The day of reckoning arrived with a weight that pressed heavy on the Steele household.
Robert Steele rose before dawn, already clad in an ironed charcoal suit, pacing the marble foyer of his mansion like a man preparing for battle. His hands trembled, though he would never admit it. The deal with the Barones was not merely business—it was survival. If they refused him, if they pulled away, his empire, already teetering, would collapse entirely.
"Maria!" his voice bellowed up the spiral staircase. "Hurry up, for God's sake! We cannot keep the Barones waiting!"
From upstairs, the sharp click of heels echoed before Maria appeared, descending like a queen entering her court. Her gown was emerald green, chosen precisely because she knew how it flattered her figure and caught the light. Her makeup was flawless, a portrait of control and allure.
Robert's face softened instantly when he saw her. "Ah," he exhaled, his eyes warming. "You look magnificent. My shining star." He clasped her hands when she reached him, his voice dropping low, almost reverent. "Maria, today you will secure our legacy. You will bring glory to this family. Unlike your sister…" His voice soured, lips curling into disgust. "That ungrateful girl is a curse upon my name."
Maria smiled faintly, her red lips tilting upward. She had grown accustomed to these comparisons—Lilith the failure, Maria the jewel. Today would only confirm it.
---
The Barone Tower loomed in the city like a monument of power. Its mirrored windows reflected the skyline, swallowing the sunlight, making the skyscraper seem almost alive. Inside, the marble floors gleamed, and the air itself seemed laced with cold authority.
When Robert and Maria entered, they were led by security through sleek hallways to a vast boardroom. The table stretched the length of the room, polished to such a sheen they could see their own anxious reflections.
Waiting for them was Steve, Rhett Barone's trusted aide. His presence was quiet yet commanding, as though every inch of him was an extension of Rhett's will. He stood at the head of the table, flipping open a leather-bound folder, and gestured for them to sit.
Robert swallowed his irritation. He had hoped—expected—to meet Rhett himself. But no matter. He needed this deal.
"Mr. Steele," Steve began, voice smooth as steel, "Mr. Barone has reviewed your situation. He is willing to extend cooperation with your company."
Robert nearly sagged with relief. "Yes—yes, this is excellent news." He turned to Maria, beaming. "Do you hear, Maria? Our future is secured."
Maria tilted her chin, lips parting in a smile of quiet triumph. She imagined herself already draped in the Barone name, untouchable, her place in history cemented.
But Steve continued. "However, Mr. Barone wishes this partnership to be sealed by a union. A marriage. One of your daughters must become his bride."
The words lit Robert like a match. His laughter was full and hearty, all pretense stripped away in eagerness. "But of course! What greater honor than joining our families? Maria will make the perfect wife for Mr. Barone. She has been raised for this moment."
Maria's eyes glittered. Her hands folded gracefully on the table, as though she were already the lady of the empire.
Steve's eyes did not flicker. "Mr. Barone's choice is not up for discussion. He will make it known in due time. For now, you need only agree to the terms."
The room seemed to tilt. Robert's face twitched, a muscle jumping near his jaw. He had expected certainty, not ambiguity. "Not up for discussion?" His voice sharpened, almost pleading. "Surely Mr. Barone understands that Maria is the most suitable choice—she's accomplished, beautiful, loyal. My other daughter—" He stopped, choking on his own disdain.
"Mr. Steele." Steve's interruption was quiet, but it cut like a knife. "Mr. Barone does not explain himself. He commands. You comply—or you lose everything."
Robert's heart pounded, the weight of humiliation pressing on his chest. For a moment, he considered fighting back, but one look at Steve's impassive gaze told him resistance was futile.
Maria, however, could not mask her shock. Her knuckles turned white against the polished table. "You mean… we don't even know who he wants?" she whispered, disbelief lacing her voice.
Steve closed the folder, sliding a document across the table. "This is the contract. It binds your company to Mr. Barone's empire. The marriage will be announced soon. Sign here."
Robert's hand trembled as he took the pen. His pride screamed against it, but his survival demanded obedience. With a stiff motion, he scrawled his name, the ink bleeding his surrender onto the page.
Maria sat rigid, her breath shallow. She had given everything—her charm, her body, her dignity—to secure the Barone link. And now, uncertainty dangled in front of her like a noose. Her teeth sank into her lip until blood welled, but she remained silent, swallowing her fury.
---
When Steve left, the boardroom became a tomb. Robert slammed his fist against the table. "Damn him! Damn that Barone! Who does he think he is, to toy with us like this?"
Maria's voice cracked as she hissed, "It has to be me. It must be me. I won't let that wretch Lilith steal what I've bled for. Father, you cannot let that happen."
Robert grasped her shoulders, his face twisted with desperation. "You are my true daughter, Maria. You are the one worthy of this family's name. I will ensure it is you, no matter what games Barone plays."
But beneath his bravado, fear gnawed. For the first time, Robert Steele felt utterly powerless.
---
Meanwhile, high above the city in his penthouse, Rhett Barone stood before a wall of glass, the skyline sprawling like his private kingdom. A half-finished glass of whiskey rested on the table behind him, forgotten. His gaze was fixed, dark and unyielding.
Steve entered quietly. "It's done. They signed."
Rhett's lips curved into a faint smile, sharp and predatory. "Good."
"There was resistance," Steve added, "but not enough to matter."
Rhett turned at last, his presence filling the room like a stormcloud. "Let them resist. It makes their surrender sweeter."
Steve hesitated before delivering the next piece of news. "Shall I release the official statement?"
Rhett's eyes gleamed, shadowed by obsession. He lifted his hand, blood still faintly visible from a cut on his palm days earlier, the reminder of a rage he had yet to unleash.
"Yes," he said softly, but his voice carried the force of command. "Tell the world. In two weeks, I will be married."
Steve inclined his head. "And the bride?"
Rhett's smirk deepened, but he gave no answer. He turned back to the window, his reflection merging with the city lights.
"Let them guess," he murmured. "Let them wonder. By the time they know, it will be too late."
---
That evening, the city buzzed with whispers as the news broke. Rhett Barone—the untouchable, the unreachable, the dark king of the corporate world—was to be married in two weeks.
But the bride's name was left unspoken.
The world speculated. The Steeles panicked. And Lilith, alone in her small apartment, had no idea that her fate had already been signed away in ink and sealed with her father's trembling hand.
---