LIAM:
The jeweler was still talking, something about clarity, cut, value, but his words blurred into static. I barely heard him.
Because Beatrice was clinging to me like we were already bound, and Lauren….Lauren,stood only a few feet away, silent, unyielding, her eyes betraying more than she probably wanted me to see.
And the sickest part?
I couldn't even stop this circus.
I was here, pretending to choose rings, pretending this engagement was mine to want, because my father had cornered me. His voice still echoed in my head from that night in the study: Marry her, or Lauren disappears.
He hadn't said "disappear" lightly. Not as a man like him. He meant it.
And for the first time in my life, I'd folded.
Because if I lost her,this masked ghost who haunted me, who saved me, who burned my chest alive every time our eyes met…. I wasn't sure I'd survive it.
So I played my part. I let Beatrice grip my arm, laugh like we were in love, parade her little victory in front of Lauren. All while bile churned in my stomach.
Beatrice lifted another ring to the light, her voice syrupy-sweet. "This one, Liam. Don't you think it suits me best?"
I dragged my gaze to her hand. The diamond sparkled. But when I blinked, I didn't see it on her finger.
I saw it on Zara's.
Not Lauren. Not the bodyguard. Zara. The girl I'd destroyed, the girl whose ghost I was now bound to live with every single day.
My throat burned. I turned my head before Beatrice could see through me. But Lauren was still there, still watching. Just for a second. Long enough for me to feel my father's noose tightening.
Because if he knew how much I cared, how much I couldn't stop caring, he'd pull that trigger without hesitation.
So I forced my jaw to tighten. I forced myself to nod at Beatrice.
And I lied through my teeth.
"Yes," I said flatly. "That one suits you."
Her smile widened like she'd won some great battle. But I knew better.
This wasn't victory. It was survival.
And every time my eyes slid back to Lauren, I knew I was losing anyway.
The jeweler disappeared into the back to fetch a tray of options, leaving us alone in the glittering silence of the showroom.
That was when Beatrice's hand slipped from mine, only to reappear tugging sharply at my sleeve.
"Come with me," she said through a too-sweet smile, her eyes glittering with something far sharper than diamonds. She didn't wait for me to agree. She dragged me toward a quieter corner of the store, behind a glass display case stacked with engagement bands.
The moment we were out of earshot, her smile dropped like a mask.
"What the hell was that?" she hissed, folding her arms. "And don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about."
I leaned against the glass, feigning nonchalance, though my chest was still tight from moments ago. "Enlighten me."
Her eyes narrowed. "You couldn't stop staring at her."
She didn't have to say who. We both knew.
"Lauren?" I asked, letting her name hang heavy between us. "She's my bodyguard. She does her job. That's all."
Beatrice gave a sharp laugh, bitter and accusing. "Don't lie to me, Liam. You think I don't see it? The way your eyes follow her? The way she looks at you when she thinks no one's watching? You two… there's something."
I forced a smirk I didn't feel. "You're imagining things."
Her jaw tightened. "No. I'm not. And you'd better cut it off. Whatever it is. My father won't tolerate distractions, and neither will yours. This engagement is happening. For both our families. You think I want to be tied to you forever? Please. But this is bigger than either of us, so stop acting like a lovesick boy."
The words cut, sharper than she knew, but I didn't flinch. Not in front of her.
Instead, I leaned closer, my voice dropping low. "Then stop watching me. Stop digging where you don't belong. If you're so eager for this alliance, Beatrice, focus on the damn ring on your finger, not the person standing behind me."
Her lips parted in shock at my venom, but I didn't give her time to bite back.
I pushed off the glass and straightened my jacket, my jaw tight. "You wanted me alone? Congratulations. Here I am. But if you ever try to tell me who I can or can't look at again, you'll regret it."
Beatrice's eyes darkened, but for once, she didn't have a retort.
I left her standing there, teeth clenched, fists balled at her sides. And for the first time in years, I almost felt like I'd won.
Almost.
Because when I looked back toward the counter, Lauren was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
BEATRICE:
I stood frozen behind the display case, Liam's words still ringing in my ears. My nails dug into my palms until half-moons of pain bloomed in my skin. He had never spoken to me like that before. Never dared. Not before Zara.
I thought after her death everything would return to the way it was but now I was back to where it all began.
And all because of her.
Lauren.
My gaze drifted back to where she had been, silent and sharp in that bland bodyguard uniform. She wasn't there anymore, but I could still feel her shadow lingering, pressing against me like a threat.
It was laughable, really. She wasn't rich. She wasn't powerful. She wasn't even supposed to matter. And yet… Liam's eyes had followed her like she was oxygen.
~~~~~TWO WEEKS LATER ~~~~~~~~
Zara.
The truth hissed at the edges of my mind. I hadn't been wrong. When I'd wandered through that clinic weeks ago, curiosity pulling me deeper, I'd seen the girl unconscious. That face—burned into my memory. The one Liam had once destroyed at prom, only to drown himself in guilt afterward. She wasn't gone. She was right here, walking among us under a different name.
She tried to make me look crazy but there's something about being rich. It gives you the power to find out anything you want. I had her "grave" dug up. The grave Liam always made sure always stayed fresh. But guess what, Zara's DNA didn't match.
I almost smiled. Fate had delivered me a gift.
But the smile didn't last. No. This wasn't a blessing. It was a curse. Because as long as she was alive, she was a threat. To my engagement. To my position. To everything my family had built.
My father wouldn't understand. He'd say, "Ignore her. Focus on the alliance." But fathers always underestimated the power of a woman scorned.
Lauren—Zara, had to go. Quietly. Permanently.
The thought sent a strange thrill down my spine.
But not yet. Timing mattered. If she disappeared now, Liam would unravel, maybe even fight the engagement outright. No, I'd bide my time. Watch her. Wait until he was in too deep, too bound to me by duty, blood, and marriage to turn back.
Then, when no one suspected, I'd strike.
My lips curled into the faintest smile as I glanced at the glittering rings in the case before me.
One stone for me.
One grave for her.
I turned to look at Liam who was sitting beside me with a stone cold face.
The ride was starting to feel suffocating, though I wore my prettiest smile, leaning into Liam's arm as if everything were perfect. He stared out the window, jaw locked, body stiff. Good. Let him sulk. Soon he wouldn't have a choice in anything at all.
The moment we stepped through the door, I didn't even bother taking off my shoes.
"Father," I called sharply, my heels clicking against the marble floor as I found him in the sitting room. He looked up from his glass of brandy, brows arching at my tone.
"Yes, Beatrice?"
"I want you to speak to Mr. Hunter," I said firmly, not bothering to glance at Liam behind me. "Tell him the engagement must be moved forward. Tomorrow, or the day after. Not next week."
My father frowned slightly. "That's rather sudden….."
"Sudden is the point," I cut in, eyes narrowing. "Liam needs less time to think. Less time to brood. The sooner it's official, the sooner he won't dare look elsewhere." My voice sharpened as I leaned forward. "He's restless. I can see it. If we wait too long, someone might try to ruin everything."
His eyes studied me for a long beat, and then, slowly, he nodded. "Very well. I'll call him tonight."
"Besides a lot of my friends at the gala we're asking why we were holding up."
Behind me, I felt Liam stiffen. My lips curved into the faintest, sweetest smile as I turned toward him.
"You don't mind, do you, darling?" I asked, feigning innocence. "It's just one little change in the schedule."
He didn't answer, only clenched his fists at his sides. That silence was victory enough for me.
The sooner we were bound together, the sooner I could deal with Lauren—Zara,without fear of consequences.
And I fully intended to.