Mine

The engagement announcement broke the internet in less than twenty minutes. Aria learned that while sitting frozen in front of Lucien’s office television as reporters practically shouted over one another. “Billionaire CEO Lucien Moretti shocks the city with sudden engagement—”

“Sources claim the mysterious woman has been secretly involved with Moretti for months—”

“Questions are already rising regarding the timing of the announcement amid ongoing tensions within the Moretti empire—” Photos flooded the screen. Pictures of Lucien entering buildings. Pictures of her beside him from earlier that day. Headlines. Speculation. Rumors. It felt like her entire life had been ripped away overnight and handed to strangers for entertainment. “I can’t breathe.” The words slipped out quietly. Lucien looked up from his phone immediately.

“You’re fine.”

“No, I’m not.” Aria stood abruptly and walked away from the television, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. “This is insane.” She laughed shakily. “People think I’m actually engaged to you.”

“You are.” She turned toward him instantly. “Fake engaged.” Lucien’s expression didn’t change. “The public won’t know the difference.” That irritated her more than it should have. Maybe because he sounded so unaffected while her entire world collapsed around her. “How are you this calm?” Lucien set his phone down slowly. “Because panic changes nothing.”

“There has to be another way.”

“There isn’t.” The certainty in his voice made frustration burn inside her chest. “You keep deciding things for me.”

“And you keep surviving because of it.” The bluntness of the answer silenced her for a moment. God. Arguing with him felt impossible sometimes. A knock interrupted the tension before she could answer. One of the guards stepped into the office carefully. “Sir, the guests have started arriving.” Aria frowned immediately. “Guests?” Lucien stood. “The engagement dinner.”

Her eyes widened. “Tonight?”

“Yes.”

“You planned a dinner?”

“I planned a public appearance.” Aria stared at him in disbelief. “You can’t seriously expect me to sit through dinner with strangers pretending to be your fiancée.” Lucien walked toward her slowly. “You need them to believe this is real.” His voice lowered slightly. “The more convincing we are, the safer you become.” Every explanation with him somehow circled back to protection. Safety. Fear. And worst of all? Part of her believed him. Lucien stopped directly in front of her. “You’ll stay beside me tonight.” Aria folded her arms tightly. “You sound very sure of yourself.”

“I sound practical.”

“No,” she muttered. “You sound controlling.”

Something dangerous flickered briefly behind his eyes. Then unexpectedly— “You’re still here.” The quietness of the statement caught her off guard. Because suddenly it didn’t sound arrogant. It sounded almost… surprised. As if part of him genuinely expected her to run already. Before she could respond, Evelyn entered carrying another elegant dress bag. “Your stylists are waiting downstairs, dear.” Aria wanted to scream. Instead she forced herself upstairs again. Two exhausting hours later, she barely recognized herself for the second time that day. The dark emerald dress hugged her figure softly while her curls fell over one shoulder in careful waves. Minimal makeup highlighted her features without hiding them completely. She looked older somehow. More confident. Like someone who belonged beside powerful men..The thought made her uneasy.

“You’re nervous,” Evelyn observed gently while adjusting one of her earrings. “I feel like I’m walking into a lion’s den.” A soft smile touched Evelyn’s face. “You are.” That did not help..At all.

When Aria finally reached the bottom of the staircase, voices echoed from the massive ballroom downstairs. Expensive laughter. Glasses clinking. Music drifting softly through the mansion. Lucien stood near the entrance speaking with several men in suits. The moment he looked up— He stopped talking. Aria’s breath caught slightly.

His gray eyes moved over her slowly, intensely enough to make warmth rise into her cheeks again. For one dangerous second, the entire room seemed to disappear around them. Then one of the businessmen laughed loudly beside him and the moment broke instantly. Lucien walked toward her. Dark suit. Controlled expression. Power in every movement. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs. And held out his hand. Aria hesitated briefly before placing her hand in his. Warm fingers closed around hers immediately.

Strong. Steady. The simple touch sent unexpected awareness rushing through her chest. Lucien leaned down slightly toward her ear. “Relax.” His voice brushed against her skin like dark velvet. “How exactly do you expect me to relax?”

“By pretending.” Aria looked up at him.

“You seem very experienced at that.” Something unreadable flickered across his face. Then disappeared. Lucien guided her into the ballroom beside him. The conversations around them softened almost instantly. People stared openly.

Aria suddenly understood exactly what it felt like to become prey. Whispers followed them everywhere. “That’s her?” “She’s beautiful.” “Where did he find her?” “He actually looks interested for once…” Interested. If only they knew. Lucien’s hand remained firmly against her lower back while he introduced her to powerful strangers she immediately forgot the names of Politicians, Business owners, Socialites. Everyone smiled too perfectly. Nobody felt genuine. Aria quickly realized something else too— People were afraid of Lucien. Not openly. Not dramatically. But subtly.

In the way they chose words carefully around him. In the way their laughter sounded nervous. In the way nobody ever interrupted him. Power clung to him naturally. And somehow… Standing beside him made people look at her differently too. Like she suddenly mattered because he allowed it. The thought unsettled her deeply. “You’re thinking too much,” Lucien murmured beside her while accepting a glass of champagne from a waiter. Aria glanced at him quietly. “Your friends are terrifying.”

“I don’t have friends.” The answer came so naturally she almost believed him immediately. Almost. Then suddenly a familiar voice cut through the crowd. “Well, this is unexpected.” Aria turned. Vanessa. Beautiful as ever. Dangerous as ever. Tonight she wore a black dress that made her look elegant enough to kill someone gracefully. Her eyes moved between Aria and Lucien slowly. “I leave for one week and suddenly you’re engaged.” Lucien’s expression cooled instantly. “You weren’t invited.” Vanessa smiled faintly. “And yet here I am.” Aria immediately felt tension build beside her. Old tension. Personal tension. Vanessa stepped closer, her gaze lingering on Lucien longer than necessary before turning toward Aria. “You look nervous.”

“I am nervous.” The honesty surprised Vanessa slightly. Then she laughed softly. “That’s probably smart.” Lucien’s hand against Aria’s back tightened slightly. Possessively. The tiny movement didn’t escape Vanessa’s notice. Interesting. Very interesting. “Lucien,” another male voice interrupted suddenly. The atmosphere changed immediately sharp and cold. A tall older man approached through the crowd surrounded by several guards, Dark suit, Silver hair, Cruel eyes.

Something about him made Aria uncomfortable instantly. Lucien’s entire posture hardened beside her. “Uncle.” Uncle. Oh. The older man’s gaze settled directly onto Aria. And smiled. But there was nothing warm about it. “So,” he said smoothly, “this is the girl causing all the chaos.” Fear curled sharply down Aria’s spine. Lucien stepped slightly closer beside her. Protective. Warning. The older man noticed that too. “How fascinating,” he murmured. Aria looked up at Lucien briefly. His expression had gone completely unreadable again. Dangerously unreadable. Then the older man spoke words that made her blood run cold. “You should be careful, Miss Collins.” His smile widened slightly. “People close to this family tend to die young.” Silence exploded around them. And before Aria could even react— Lucien’s arm wrapped firmly around her waist. His voice came out low. Deadly. Controlled. “She’s under my protection.” The older man’s eyes darkened slightly. Then Lucien added quietly: “And what belongs to me stays untouched.” Aria’s heart skipped violently inside her chest. Because somehow… That didn’t sound fake at all.