done now," she said softly. "The damage has been repaired. The Dantes are satisfied, and our name is safe again."
Luca didn't respond. His gaze was distant.
Mrs. Moretti hesitated before adding, "Sometimes peace requires a little sacrifice, Luca."
He nodded faintly. But in his heart, he knew — some sacrifices left scars too deep to fade.
Across town, the Bellemy household was anything but peaceful.
Mr. Bellemy's voice thundered through the grand living room. "Do you have any idea what you've done, Aria?"
Aria sat on the edge of the couch, hands clasped tightly in her lap, her head lowered. The newspaper lay open on the glass table — Bianca Dante and Luca Moretti smiling from the front page, their engagement headline circled in red ink.
Mrs. Bellemy stood by the window, her arms folded tightly. "Your name is on everyone's lips," she said coldly. "The Morettis. The Dantes. The whispers. They're all asking — who is that girl? Who is that Bellemy girl who made a fool of herself in front of the entire city?"
"Mother, I—"
"Don't you Mother me!" she snapped, spinning around. "Do you even know what this has cost us? Your father has business ties with the Dantes! And now, because of your foolish involvement with Luca Moretti, every invitation has stopped. Every handshake feels colder!"
Aria's voice trembled. "I never meant for any of this to happen."
Mr. Bellemy slammed his palm on the table, making the cups rattle. "Then what did you mean, Aria? How did you even get yourself into this triangle? How did that boy even get close to you? What were you thinking?"
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
Mrs. Bellemy's tone turned sharp and bitter. "Do you realize Bianca Dante was slapped in public — because of you? Because of this pathetic scandal that carries your name beneath theirs?"
Tears welled in Aria's eyes, but she blinked them back.
Her father shook his head, pacing. "Do you think this family can survive this kind of shame? No. You will fix this, Aria. You will fix it."
Aria's heart pounded. "How?"
"You'll attend the dinner at the Carsons' tonight," Mrs. Bellemy said firmly. "James will be there. His family still respects us. You will smile, you will behave, and you will remind them that the Bellemys are still worth something."
"Mother—"
"No, Aria," she interrupted, her voice cutting like glass. "No more excuses. You've already embarrassed this family once. You will not do it again."
Her father's voice softened only slightly, but the pressure behind it was unmistakable. "You need someone respectable beside you now. Someone the city can talk about — not with shame, but with admiration. James is the right man. Whether you love him or not, that doesn't matter anymore."
Silence fell heavy in the room.
Aria stared down at the photograph again. Luca's perfect smile stared back at her — fake, polished, distant. Her chest ached, but she only nodded slowly. "I understand."
Mrs. Bellemy exhaled, her tone cold but relieved. "Good. Then prepare yourself. The car leaves at seven."
That evening, the Bellemys' car pulled up in front of the Carson estate — a place filled with warmth and laughter, unlike the tension that hung over every wealthy house in the city.
James met them at the door, smiling easily as always. His charm was effortless, his eyes kind. "You came," he said softly as his gaze met Aria's.
She forced a small smile. "I did."
Dinner was light-hearted. James cracked jokes, his mother fussed over Aria, and for the first time in weeks, she found herself laughing again — softly, cautiously, but genuinely.
After dinner, they stepped out into the garden. The evening breeze carried the scent of flowers, and the moon hung low above them.
James turned to her, his voice quiet. "You look better when you smile, you know?"
Aria laughed lightly. "You always say that."
"Because it's true." He hesitated, then added, "I know things have been... messy lately. But Aria, I've known you long enough to know you don't break easily."
She looked at him, really looked at him this time — his steady gaze, his calm energy, so different from Luca's storm. "Maybe I just learned how to hide the cracks," she said softly.
James smiled. "Then maybe it's time someone helped you heal them."
For the first time in weeks, Aria felt a quiet peace settle in her heart — not because she wanted it, but because she needed it.
She glanced up at the sky, the stars faint but clear. Somewhere far across the city, she imagined Luca doing the same — both of them under the same sky, yet worlds apart.
And for now, that was enough.