The Spotlight Doesn't Lie
The silence in the room had weight - thick, heavy,demanding.
Killian the contract." You can still walk away," he said,though his voice lacked conviction. "No one's forcing you."
Elara stared at the document - thirty pages of careful clauses and cold legalities. And there it was,halfway through: The Child Clause.
"The bride agrees to bear one child within the span of one year from the date of marriage. Custody,in the event of divorce,defaults to the husband,unless otherwise negotiated."
It made her stomach twist.
Not because she hadn't expected it. But because seeing it in ink made it real.
Final.
"I'll sign," she said,picking up the pen.
Her name spilled across the lines with a strange kind of grace,mechanical and silent. Each stroke of her signature etched away another piece of herself.
When she finished,she closed the file,slid it back toward Killian,and looked up.
No turning back
She was halfway to the door when her phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
"So this is how you climb? People are already calling you a mistress. Congrats,you're trending."
Her breath hitched.
The words slapped harder than expected,like a slap in an empty room. Mistress. A label thrown by people who didn't know the story,didn't care for truth,only for blood.
She locked the phone with shaking fingers and fixed her expression into something still and professional.
Behind her,Killian's voice broke through.
"Something wrong ?"
She didn't turn. "Just a reminder."
"Of?"
"Why I keep my phone silent."
He didn't press.
The ballroom gleamed like a painting of excess - glass,gold and expectation.
Elara walked beside Killian into the storm of press,flashbulbs,and hidden smiles. Her gown sparkled like poison beneath the lights,her fingers looped tightly through his arm.
The chatter faded. The music softened. Attention gravitated to the stage like iron to a magnet.
Killian stood before them all,took the mic,and smiled like he owned every life in the room.
"Thank you all for coming," he said his voice smooth as silk." Tonight isn't just about charity. It's also about family. Legacy."
He turned slightly,extending his hand to Elara.
"I'm honored to announce my engagement to Elara Vance."
Gasps. A beat of silence. Then applause,uneven at first,rippling into polite enthusiasm.
Killian slid a ring into her finger.
Elara smiled - a slow, practiced curve of lips.
Inside,her world was already burning.
They didn't know about the contract. The child clause. The scandalous video still pulsing through the Internet under hush tags.
But now everything was obvious to everyone.
They no longer see it as a scandal but as a violation of privacy that should be dealt with quickly. Killian had to take Elara to his home to avoid suspicion from the public.
Surprisingly there were no maids. She'd seen him as the type that was intelligent but lazy. He led her to the guestroom.
"Everything you need has been arranged. Come downstairs for dinner later." And just like that he was gone.
Few minutes later, Elara walked downstairs to the dining hall. She sat on a chair while checking the headlines. She'd received a lot of good and bad messages. The phone was snatched from her before she got to start reading. "It's not good for your health. Wait for it to die down." He kept the phone far from her reach. She shrugged and started eating. Her eyes widened at the taste of the food but it was fleeting. She regained her composure while he went to his room to freshen up. When he was done he went downstairs but couldn't find her. He had to check the guestroom and there she was - fast asleep. He left for his study to work.