Chapter 1

Evelyn’s Pov

The laughter of Manhattan’s elite echoed through the gilded ballroom, a cascade of crystal chandeliers casting a glow so blinding it almost felt artificial. I stood near the edge of the room, clutching a glass of champagne I had no intention of drinking. Around me, women in designer gowns and men in tailored suits moved seamlessly through a world I barely understood.

This wasn’t my world. It never had been.

“Smile, Evelyn,” my father hissed under his breath, his hand pressing against the small of my back. “You look like you don’t belong here.”

His words stung, but I obeyed, forcing the corners of my lips to lift into a strained smile. I didn’t belong here, and he knew it. This wasn’t just a high-society engagement party—it was an auction, and I was the prize being quietly bid on.

I glanced across the room, my gaze landing on him. Adrian Blackwood. The man my father had whispered about for weeks, the man who held the fate of our family in his hands.

He stood near the grand staircase, exuding an aura of command that demanded attention. His dark suit was impeccable, his posture perfect, his face an unreadable mask of indifference. Women gravitated toward him, hoping for even a sliver of acknowledgment, but Adrian barely glanced at them.

Then his eyes met mine.

A chill ran down my spine, freezing me in place. His gaze was sharp, like shards of obsidian cutting through the crowd, and for a moment, it felt as though he could see right through me.

I looked away, my heart pounding.

“You’re lucky he’s even considering this,” my father murmured, his voice low but filled with warning. “Do you have any idea how much he’s worth? How many families would kill for this opportunity?”

Opportunity. That’s what he called this. Selling his only daughter to a man twice as powerful and infinitely more dangerous than anyone I’d ever known.

“Why me?” I whispered, my voice barely audible above the hum of conversation.

“Because you’re the only thing I have left to bargain with,” he said, his tone void of any fatherly affection.

The weight of his words settled on my chest like a stone. My father wasn’t a cruel man, but he was desperate. Our family business was crumbling under a mountain of debt, and Adrian Blackwood was the only one who could save us. The price? Me.

“I’ve done everything you’ve ever asked,” I said, my voice trembling. “But this—this is my life.”

He didn’t respond, and I knew he wouldn’t. Richard Carter wasn’t a man who negotiated with sentiment.

“Evelyn.”

I turned at the sound of my name, my stomach twisting as Adrian approached. Up close, he was even more intimidating. His presence was overwhelming, his dark eyes assessing me with a cool detachment that made me feel small.

“Mr. Blackwood,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Adrian,” he corrected, his tone as smooth as the whiskey he held in his hand.

There was a silence that stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. I struggled to find the right words, but what could I possibly say to a man like him?

“You look… tense.” His observation was clinical, almost amused.

“I…” I glanced at my father, who was watching us intently from a few feet away. “I’m just—”

“Uncomfortable,” Adrian finished for me. His lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Understandable, given the circumstances.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. He wasn’t going to make this easy.

“Walk with me,” he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

I hesitated, but the subtle nod from my father pushed me forward. Adrian led me toward a quieter corner of the room, away from prying eyes.

“You don’t want this,” he said once we were alone.

It wasn’t a question.

“No,” I admitted, the honesty slipping out before I could stop it. “But I don’t have a choice.”

He studied me for a moment, his gaze unwavering. “Most women in your position would be eager for what I’m offering. Wealth, power, security.”

“I’m not most women,” I said quietly.

“No, you’re not,” he said, his tone softer now, almost thoughtful.

I looked at him, searching for any sign of humanity beneath his cold exterior. “Why are you doing this? You don’t even know me.”

“It’s not about you,” he said bluntly. “This is business.”

Business. That’s all I was to him—a transaction. I should have been angry, but all I felt was a hollow ache.

“What happens if I say no?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

“Then your family loses everything,” he said without hesitation. “And I make sure no one ever does business with your father again.”

His words were a knife, cutting through the last thread of hope I had.

“You don’t leave people much of a choice, do you?” I said bitterly.

“I don’t believe in choices,” he replied. “Only outcomes.”

The silence between us was deafening. I wanted to hate him, to scream at him, but all I could do was nod.

“I’ll do it,” I said finally, my voice barely audible.

Adrian tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “Good. Then we’ll sign the contract tomorrow.”

And just like that, my fate was sealed.

The ride home was silent. My father didn’t say a word, and I didn’t have the energy to fill the void. The city lights blurred through the car window, a kaleidoscope of colors that felt strangely distant, as if I were watching someone else’s life unfold.

When we finally reached our modest townhouse, I went straight to my room, locking the door behind me.

The tears came then, hot and unstoppable. I sank to the floor, my chest heaving with silent sobs.

This wasn’t how my life was supposed to be. I’d dreamed of love, of a man who saw me for who I was, not what I could offer. But those dreams felt like another lifetime now, crushed under the weight of my father’s mistakes and Adrian Blackwood’s cold, unyielding terms.

I didn’t know how long I sat there, but eventually, the tears stopped. I wiped my face and stood, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me.

“You’ll get through this,” I whispered to myself, though the words felt hollow.

Because the truth was, I didn’t know if I would.