When they arrived at the Valmont mansion, Katherine was welcomed with impeccable courtesy, as if her place within the family had already been decided.
The perfectly aligned carpet, the subtle scent of fresh flowers, and the absolute absence of anything out of place conveyed a clear message: nothing happened there by accident.
Élise was the first to approach.
She smiled warmly, but her eyes never stopped observing. She was not trying to intimidate Katherine; she was simply assessing her. Her posture. The way she spoke. The confidence with which she walked through a house that, until that moment, did not belong to her.
Katherine noticed.
And responded in the same way.
Not with defiance.
With control.
Adrián walked a few steps behind them, far less impressed than anyone would have expected.
She was beautiful. That was undeniable.
Golden hair beneath the light of the chandeliers. Natural elegance in every movement. The confidence of someone who had grown up knowing that every eye would eventually turn toward her.
But Adrián had learned something important:
The most dangerous people were rarely the ones trying to appear dangerous.
Katherine Sterling was not simply an attractive woman sent to fulfill an engagement. She was an heiress with a family behind her, a history behind her, and a political weight that could turn any mistake into a problem.
The Sterlings were not there because of romance.
No one in that house was naive enough to believe that.
This was a negotiation.
Henri Valmont understood that better than anyone.
To him, families were not just surnames. They were structures. Resources. Alliances. Pieces capable of shifting the balance of power when placed at the right moment.
Marriage was simply the most elegant way to sign an agreement.
Adrián watched Katherine in silence.
She watched him as well.
They both understood the same thing.
Neither of them was stepping into a love story.
They were stepping into a game.
Katherine took a deep breath before crossing the main doors.
She could not afford mistakes.
Her family depended on her. Every word, every reaction, every gesture would be interpreted. In a house like this, a smile could be courtesy or strategy. A silence could mean respect or rejection.
And Adrián Valmont was difficult to read.
That was what unsettled her the most.
Most men reacted to her in predictable ways.
Admiration.
Curiosity.
Desire.
Adrián did not.
He had looked at her as if she were a problem to solve.
Not a woman to pursue.
Katherine was not used to that.
But she was not someone who lost control easily either.
She had made it this far precisely because she knew how to adapt.
The mansion was even more impressive than she had imagined. Not because of its obvious wealth, but because of the authority it projected. The Valmonts did not need to prove they had power.
The place spoke for them.
Then she remembered Marcos.
Her jaw tightened slightly.
Her escort had been useful more than once, but he also had a talent for complicating situations that did not need complications.
If he made another mistake in front of the Valmonts, they would have a long conversation.
A very long one.
Katherine returned her attention to the present.
It did not matter what Adrián thought.
It did not matter what Henri expected.
She had not come there to be a passive piece on the board.
She had come to protect her family's future.
And if the Valmonts wanted to play a game of power...
She knew how to play as well.
When she entered the grand hall, Henri Valmont greeted her with the precise courtesy of a man accustomed to negotiating with equals.
There was no exaggeration.
No false smiles.
Only measured respect.
Katherine immediately understood that this was the true language of the family.
They did not make promises.
They did not beg.
They calculated.
And for the first time since arriving in Valenheim, she was certain that this engagement would be far more dangerous than anyone had imagined.
—Katherine —said Henri, extending his hand firmly—. I am glad to finally meet you in person.
She accepted the greeting without hesitation.
—The pleasure is mine, Mr. Valmont. I appreciate the welcome.
The handshake was brief, but sufficient.
Henri nodded approvingly before guiding her toward Élise.
Adrián's mother welcomed her with a warm smile, although Katherine noticed something else behind that kindness.
It was not hostility.
It was attention.
In a family like the Valmonts, even courtesy had a purpose.
—Katherine, welcome to our home —said Élise, taking her hands gently—. I am certain this will be a positive meeting for both families.
—I hope so, Mrs. Valmont.
The response was perfect.
Almost too perfect, Adrián thought from a few steps away.
He watched the scene with his arms crossed and an expression of clear discomfort. It felt like a business meeting disguised as a family dinner, and all he wanted was for it to end as quickly as possible.
He took a step toward the exit.
—Not so fast, son.
Henri's voice stopped him.
Adrián sighed before turning around.
—Stay a little longer. I want you to understand who you are dealing with.
It was not a request.
Adrián knew that.
He returned to his place without arguing.
He had spent his entire life surrounded by decisions that had been made before he ever had a chance to give his opinion.
This was simply another one.
Meanwhile, Katherine continued speaking with Élise with the same elegance she had displayed since entering the mansion.
She had made no mistakes.
She had shown no nervousness.
She had revealed nothing more than necessary.
Then another presence appeared at the doorway.
Adrián's sister.
Arms crossed.
Direct gaze.
Not bothering to hide that she was already forming an opinion.
Katherine turned toward her and offered a slight nod.
—So you're the famous Katherine.
Her tone was polite.
But not exactly warm.
—I hope you are worthy of this family.
For a moment, the entire room fell silent.
Katherine maintained her smile.
Not because she had failed to notice the challenge.
But because she understood that her response was part of the game.
—I will do everything I can to honor both families.
The answer was flawless.
And precisely because of that, everyone in the room understood the same thing:
Katherine Sterling had not arrived at the Valmont mansion to ask for acceptance.
She had arrived prepared to earn it.
From a corner of the room, Adrian watched the scene with a patience that was steadily running out.
Everything followed the same pattern.
Polite smiles.
Carefully chosen words.
Powerful families pretending this was a cordial gathering rather than a negotiation disguised as a family dinner.
For a moment, he thought perhaps it would end without further complications.
He was wrong.
—Kathi, we're here.
The voice came from the entrance of the room.
The silence disappeared instantly.
Everyone turned to look.
Adrian only needed a second to recognize him.
The same bodyguard from the airport.
The same complete lack of timing.
His suit was slightly wrinkled, and his tie was poorly adjusted, as if he had rushed there to arrive at a scene where no one had invited him.
Adrian could not help but smile faintly.
Not out of amusement.
Out of disbelief.
Of course.
Naturally he would show up now.
Katherine, however, briefly lost the perfectly controlled expression she had maintained since arriving.
It lasted only a second.
But it was enough.
Her eyes immediately moved toward Monica, who remained near the entrance. She did not need to say anything. Her secretary understood the silent command.
Adrian watched the exchange without interfering.
Not because he could not.
But because he wanted to see what everyone else would do.
Marcos stepped forward, completely unaware of the tension he had just created.
—Katherine, I thought you might need help.
The Sterling heiress closed her eyes for a brief moment.
A tiny gesture.
But a revealing one.
Before she could respond, Henri spoke.
—And this gentleman... who exactly is he?
His voice was not aggressive.
It did not need to be.
Marcos stopped.
Katherine regained her composure.
—His name is Marcos. He is my bodyguard.
Henri kept his eyes on him for a few seconds longer than necessary.
Then he looked back at Katherine.
—I see.
But Élise was more direct.
Her expression remained kind, though her tone had changed.
—I find it interesting how comfortably he speaks to you.
The observation sounded innocent.
It was not.
In the Valmont family, familiarity was never a minor detail. Every person who entered those doors had a place, and misunderstanding that place could have consequences.
Katherine understood the message.
So did Marcos.
For the first time since entering the room, he seemed to realize that this was not a place where good intentions were enough.
Here, every word carried weight.
Marcos stepped forward.
For a moment, he seemed to search for the right answer. The perfect phrase that would allow him to regain control of the situation, to expose Adrian as someone incapable of understanding what Katherine had gone through.
But he never got the chance.
—He is my bodyguard.
Katherine's voice cut through the room.
Everyone looked at her.
She kept her expression calm.
—Or rather... my former bodyguard.
Marcos blinked.
—Katherine?
She did not look away.
—You're fired.
The silence was immediate.
For the first time since he had appeared, Marcos had no prepared response.
He had imagined many possibilities.
Adrian confronting him.
Henri throwing him out.
Even Katherine defending his presence.
But not this.
Not her being the one to close the door.
His pride took the blow before his mind could process it.
Adrian watched the scene without saying a word.
He did not need to intervene.
The situation had resolved itself.
And that was precisely what made it interesting.
Marcos had walked in expecting to find an arrogant enemy to challenge. Someone who would react like everyone else: with anger, with superiority, with the need to prove his power.
But Adrian had not even granted him that confrontation.
To him, Marcos was not a threat.
He was an inconvenience.
And that difference seemed to bother him more than any insult could have.
Marcos clenched his jaw.
All of his previous confidence had disappeared.
In other places, his reputation had been enough to open doors.
Not here.
Here, he was simply a man who had crossed a line without realizing it.
And the worst part was not being rejected.
It was who had done it.
Katherine.
The same person he had protected, the one he had accompanied for months, the person he believed he understood better than anyone.
Now she was choosing a Valmont.
Him.
Adrian.
Marcos slowly lowered his gaze, hiding the frustration building inside him.
But something had changed.
That engagement no longer seemed like a family decision.
Now it was an obstacle.
And in his experience, obstacles existed to be removed.
Marcos had just left.
The silence returned to the room.
Henri continued watching Katherine.
Élise maintained her polite smile.
Then the butler announced:
—Miss Sara Blackwell.
Everyone turned.
Sara entered a few seconds late.
She had come directly from the university, still wearing her immaculate uniform.
She stopped the moment she crossed the doorway.
Her eyes found Adrian.
And then...
Katherine.
Her breath caught for a moment.
She already knew.
She had cried because of it.
But seeing it with her own eyes was different.
Henri frowned slightly.
—You're late.
—I apologize, Mr. Valmont.
Adrian watched the scene.
"Perfect."
"The fiancée brings along her lovestruck bodyguard."
"Now Sara appears."
"If the protagonists are allowed to bring romantic interests onto the enemy's battlefield..."
"Why should the villain have to play fair?"
He walked calmly toward Sara.
She looked at him, confused.
—Adrian...?
Without asking permission...
He took her hand.
Sara's fingers trembled.
Her entire body froze.
She had no idea what was happening.
Adrian smiled with complete naturalness.
—You're late.
As if they had been a couple for years.
Sara felt as though her heart was about to burst from her chest.
Henri slowly raised his eyes.
He did not say a single word.
But his expression...
Was enough.
"Let go of her."
"Do not ruin this."
Élise immediately understood what was happening and closed her eyes for a brief moment.
Katherine remained still.
Monica stopped writing.
Even the servants discreetly looked up.
Sara was the only one who remained completely lost.
She did not understand why Adrian was holding her hand.
She did not understand why everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath.
She only knew one thing.
He was holding her hand.
And that alone was enough to make her face slowly turn red.