The ballroom of the Grand Regency Hotel glittered like a dream money could buy—but no heart could afford.Crystal chandeliers spilled light over white roses, champagne, and gossiping elites. The press waited like wolves behind velvet ropes, cameras flashing every few seconds.
Ava stood at the top of the aisle, her pulse hammering beneath the silk gown Damien had chosen. Each step toward him felt heavier than the last.He was there—black suit, silver cufflinks, expression unreadable. The man she once loved looked like a stranger carved from glass.
The whispers started the moment she appeared.
"That's the Sinclair girl.""Didn't her father's company go bankrupt?""Why would Cross marry her after what happened to his mother's firm?"
Each word sliced like glass shards under her skin.
When she reached the altar, Damien didn't offer his hand. He simply nodded, cold and deliberate. The priest began speaking, his voice echoing across the hall like a judgment.
The Vows
"Do you, Damien Cross, take Ava Sinclair as your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do," Damien said, eyes locked on hers.It sounded more like a declaration of ownership than love.
"And do you, Ava Sinclair, take Damien Cross as your lawfully wedded husband?"
Her voice trembled, but she held her chin high."I do."
The ring slid onto her finger—metal, cold, and final.When the priest announced them husband and wife, Damien leaned in, brushed her cheek with the faintest kiss for the cameras, and whispered against her ear, "Smile, Mrs. Cross. You're mine now."
The room erupted in applause. But in Ava's chest, something broke quietly.
After the Ceremony
Reporters swarmed the couple the moment they left the stage."Mr. Cross! Why the sudden marriage?""Is this a merger between Cross Enterprises and Sinclair Group?""Mrs. Cross, how does it feel to marry your family's former rival?"
Ava smiled politely, answering nothing. Damien guided her through the flashing lights, his hand firm on her waist. It was all for show—but the warmth of his touch felt dangerously real.
Inside the limousine, the noise vanished. Silence fell between them like a wall."Why the rush?" she asked at last. "You could've waited. Given me time."
Damien's gaze stayed fixed on the city sliding past the window."Time is expensive, Ava. I don't waste it on things that don't last."
Her jaw tightened. "So this marriage is just a spectacle?"
He turned to her then, eyes dark. "It's a warning."
"To who?"
"To anyone who ever thought they could ruin me and walk away."
The limousine pulled to a stop in front of Cross Tower—his empire of steel and secrets. Paparazzi lights flashed again, but inside the tinted glass, Ava could see her own reflection—smiling for survival.
That Night
The penthouse door clicked shut behind her. She expected Damien to follow, to remind her of the rules. But instead, he said flatly,"You'll stay in the east wing. We'll appear together when necessary. Don't enter my office without permission."
"Of course, Mr. Cross," she said, her voice sharper than she intended.
His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Don't test me, Ava. You signed for survival. Not for love."
He left her standing there, surrounded by marble and silence.
Hours Later — The Breaking News
Ava stood by the window, staring at the city lights when her phone buzzed. Dozens of notifications exploded across the screen.
Breaking: Billionaire Damien Cross Marries Ava Sinclair in Surprise Ceremony!Sinclair Family Scandal Resurfaces—Insider Leaks Reveal Hidden Debt Scheme.
Her stomach dropped. The article included a photo from the wedding—her smile frozen, Damien's hand gripping her waist—and a headline that screamed "Marriage of Convenience or Power Play?"
Ava's hands shook. She dialed her father's hospital number, but the line went straight to voicemail. Then her phone rang. Private Number.
She answered."You thought marrying him would save you?" A woman's voice, sharp and taunting. "You just handed him the weapon to finish what he started."
"Who is this?" Ava demanded, heart racing.
The line went dead.
Behind her, a door creaked open. Damien stood there, phone in hand, his expression unreadable.
"Welcome to the Cross family, Mrs. Cross," he said quietly. "You're already front-page news."
End of Chapter Three