Aurora's POV
I sat stiffly in my father's office, my hands clenched in my lap as he droned on about the wedding arrangements. The weight of his words pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket. The date had been set. The guest list was finalized. The invitations were ready to be sent out.
I was getting married in two weeks.
To Daemon Reynolds.
Every time I heard his name, I felt a sharp sting of resentment. The man was cold, arrogant, and insufferable. And yet, in the eyes of my father, he was the perfect match.
"Aurora, are you even listening?" my father's sharp voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I straightened, forcing my expression to remain neutral. "I'm listening."
"Good. Then you understand what's expected of you." He leaned forward, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. "This marriage isn't just about you. It's about securing our legacy, protecting our business, and ensuring that we remain untouchable."
His words were laced with finality. There was no room for argument, no space for refusal.
I swallowed back my frustration. "And what about what I want?"
My father scoffed. "You've been given more than most could ever dream of, Aurora. You'll learn to want what's best for you."
What's best for me. Right. As if a loveless marriage to a man who looked at me like an inconvenience was in any way good for me.
A sharp knock on the door interrupted our conversation. A second later, Daemon stepped inside. As always, he looked effortlessly composed, dressed in a tailored black suit that screamed power. His gaze barely flickered over me before he turned to my father.
"I assume everything is in order?" he asked, his voice devoid of warmth.
My father nodded. "The wedding is set for two weeks from now. I expect both of you to act accordingly."
Daemon's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Understood."
I stared at them both, incredulous. That was it? No discussion? No input from me?
I pushed to my feet. "That's all you have to say?" I turned to Daemon, anger bubbling beneath my skin. "You're just going to nod and go along with this like it's some business merger?"
Daemon arched an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my outburst. "That's exactly what it is, Aurora. A merger. Your father wants this. I want this. The details are irrelevant."
I clenched my fists. "I don't want this."
He took a step closer, his towering frame making me feel small, but I refused to back down.
"You don't have a choice," he said, his voice calm but unyielding.
The cold finality in his tone made my stomach twist.
I glanced at my father, hoping for some kind of support, but he simply watched with an unreadable expression.
Daemon sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I have no interest in playing house with you, Aurora. But I expect you to fulfill your role without unnecessary theatrics."
I opened my mouth to argue, but the sharp glint in his eyes stopped me.
I hated this. Hated him. But most of all, I hated that I was powerless.
"You'll be moving into my estate tomorrow," Daemon continued, his tone as emotionless as ever.
Tomorrow? My heart lurched. "You're joking."
He didn't answer.
My father did. "He's not."
The walls around me seemed to close in. This was happening. It was real.
Daemon turned toward the door. "Be ready by morning."
And with that, he left.
I stared after him, my breath shaky, my hands trembling.
Tomorrow, I would step into a new life.
A life I wanted no part of.