Jay Mariano sat at the edge of the grand dining table, her posture perfect, her expression calm—but inside, she felt nothing at all. The chandeliers above reflected in the polished marble floor, but their glow couldn't warm the emptiness her parents had built around her all her life.
"Jay," her father said, voice clipped, eyes sharp behind his glasses. "We've made a decision for the family. For the business. You will marry Keifer Watson."
Jay's fingers tightened around the hem of her dress. She had expected this. After all, she had never been more than a pawn in her parents' empire. But hearing it aloud, seeing the cold certainty in their eyes… it felt heavier than she had imagined.
"For… business?" she asked softly, though she already knew the answer.
"Yes," her mother said, voice smooth, practiced, like she was discussing numbers rather than a daughter's life. "This alliance secures both families' interests and ensures stability. That is all you need to know."
Jay looked down at the floor, the weight of their words pressing her into silence. Happiness had never been offered, never been expected. Love was a concept she had read about in novels she'd hide under her pillow. Life was duty, obedience, appearances. Nothing more.
Then he arrived.
Keifer Watson stepped into the room, confident, calm, yet his presence immediately drew every gaze—including hers. His suit was sharp, but not stuffy; his smile was warm, teasing, as if he already knew the tension in the room and found it amusing.
Jay looked up, and their eyes met. He held her gaze, unflinching, and she felt something she hadn't felt before: curiosity.
"Jay Mariano," he said, his tone gentle but teasing, "so this is the famous daughter everyone's been talking about. I must say… I expected colder walls."
Her lips pressed into a thin line, startled that someone could speak to her like this, unafraid, unpolished. "And you are…?" she asked, wary.
"Keifer Watson. Your… fiancé, apparently," he replied, tilting his head slightly, his smile softening. "But please, don't worry. I don't bite. At least… not yet."
Jay blinked, unsure if she should be annoyed, offended, or intrigued. She had never met someone so… alive. So at ease with themselves. Her heart, which had long been caged by cold luxury, skipped a fraction.
"I see," she said carefully, voice steady, hiding the little spark that had awakened inside her.
Keifer's gaze lingered on her for a heartbeat longer. "I think… we might actually survive this arrangement," he said lightly, as if it were a promise.
And for the first time, Jay Mariano felt a flicker of something unfamiliar, something daring: perhaps happiness didn't have to be out of reach.