📖 Bound by Fate, Tied by Love
🌹 Chapter 12: Masks and Daggers
The corridor suddenly felt too narrow, suffocating with Chloe's presence. Her gown shimmered under the candlelight, her smile painted with venomous sweetness.
Adrian moved first, stepping between her and Isabella. "Enough, Chloe. This isn't your arena."
"Oh, but it is," Chloe purred, her heels clicking softly as she circled them. "You brought her into this world, Adrian, and now every eye in that ballroom is watching. Do you really think you can keep your pretty little secret bride tucked away in corners forever?"
Isabella's chest tightened. The word secret dug into her like a blade.
"Walk away," Adrian ordered, his voice low and sharp.
But Chloe only tilted her head, her gaze flicking toward Isabella. "Does he tell you everything, darling? Or do you just follow his lead like one of those dancers, twirling until he lets you go?"
Heat flared in Isabella's cheeks. She wanted to speak, to defend herself, but the weight of Chloe's eyes—and Adrian's silence—pinned her still.
The music from the ballroom swelled again, laughter and clinking glasses filtering down the corridor. Chloe's smile widened. "You see? They're waiting. And if you don't come back soon, they'll start asking questions. Dangerous ones."
Adrian's jaw tightened. He knew she was right. The longer they stayed away, the more suspicion brewed.
With a sharp exhale, he took Isabella's hand. "We're going back."
Isabella blinked at him. "Now?"
"Yes," Adrian said firmly. His gaze flicked to Chloe, hard as steel. "Let them look. Let them whisper. We won't give them the satisfaction of hiding."
Chloe's laughter followed them as he led Isabella back toward the ballroom. "Bold choice, Adrian. But remember—appearances are everything."
The ballroom was alive with chatter when they re-entered. Heads turned almost instantly, eyes narrowing, lips curving into curious smirks. The chandelier above had been secured again, but the unease from earlier lingered like smoke.
A guest murmured too loudly, "She doesn't look like she belongs here."
Another whispered, "Did you see how close Chloe was to them?"
Laughter bubbled, sharp and knowing.
Isabella's pulse raced. The stares burned hotter than the chandeliers. Every step felt heavier, her hand trembling in Adrian's grip. She wanted to shrink, to vanish into the shadows—but Adrian's stride was strong, unyielding.
When they reached the center of the floor, he stopped suddenly, turning to face her. His gray eyes locked onto hers, steady and commanding.
"Dance with me."
Her breath caught. "Adrian, I—"
"Dance," he repeated, louder this time, his voice carrying over the crowd.
Gasps rippled around them. Chloe, watching from across the room, narrowed her eyes, her smile faltering just slightly.
The music shifted into a slower waltz. Adrian's hand settled firmly at Isabella's waist, his other guiding hers, and once again they were in the center of it all—every gaze, every whisper, every ounce of scrutiny drawn to them.
But this time, Adrian wasn't simply leading her. He was making a statement.
Each movement was deliberate, each step claiming space, each turn daring anyone to challenge them. The murmurs grew louder, yet Isabella felt the strength in his grip steady her trembling.
Still, beneath the beauty of the dance, Isabella's thoughts churned. Chloe's words echoed in her mind. Does he tell you everything, darling? The stranger's warning pressed like ice in her chest. Secrets rot in silence… and when they do, they destroy everything.
For the crowd, the dance was dazzling. A display of elegance, control, and power.
But for Isabella, it was something else entirely:
A question.
Could she keep dancing with a man who refused to let her see the truth?