đź“– Bound by Fate, Tied by Love
🌹 Chapter 3: The First Step
The limousine purred smoothly along the city streets, its tinted windows shielding Isabella from the flashing world outside. She sat stiffly against the leather seat, clutching her small purse in her lap like it was a lifeline.
"This is a mistake," she muttered under her breath.
Across from her, Adrian Cole didn't even glance up from his phone. His posture was relaxed, almost bored, as though he hadn't just blackmailed a woman into becoming his fiancée. His navy suit gleamed under the soft interior lights, his cufflinks catching faint glimmers with every movement.
"Relax," he said smoothly, his voice breaking the heavy silence. "You'll give yourself wrinkles before you're thirty."
Isabella's eyes widened. "Wrinkles? That's your concern right now? Not the fact that I'm about to walk into a room full of strangers pretending to be in love with a man I barely know?"
Adrian finally looked up, his gray eyes sharp and unreadable. "Pretending isn't hard. People do it every day. Smile when you need to. Laugh when I say something clever. Keep your hand in mine. That's all."
She glared at him. "And if I don't?"
His lips curved faintly, though his expression never softened. "Then you'll make both of us look like fools in front of half the city's elite. And I don't like looking like a fool, Isabella."
Her heart thudded, not from fear—but from the strange thrill of defying him. "Maybe I'd enjoy watching you squirm."
For the first time, his smirk almost turned into a genuine smile. Almost. "Careful, Miss Reed. You might discover I squirm far less easily than you think."
The car slowed. Isabella's breath caught as she peered out the window. A grand hotel towered before them, its entrance glowing under chandeliers and strings of golden lights. Dozens of photographers lined the red carpet, their cameras flashing like lightning.
Her stomach twisted into knots. "Oh my God. This is insane. I can't do this."
Adrian pocketed his phone and leaned forward, his voice calm, steady, grounding. "You can. And you will. You're my fiancée tonight. Remember that."
Before she could argue, the car door opened.
The sudden blaze of light and sound hit Isabella like a tidal wave. Flashes exploded. Reporters shouted questions. The world seemed to roar with curiosity and hunger.
Adrian stepped out first, his presence commanding immediate attention. The crowd surged, cameras firing like machine guns. He extended a hand back into the car, waiting.
Isabella froze.
"Come," he said firmly, his voice low but impossible to ignore.
Her fingers shook as she placed her hand in his. The moment their skin touched, warmth shot through her arm, grounding her even as panic threatened to swallow her.
Adrian's grip was steady, strong, unyielding.
He guided her out of the car, and the crowd erupted.
"Who is she?"
"Adrian Cole's fiancée?"
"Look this way!"
The questions blended into a blur as flashes blinded her. Isabella wanted to shrink back, but Adrian slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. His body was solid, his presence a shield.
"Smile," he murmured into her ear, his breath brushing her skin.
She swallowed hard, forcing her lips to curve.
"Good," Adrian said smoothly, turning them both toward the cameras. "Now hold onto me and don't let go."
They walked the red carpet together, and Isabella swore she could feel her heart in her throat. Adrian's confidence was intoxicating—every step, every glance, every slight squeeze of her hand told her he was in complete control.
It should have annoyed her. Instead, it made her pulse race.
Inside the ballroom, chandeliers sparkled above tables dressed in white silk. Waiters glided past with trays of champagne, and the air hummed with polite laughter and gossip.
Adrian didn't pause, weaving through the crowd with Isabella in tow. Heads turned. Whispers followed them like shadows.
"She's beautiful. Who is she?"
"Never seen her before. Must be new money."
"Adrian Cole finally brought someone?"
Isabella felt the weight of every stare. She wanted to disappear, but Adrian's hand at her waist anchored her.
"Relax," he murmured, guiding her toward a circle of men in suits and jeweled women dripping with diamonds. "You belong here tonight."
She almost laughed. I belong here? She was a florist in a borrowed gown. The only thing keeping her upright was the strength of his grip.
"Adrian!" A silver-haired man greeted warmly, clasping Adrian's hand. "And this must be the lucky lady. Finally!"
Adrian's smirk deepened. "Yes. This is Isabella. My fiancée."
The word hung in the air, sharp and deliberate.
Isabella forced a smile, but her heart hammered so loudly she was sure everyone could hear. She felt Adrian's thumb press lightly against her waist—a subtle reminder. Stay calm. Play along.
She managed a polite nod. "It's nice to meet you."
The group welcomed her, though curiosity glittered in their eyes. Questions poured in—Where did you meet? How long have you been engaged? When's the wedding?
Isabella stumbled over her words, but Adrian slipped in smoothly, covering every hesitation with ease. His lies flowed like truth, his charm disarming.
All she had to do was smile, nod, and let him lead.
And yet… something inside her shifted. Standing there with his hand steady at her back, his voice confident and unyielding, Isabella felt a strange flicker of safety in a world that wasn't hers.
Was it possible that, beneath all the arrogance and control, Adrian Cole wasn't just using her?
Her thoughts were interrupted as the crowd parted. A woman glided toward them, her red dress clinging to every curve, her lips painted in a perfect smile.
"Adrian," she purred, her voice rich with familiarity. "I didn't expect to see you here tonight."
Adrian's smile faded, his jaw tightening. "Chloe."
The name rang in Isabella's ears.
The woman's gaze slid toward her, sharp and assessing. Then her smile widened with mock sweetness. "And who is this?"
Adrian's grip on Isabella's waist tightened just slightly. "My fiancée," he said firmly.
Chloe's laughter was soft, disbelieving. "Fiancée? My, my. That's… sudden."
Isabella felt her stomach twist, but she held her head high. She slipped her hand more tightly into Adrian's, forcing her smile to steady. "Not sudden," she said softly, meeting Chloe's gaze. "Just right."
For the first time all evening, Adrian looked at her—not as a pawn in his plan, but as if he truly saw her.
His eyes lingered, unreadable, and something flickered in his expression.
Something dangerous.
Something that made Isabella's pulse race in a way no amount of money ever could.