Chapter 1 My father raised seven brilliant orphans to be my potential husbands. For years, I only had eyes for one of them, the cold and distant Damien Paul, believing his distance was a wall I just had to break through.

That belief shattered last night when I found him in the garden, kissing his foster sister, Eve-the fragile girl my family took in at his request, the one I had treated like my own sister.

But the true horror came whenI overheard the other six Fellows talking in the library.

They weren't competing for me. They were working together, orchestrating "accidents" and mocking my "stupid, blind" devotion to keep me away from Damien.

Their loyalty wasn't to me, the heiress who held their futures in her hands. It was to Eve.

I wasn't a woman to be won. I was a foolish burden to be managed. The seven men I grew up with, the men who owed my family everything, were a cult, and she was their queen.

This morning, I walked into my father's study to make a decision that would burn their world to the ground. He smiled, asking if I'd finally won Damien over.

"No, Dad," I said, my voice firm. "I'm marrying Hunter Beach."

Chapter 1

My name is Elena Barron, and I am the sole heiress to a global logistics empire. For as long as I can remember, my world has revolved around seven young men my father took in. They are the Barron Fellows, underprivileged prodigies my father is grooming. One of them is meant to be my husband and his successor.

For years, my heartonly beat for oneof them: Damien Paul.

He was the most brilliant, the most talented, and the most distant. I spent my youth chasing after him, a shadowclinging to his light. I baked him cookies he never ate. I waited for him after his classes, but he always walked past me without a word. I told myself his coldness was just his nature, a wall he built because of a dark past.

I believed that if I just tried hard enough, I could break through it.

Last night,that belief shattered.

I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk in the moonlit garden. That's when I saw them, hidden in the shadows of the old oak tree. Damien had Eve McClain, his foster sister, pressed against the trunk. He was kissing her like his life depended on it, a passion I had only ever dreamed of receiving.

Eve, the girl my family had also taken in at Damien's request. The girl everyone saw as sweet andfragile. The girl I had treated like my own sister.

That single moment destroyed everything.

This morning, I walked into my father' s study and made a decision that would change the course of my life.

"Dad, I've decided who I'm going to marry."

My father, Mr. Barron, looked up from his papers,a warm smile on his face. "Have you finally wonover Damien? I knew you could do it, sweetheart."

I shook my head, my voice firm. "No. I wantto marry Hunter Beach."

My father's smile vanished. He put down his pen and looked at me, his brow furrowed with confusion. "Hunter? The tech mogul from Silicon Valley? Elena, he's not one of the Fellows. What is this about?"

"He loves me, Dad. Truly."

"The Fellows are brilliant. They've been raised alongside you. Javier is a master strategist, Kennith has a fiery passion that could move mountains. Any one of them would be a worthy partner."

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth. "Worthy?Dad, you have no idea."

My mind flashed back to a week ago. I had been searching for my favorite book in the library and overheard voices from the adjoining study. It was the Fellows. All of them except Damien.

Javier Solis, the cunning one, was speaking in a low voice. "We need a new strategy. Elena is becoming more insistent about Damien. She' s not a child anymore."

Kennith Boyle, always hot-tempered, scoffed. "So what? We just keep ignoring her. She' ll get the hint eventually."

"It's not that simple," Javier replied, his voice calm and sharp. "Mr. Barron wants a marriage. If it's not Damien, it willbe one of us. And none of us want that. Our loyalty is to Eve."

A cold dread had filled me as I listened, hidden behind a bookshelf.

They talked about how they had orchestrated small "accidents" and "misunderstandings" to make melook foolish or clingy in front of Damien. They even mentioned the time Javier had "saved" me from a falling sculpture in the garden two years ago, an event that had made me see him as a hero.

"That was a good move,Javi," Kennith had said with a laugh. "She looked at you like you were a god for a whole month."

Javier's voice was smug. "It was easy. A little nudge was all it took. The point was to make her feel a debt to someone other than Damien, to complicate things. To make her feel confused."

They laughed. They laughed atme. At my trust, my affection, my "stupid, blind" devotion.

They weren't competing for me. Theywere working together to avoid me. To keep their little group intact.

The only one they spoke of with any kindness was Hunter Beach, the outsider. They pitied him for wasting his time on me, a girl they saw as a burden.

"At least he's not one of us," Javier had concluded. "He's not part of the family."

Their ultimate goal, the reason for all the deception, was Eve. They saw her as one of their own, a fellow survivor from the harsh world they' d escaped. They were united in protecting her, in ensuring that she, not I, remained the center of their universe.

My hands clenched into fists at my side, my nails digging into my palms as the memory burned through me. I was trembling with a rage so pure it felt like ice in my veins.

My father had found them in orphanages and broken homes, seven brilliantboys with nowhere to go. He gave them the best education, a life of luxury, and a future. When he chose Damien, the boy had made one condition.

"You have to take my foster sister, Eve, too."

I remembered being so moved by his loyalty. I, a naive sixteen-year-old, had begged my father to agree. "Please, Dad!He loves his sister so much! We have to keep them together."

And so, Eve came to theBarron estate.

She was treated like a princess. The Fellows doted on her, buying her gifts, protecting her from any perceived slight, always taking her side. If I ever showed a hint of jealousy, they would look at me with disappointment. "Elena, she's had a hard life. Can't you be more compassionate?"

I would shrink back, filled with guilt, believing I was the petty one.

Now I knew. It was all a lie. They weren't brothers protecting a fragile sister. They were a cult, and she was their queen.

The memory of what I saw last night returned, sharp and painful. After I'd heard them in the study, I'd stumbled out into the garden, my mind reeling. That's when I heard the whispers from the oak tree. That's when I saw the kiss.

I saw every detail. Damien's hands tangled in her hair, Eve's arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Then I heard her voice, a tearful whisper. "Damien, what if she makes youmarry her? I don't want to lose you."

Damien's reply was cold, devoid of the passion I'd just witnessed. "She won't have my heart. Marrying her is just repaying a debt to her father. You're the only one who matters, Eve. You always have been."

Chapter 2 I spent the entire night staring at my ceiling, the memory ofDamien's words replaying in my head. Marrying her is just repaying a debt. He saw me as a transaction, a bill to be paid.

I would not be his charity case.

With my lineage and fortune, I could have any man I wanted. I didn't need to beg for scraps of affection from someone who despised me.

I stood before my father again, my resolve hardened."I'm serious, Dad. I'm marrying Hunter. I trust him. He's the only one who has ever been honest with me."

"But the Fellows..."

"The Fellows are loyal to you because you hold their futures in your hands," I said, my voice sharp. "Their deference to me is just an act." I hid the flicker of pain in my eyes. The years I'd wasted, the love I'd poured out-it all felt like a joke.

I straightened myshoulders. "I have some requests."

"Anything, sweetheart."

"Freeze their accounts. All of them. And cut off Eve McClain's allowance completely. She's not a Barron. She has no right to our money."

My father looked shocked but nodded slowly. "If that's what you want, it's done. I'll have themall removed from the estate after your wedding."

A weight lifted from my chest. I walked out of the study, my head held high.

I met Eve on the grand staircase. She was dressed in a delicate white dress, looking like the picture of innocence. She rushed over, linking her arm with mine.

"Elena! I was just coming to findyou! There's a charity polo match today. Will you take me? Please?"

I looked at her, at the sweet smile she wore, and felt sick to my stomach. This was the face of thegirl who had stolen my love and laughed at my pain.

I yanked my arm away from her grasp.

Her eyes widened in surprise. Then, in a move of pure theatrical genius, she let out a small cry and tumbled dramatically down the last few steps of the staircase.

"Eve!" A frantic shout came from the bottom of the stairs. It was Damien.

I looked down and saw them all. The seven Fellows, standing there, looking up at me.

Kennith Boyle pointed a finger at me,his face red with rage. "Elena, youvicious bitch! How could you push her?"

Eve, meanwhile, was already on her feet, rushing to my defense with tears in her eyes. "No, no, it wasn't Elena! I just slipped. She would never hurt me." Her words only made me look guiltier.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, her lip trembling. She was the perfect victim.

The Fellows allglared at me with pure disgust.

Damien didn't say a word. He just gave me one cold,dismissive look before scooping Eve into his armsand carrying her away as if she were made of glass.

I was left standing there, alone. I didn't get a chance to explain. I didn't even want to.

Later that day, I went to my scheduled ridinglesson at the stables, hoping the fresh airwould clear my head. Of course, she was there.

Eve was standing by the paddock, looking pale and fragile. Damien was with her.

"Elena," Eve said, her voice soft and sweet. "I'm sorry about this morning. And please, don't worry about me and Damien. I know my place. I would never get in the way of your happiness."

Damien hovered by her side, his eyes never leaving her, as if she were the most precious thing in the world. He personally saddled a gentle mare for her, lifting her onto its back with extreme care.

He then spent the next hour leading the horse around the paddock, his hands patiently guiding hers on the reins, his voice a low, soothing murmur that only she could hear.

When she said she was tired, he led the horse to the mounting block. But instead of letting her use it, he dropped to one knee, offering his shoulder for her to step on.

I froze.

My mind flashed back to my thirteenth birthday. I had wanted to ride themost spirited stallion in our stables, a wild horse no one could tame.Damien, already a master horseman, was the only one who could handle him.

My father had taught him that a man should only kneel for his wife.

But that day, my father had looked at a reluctant sixteen-year-old Damien and said, "Kneel. Let her step on your shoulder. She is your future, Damien. She is everything."

Damien had knelt, his face a mask of silent humiliation.

Chapter 3 My father's words were meant to teach Damien a lesson about his place, about his duty to me. He was telling him that I was to be his world, the woman he must honor above all others.

I remember the feeling of my small boot on his broad shoulder. My heart had hammered in my chest. It was the first time I realized I was in love with him.

I was too young, too infatuated, to see the shame burning in his eyes.

After that day, I never asked him to do it again. I respected his pride too much.

Now, I watched as he knelt willingly, gladly, for another woman. For Eve. He looked up at her with a tenderness that made my own eyes sting.

The sight was a physical pain, sharp and unbearable. I forced myself to look away.

I kicked my horse, a powerful black gelding named Midnight, into a gallop. I urged him faster and faster, the wind whipping past my face, temporarily chasing away the storm in my heart. I needed to feel free, to outrun the suffocating reality of my life.

The stable had a challenging obstacle course,with high jumps and tight turns. I guided Midnight towards it, pushing him to his limits.

We approached a tall oxer. Midnight gathered himself, launching into the air.

In that split second, I heard a sharp crack.

The saddle cinch had snapped.

I was thrown from the horse, landing hard on the unforgiving ground.A searing pain shot through my leg. Midnight, spooked and riderless, thrashed wildly, his powerful hooves dangerously close to my head.

Through a haze of pain, I looked for Damien. He was still with Eve, his back to me, completely oblivious to my plight. He was supposed tobe my designated guardian during these lessons, his one official duty.

He had failed. He was too busy doting on her.

"Damien!" I screamed, my voice raw withdesperation and agony.

He finally turned, his eyes widening in shock. With a speed that was almost inhuman, hewas at my side. He grabbed Midnight's reins, his voice a low command that instantly calmed the frantic animal. He was a master of beasts, a skill he'd learned on the streets.

His job was to keep me safe. He had been so focused on Eve he had almost gotten me killed.

The next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed with a broken leg.

Damien, seemingly wracked with guilt, volunteered to be my caretaker. He was a perfect nurse, attentive and gentle. He brought me my meals, read to me, and made sure I was never in any pain.

For a few days, a foolish part of me allowed a sliver of hope to grow. Maybe he did care. Maybe this accident had made him realize something.

But then I would see the way his eyes lit up whenever Eve visited, the secret smiles they shared when they thought I wasn't looking. The hope would wither and die.

My leg was healing. One night, I woke up needing to use therestroom. The cast made it awkward, and I hobbled slowly down the quiet, sterile hallway of the private hospital wing.

That's when I heard voices from a small alcove near the nurses'station. It was Javier and Damien.

"You went too far this time, Damien," Javier's voice was a low hiss. "Cutting her saddle strap? She could have broken her neck."

My blood ran cold. I pressed myself against the wall,my heart pounding in my ears.

Damien's reply was chillingly calm. "I didn't expect the horse to spook like that. My calculations showed she'd just have a minor fall, maybe a sprain. Enough to scare her, to make her more dependent. This broken leg... it was an anomaly."

He had calculated my fall. It wasn't an accident. It was a plan.

"So this is your penance?" Javier asked. "Playing the devoted caretaker?"

"I'll see it through," Damien said. "Then this will all be over. She'll be fine, and we can move on."

A wave of nausea washed over me. I felt a coldness spread from my chest through my entire body, a chill that had nothing to do with the hospital air conditioning.

He had done this to me. On purpose. To "scare" me. To "manage" me.

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, but I didn't feel the pain. The agony in my heart was so much greater, it eclipsed everything else. This wasn't just betrayal. This was monstrous.

Chapter 4 I was discharged from the hospital a week later. Damien was there, waiting to drive me home. I ignored him completely and got into the car with Javier, who had also come along.

Javier, the strategist. The one who had "saved" me from a falling sculpture. The one who had just reprimanded Damien for almost killing me.

He tried to make small talk on the way home, telling jokes, trying to get me to smile.

I couldn't. Myface felt like a frozen mask.

"Elena, are you okay?" heasked, his voice gentle. "You seem... different."

"I'm fine,"I said, my voice flat.

"Look, I know things have been tense," he said. "Why don't we go to the Christie's auction tonight? Buy yourself something pretty. It always helps." He smiled. "My treat."

I looked at him, at his handsome, concerned face, and felt a surge of disgust. "With my father's money?"

He flinched, but recovered quickly. "I have my own money, Elena. I've made some very successful investments." He leaned in a little. "Seriously. Let me buy you anything you want."

A slow, cold smile spread across my face for the first time in weeks. "Alright, Javier. You're on."

If he wanted to play the generous fool, I would let him. I would takeeverything I could from these vipers.

The auction house was buzzing with the city's elite. The centerpiece of the evening was a stunning necklace known as the "Tears of the Ocean," a cascade of flawless blue diamonds.

The moment I saw it, I knew Ihad to have it.

Just as the bidding was about to start, the doors opened and two more people walked in. Damien and Eve.

My smile froze. I had a sick feeling inmy stomach. I knew, with absolute certainty, that Eve would want that necklace.

The biddingstarted.

"One million dollars," came a soft voice from across the room. It was Eve.

She caught my eye and then looked down, a hesitant expression on her face. "Oh, Elena. Do you want it? I'm sorry, I'll stop." She made a show of lowering her bidding paddle, looking up at Damien with sad eyes. "I wouldn't want to take something you like."

She played the part of the magnanimous sister so well.

Damien's face hardened. He glared at me from across the room, his eyes full of contempt, as if I were a bully taking a toy from a small child.

He turned to Eve, his voice loud enough for the whole room to hear. "If you like it, you should have it. Don't let anyone stop you."

Then he raised hisown paddle. "Five million dollars."

A hush fell over the room. Everyone knew who Damien was. He was theBarron heir apparent, my future husband. For him to publicly bid against me for another woman was a slap in the face. Whispers erupted.

"Is he trying to humiliate her?"

"Poor Elena. To be treated likethat in public."

I felt the heat of a hundred pairs of eyes on me, some pitying, some mocking. My hand, holding my own paddle, trembled with rage.

I would not be humiliated. I would not back down.

I lifted my paddle, catchingthe auctioneer's eye, and made a sharp, decisive gesture.

"Ten million," the auctioneer announced, his voice booming.

I would not letthem win.

Chapter 5 "Sold! To Miss Barron for ten million dollars!"the auctioneer declared.

A wave of relief washed over me. For a moment, the tightness in my chest eased.

I went to the back room to finalize the purchase. The attendant swiped my exclusive, unlimited black card. It was declined.

"That's impossible,"I said, my voice tight. "Try it again."

He did. "I'm sorry,Miss Barron. The card has been frozen."

I stared at him in disbelief. My father would never freeze my card.

Javier, who had followed me, stepped forward. "Don't worry, Elena. I told you, it's my treat." He handed the attendant his own card.

It was also declined.

Javier looked stunned. "What? My accounts are fine. There must be a mistake."

A commotion started to build outside the room. People were whispering, laughing.

"Did you hear? The Barrons are broke!"

"She bid ten millionand can't even payfor it. What a joke."

My face burned with shame. I had never felt so humiliated in my entire life.

Just then, Damien appeared in the doorway. He had watched the whole scene unfold, a cool, unreadable expression on his face. He walked slowly towards the attendant.

"Allow me," he said, pulling a card from his wallet.

The paymentwent through instantly.

The attendant handed the velvet box containing the necklace to Damien.

And then, in front of everyone, Damien walked over to Eve, opened the box, and fastened the "Tears of the Ocean" around her neck.

I was no longer just a joke. I was the punchline.

My eyes stung, and I fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

Javier swore under his breath. "That son of a bitch. He must have hacked our accounts. He did this on purpose."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips, and then the tears came, hot and unstoppable. Of course, he did. He was a genius coder. He could cripple financial systems with a few keystrokes. This wasn't just about a necklace. This was a public execution of my dignity.

He had the power to ruin me, and hehad just proved it.

Damien turned to Javier,his voice low and menacing. "Stay away from her."

Then he looked at me, his eyes cold as ice."Let's go home, Elena."

"I'd rather die," Iwhispered, my voice choked with grief.

I turned and walked away, not looking back.

For the next week, I locked myself in my room. Javier tried to visit, leaving trays of my favorite desserts outside my door. I ignored them. I remembered his voice from the library, laughing about how he'd manipulated me. He was no better than the rest of them.

One afternoon, I turned on the security feed I'd secretly had installed in the main living areas of the house. I'd done it after overhearing their conversation in the library, needing to know the true extent of their deception.

The Fellows were sprawled on the couches, complaining.

"Is she ever coming out?" Kennith groaned. "Eve wants us to take her to the Hamptons, but Damien says we can't go until Elena is 'stable' again."

"Why is it our job to cheer her up?" another Fellow, Leo, whined. "I'd much rather be with Eve."

"Damien's orders," Javier said with a sigh. "He wants one of usto go up there and coax her out."

"I'm not going," Kennith grumbled.

"I don't want to either," Leo added. "Javier, you go. You're the best at pretending to care."

"Why should I?" Javier shot back, his good-natured facade gone. "Damien's the one who caused this mess at the auction. Let him clean it up."

Just then, Damien himself walked into the frame. He looked atthe others, his expression dark.

"I'll handle my fiancée," he said, his voice laced with a cold possession that made my skin crawl. "You all just stay out of it."

He picked up a small gift box from the table and headed for the stairs.

I quickly shut off the monitor. My fiancée. He still had the audacity to call me that.

Downstairs, I could hear Kennith's angry voice through the door. "His fiancée? Who does he think heis? She belongs to all of us... or to none of us."

Javier's voice was heavy with resignation. "It doesn't matter, Ken. In the end, she'll still choose him. She alwaysdoes. We're just the supporting cast in their twisted play."

Chapter 6 The lock on my bedroom door clicked open with ease. Damien stepped inside, not even bothering to pretend he hadn't just picked it.

"Get out!" I yelled, my eyes red and swollen from days of crying.

"I learned how to do that when I was living on the streets," he said with a small, unamused smile, as if that explained everything. He sat down on the edge of my bed, the gift box in his hands.

He sat in silence for a long time before he spoke. "When I was a kid, I had nothing. No one. Then I found Eve. She was just a baby, abandoned like me. She became my reason to live. My only family."

He paused, his dark eyes fixed on me. "And then your father found us. He gave me a home. A future. I owe him everything. I would do anything for him, for you."

He opened the gift box. "But you have to understand. Eve is my sister. She's all I have from my old life. I can't let anyone hurt her. I need you to tolerate her, Elena. That's the only thing I ask."

For a moment, his words, his vulnerability, almost reached me. A flicker of the old, foolish Elena stirred in my heart.

Then he said the word "sister," and the illusion shattered.

Brothers don't kiss their sisters the way he kissed Eve in the garden. Brothers don't look at their sisters with that kind of raw hunger.

He was a liar.

"So, after we're married," I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "will she still come first? Will your 'sister' always be your priority?"

"Yes," he answered without a shred of hesitation. "She will always be my first priority. But I will be good to you,Elena. I will cherish you." He paused. "As much as I can."

I let out a bitter laugh that sounded more like a sob. "As much as you can." All my unhappiness, all my pain, stemmed from him. From my one-sided love for him.

I didn't say anything else. There was no point.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Eve. He answered immediately, his voice softening. "I'll be right there." He hung up and stood to leave.

"This is for you," he said, placing the gift box on my nightstand. He left without another word.

Inside the box was a necklace. A simple, elegant diamond pendant. It was beautiful, but it wasn't the "Tears of the Ocean." It wasn't what I had wanted.

It was a consolation prize. A symbol of how much he was willing to give me: something, but not everything. Not the best.

I picked up the box, walked over to the trash can, and dropped it in without a second thought.

I deserve a man who would give me the world, not one who would ask me to settle for second place.

My 21st birthday arrived a month later. It was to be the biggest social event of the year, a gala where my father would officially announce my engagement.

I stood in front of the mirror, wearing a custom-made haute couture gown. I looked like a princess, but I felt a pang of regret that I wasn't wearing the "Tears of the Ocean."

Just then, a butler entered my dressing room holding a large, beautifully wrapped box.

"This just arrived for you, Miss Barron. From Mr. Beach."

My heart skipped a beat. Hunter.

"Mr. Beach sends his apologies for not being able to find the 'Tears of the Ocean'," the butler explained. "The current owner refused to sell. So he commissioned this for you instead. He hopes it will suffice."

I opened the box. Nestled on a bed of black velvet was a breathtaking set of jewelry. A necklace, earrings, and a bracelet, all featuring enormous pigeon's blood rubies, the rarest and most valuable in the world. They glowed with an inner fire, a deep, passionate red.

"The ruby symbolizes a love that is more precious than anything," the butler said softly.

A genuine smile, the first in a long time, blossomed on my face. I put on thejewels. They felt warm against my skin.

I finally felt like a queen. And I knew, with absolute certainty,that I had made the right choice.

As I was about to leave my room, I ran into Eve. Shewas also dressed for the party, but her eyes were fixed on the rubies around my neck. Her smile faltered.

"Those are... magnificent," she said, her voice tight. "Did Damien give them to you?"

I brushed past her without a word.

Her eyes flashed with a look of pure hatred. "He doesn't love you, you know," she hissed at my back. "He's only marrying you to repay your father."

She stepped in front of me, blocking my path, and held up her phone. "He'llnever touch you the way he touches me."

She pressed play. On the screen, a video began.It was her and Damien, tangled together in bed, their bodies moving in a rhythm of pure lust.

"He's never looked at you like that, has he?" she taunted, her voice cruel. "You should pick one of the other Fellows. Javier, maybe? Or Kennith? I've had them all. Kennith is particularly... athletic." She laughed, a low, vulgar sound. "I can give you a full report on their performance if you like."

Chapter 7 The filth pouring from her mouth was more than I could bear.

My hand moved on its own. The sharp crack of my palm connecting with her cheek echoed in the hallway.

"You're disgusting," I spat, my voicetrembling with rage.

A cold presence behind me made me freeze. I turned slowly and met the icy, furious gaze of Damien.

He didn't say a word. He just stoodthere, looking at me, and I knew.I knew he would make me pay for this.

The entire birthday gala passed in a blur of anxiety. I smiled, I mingled, I accepted birthday wishes, but my mind was in a knot of fear. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Damien's quiet, calculated revenge.

But nothing happened. The party was aspectacular success.

Finally, the moment arrived. My father stood on the stage, ready to announce my future husband. The ballroom fell silent, a thousand guests holding their breath.

"It has to be Damien Paul," someone whispered nearby. "He's the only one worthy of her."

"What about Hunter Beach?" another voice countered. "He's been chasing her for years. Poor guy never stood a chance."

I couldn't help the small, triumphant smile that touched my lips. I glanced across the room at Hunter. He caught my eye and gave me a look of such deep, unwavering love it took my breath away. He raised his hand and signed to me, a little joke between us: Don't you dare change your mind.

I laughed,a real, happy laugh.

And then the world exploded.

The giant screen behind the stage, which had been displaying a beautiful montage of my life, flickered and changed. An image of my bedroom appeared. It was me.

I was holding one of Damien's shirts, pressing it to my face, my eyes closed in a state of pathetic, lovesick bliss. The video continued, showing me in my most private moments, touching myself, whispering his name.

"I love you, Damien," my voice echoed through the silent ballroom. "I love you so much."

A wave of absolute horror washed over me. I turned, my eyes desperately seeking Damien in the crowd. He stood there, his face a cold, blank mask.

Tears streamed down my face. "How could you?" I mouthed, my heart shattering into amillion pieces. "How could you be so cruel?"

"Turn it off!" my father roared,his face purple with rage. "Somebody turn that damn thing off!"

But the video kept playing. Thesystem was locked.

Hunter, seeing my devastation, didn't hesitate.He charged the stage, picked up a heavy champagne stand, and smashed the projector to pieces.

"Find out who did this!" my father bellowed, his voice shaking. "I want them found!"

One of his business partners tried to calm him down. "Charles, it's just a young girl's crush. It's clear who she's in love with.Announce the engagement to Damien. It will smooth everything over."

My father's face was pale. He knew. Heknew I had chosen Hunter. He looked at Hunter, a desperate hope in his eyes.

Hunter walked to my side, wrapping his strong arms around me, shielding me from the prying eyes of the crowd. He held me tight, a solid, unshakeable anchor in my swirling nightmare.

Then he turned to face the stunned guests, his voice ringing with authority and fury.

"Elena Barron is my fiancée," he announced, his voice booming through the hall. "And I swear to God, whoever is responsible for this, I will find you. And I will destroy you."

The crowdgasped.

Across the room, the faces of Damien Paul and the other Barron Fellows were ashen. They stared at me, at Hunter, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief. This was not how their plan was supposed to end.

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My name is Elena Barron, and I am the sole heiress to a global empire. For years, I believed my love could thaw Damien Paul's ice-cold heart. Last night, I watched him press his foster sister against an oak tree, kissing her like she was oxygen and he'd been drowning. This morning, I stood in my father's study and said, "I'm marrying Hunter Beach."

The room went still. My father's pen froze mid-signature. "Hunter? The outsider? Elena, the Fellows were raised for you!"

"They were raised to hate me," I said, calm as a loaded gun. I'd spent the night piecing together the truth—overheard conversations, fake accidents, orchestrated humiliations. They weren't competing. They were protecting Eve. And I was the obstacle.

My father exhaled, conflicted. "If this is what you want..."

"It is. Freeze their accounts. Cut Eve off. Remove them all after the wedding."

As I turned to leave, the door creaked open. There she stood—Eve, in white lace, eyes wide with innocence. "Elena, can we talk?"

Behind her, shadows moved. The Fellows were watching. Waiting.

Do I walk past her in silence? Do I warn her this war has only begun? Or do I smile—and promise her hell?