I don't know how I'm supposed to feel.
That's the worst part.
Not the deal. Not the expectations. Not even the fact that tonight, in front of half the underworld, my future might be decided with a single ring.
No—
it's this.
This confusion.
This constant, quiet pull that hasn't left me alone for a second in the past week.
I haven't seen him since that night.
Not once.
No calls.
No messages.
Nothing.
And yet—
he's everywhere.
In the way I pause without reason.
In the way my thoughts drift when they shouldn't.
In the way my body remembers something my mind keeps trying to dismiss.
Zane.
I close my eyes for a second, exhaling slowly as I sit in front of the mirror.
"It's been a week," I whisper under my breath.
A week.
And still—
nothing.
My fingers tighten slightly around the edge of the vanity.
Why does that bother me?
It shouldn't.
It doesn't.
…does it?
I open my eyes again, meeting my reflection.
Calm.
Collected.
Untouched.
A lie so perfect even I almost believe it.
"Stop thinking about him," I murmur softly.
"Too late for that," Kiara's voice cuts in, light but knowing.
Of course she heard me.
She always does.
I glance at her through the mirror as she adjusts a strand of my hair, her expression softer than usual—but her eyes sharp.
Observing.
Understanding more than I'd like.
"You've been quiet all week," she adds. "Even for you."
"I've been busy."
"Luna."
Just my name.
But it holds weight.
I look away.
Because if I hold her gaze too long, she'll see it.
That crack.
That hesitation.
And I don't want anyone seeing that.
Not tonight.
Not ever.
"It's just a party," I say instead, my tone steadier now. "A business arrangement. Nothing more."
Kiara's hands pause for a moment before she sighs quietly. "Keep telling yourself that."
I don't respond.
Because I already have.
A hundred times.
And it still doesn't feel true.
The room hums softly around us—maids moving in and out, final touches being made, fabrics shifting, jewelry laid out with precision.
Everything perfect.
Everything planned.
Everything… inevitable.
Tonight.
The word settles in my chest heavier than before.
Tonight, I might wear his ring.
Tonight, this becomes real.
Official.
Permanent.
And I still don't know if I want that—
or if I've already stepped too far to turn back.
I inhale slowly, steadying myself as I stand, letting the dress fall into place around me.
It fits perfectly.
Of course it does.
Everything about tonight is designed to be flawless.
I look at myself again.
And for a moment—
I don't recognize the girl staring back.
Not fully.
Because beneath the elegance, beneath the control—
there's something else now.
Something softer.
More dangerous.
Something I can't quite name.
A quiet knock sounds at the door.
Before I can respond, it opens.
Adrian.
My posture instinctively straightens.
Not out of fear.
Never fear.
But habit.
Respect.
Awareness.
He steps inside, his presence filling the room without effort, his eyes landing on me instantly.
And then—
he stops.
Just for a second.
Something in his expression shifts.
Not his usual sharp calculation.
Not strategy.
Something… human.
Something softer.
"You look…" he starts, then pauses.
Unusual.
Adrian doesn't pause.
"…beautiful," he finishes quietly.
I blink.
Surprised.
Because compliments aren't something he gives easily.
Not like this.
Not when they mean something.
"Thank you," I reply, just as softly.
The room seems to still for a moment.
Kiara glances between us, then subtly motions for the maids to step out.
They do.
Silently.
Leaving just us.
Family.
What little of it remains.
Adrian walks closer, slower this time.
Like he's not quite sure what to do with the moment.
And then—
unexpectedly—
he pulls me into a hug.
I freeze.
Just for a second.
Because this—
this isn't him.
Not often.
Not openly.
But then my arms move on their own, wrapping around him just as tightly.
And suddenly—
everything else fades.
The deal.
The party.
Zane.
All of it.
Gone.
Because this—
this is real.
This is what's left after everything we lost.
Our mother.
His father.
That night that changed everything.
Five years ago.
A car.
A call.
And then—
silence.
I swallow hard, pressing my face slightly against his shoulder, grounding myself in something familiar.
Something safe.
"You're still my little sister," he says quietly.
My chest tightens.
"I'm not little," I murmur.
He huffs a faint breath—almost a laugh. "You always will be."
I pull back slightly, looking at him.
At the man who became everything overnight.
Brother.
Guardian.
Protector.
The only family I have left.
"You don't have to do this," he says suddenly.
The words hit harder than anything else tonight.
I search his face.
He means it.
For all his control.
For all his planning—
he means it.
And for a second—
just a second—
I consider it.
Walking away.
Refusing.
Choosing something else.
Something uncertain.
Something… mine.
But then reality settles back in.
Cold.
Clear.
"This isn't just about me," I say softly.
"It should be."
"It can't be."
Silence stretches between us again.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
He studies me, like he's trying to see past the answer.
To the truth underneath.
And maybe—
just maybe—
he does.
"Be careful with him," Adrian says finally.
Zane.
He doesn't need to say the name.
We both know.
I hold his gaze.
"I always am."
Another lie.
Because if there's one thing I've learned this past week—
it's that Zane Genovese isn't someone you stay careful around.
He's someone you either avoid completely—
or fall into.
And I've already stepped too close to the edge.
Adrian nods once, then steps back.
The moment ends.
Just like that.
"Everyone's waiting," he says.
Of course they are.
I take a slow breath, turning back to the mirror one last time.
This is it.
No more hesitation.
No more questions.
Just—
forward.
I smooth my dress, lifting my chin slightly.
Control.
Always control.
But as I walk toward the door—
my heart betrays me.
Just slightly.
Because beneath everything—
beneath the duty, the family, the expectations—
there's one thought I can't silence.
One question that refuses to fade.
Will he look at me the same way tonight?
And worse—
what if I want him to?