CHAPTER 5: I DARE YOU

My fingers trembled as I scrolled through the article, the words carving into me like a knife.

"A young woman was caught attempting to steal an expensive wedding gown at Tarren’s Mall, owned by the prestigious Williams family. The suspect, identity unknown, was publicly confronted by Sophia Montgomery and her fiancé, Kenneth Williams. Witnesses claim the woman was desperate to obtain a luxurious dress beyond her means. Security was called in to remove her from the premises…”Below it was a photo of me, kneeling on the ground, my face streaked with tears, surrounded by security guards. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest.

I felt my stomach drop.

I read it again. Then again.

The bile rose in my throat, hot and bitter.

They had done it again.

Kenneth. Sophia. They had set me up, just like before.

A shaky breath left my lips as I clenched my phone, my nails digging into my palm. I should have known this wasn’t over. I should have known they wouldn’t let me walk away without ruining me first.

The desperate thief trying to steal a dress she could never afford.

The scandal would spread like wildfire. People would whisper my name in disgust. The humiliation clung to my skin, suffocating me.

Josh sat beside me, watching. He hadn’t spoken since I started reading. His fingers drummed lightly against his knee. Then his phone buzzed. He picked it up, scanning the screen, his jaw tightening.

“Did this happen today?” His voice was sharp.

I wiped the corner of my eye before facing him. “Yes.”

His gaze darkened. “You know Kenneth?”

I let out a bitter laugh. “He’s my ex.”

Josh exhaled through his nose, his grip tightening around his phone. “Bastard,” he muttered under his breath.

His reaction surprised me. For someone who barely knew me, he looked furious.

“You’re trending,” he said, his voice casual, but his expression unreadable.

I turned away, clenching my fists. “Do you think I care?”

“You should,” he said coolly. “Reputation is everything.”

I scoffed. “Mine is already in ruins.”

Josh tilted his head slightly, his piercing gaze locked onto mine. “Then it’s time to rebuild it.”

I frowned. “How?”

A slow smirk curled his lips. “By making sure the world knows you’re mine.”

Before I could respond, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. His voice was calm, controlled.

“Drop the news.”

That was all he said before ending the call.

I swallowed hard. “What news?”

Josh ignored my question. His phone buzzed again, and he sighed, rubbing his temple. “My father wants to meet you tonight.”

My stomach twisted. “Tonight?”

He nodded. “Our engagement announcement has already been made.”

I froze. “What?!”

Josh barely looked up. “It’ll overshadow your little scandal.” His smirk deepened. “The world will forget you as a thief and remember you as the future Mrs. Williams.”

I felt the blood drain from my face.

Future Mrs. Williams?

This wasn’t just damage control. It was something else entirely.

The car pulled up to a massive estate, the golden gates swinging open as we drove in. The sight took my breath away—towering glass windows, marble pillars, perfectly trimmed gardens.

Josh stepped out first. “Come.”

I hesitated before following him inside. The moment we entered, he led me to an elegant bedroom.

“Get dressed,” he said.

I turned to him. “I don’t have any clothes.”

He scanned me from head to toe. “Where’s the wedding dress?”

I bit my lip. “They took it.”

Josh sighed. “There are clothes in the wardrobe. Pick one.”

I walked to the closet, running my fingers over the luxurious fabrics. Finally, I chose a pink velvet gown and tied my hair into a ponytail before stepping out.

Josh was already waiting in the living room. The moment he saw me, his expression darkened.

“Change.”

I blinked. “What’s wrong with this one?”

“Change,” he repeated.

I swallowed my frustration and went back. I tried another dress. Then another.

Still, he wasn’t satisfied.

Finally, he stood up, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me back into the room. He walked straight to a drawer, pulled out a sky-blue dress, and held it out to me.

“Put this on.”

I hesitated. “Josh, I—”

His gaze didn’t waver. “Change.”

I swallowed hard. He wasn’t leaving the room.

“Turn around,” I muttered.

He did, but I could still feel his presence. The weight of his control.

I slipped into the silky dress, the fabric cool against my skin, hugging my curves in all the right places.

When I was done, I whispered, “Okay.”

Josh turned. His gaze raked over me, slow and deliberate. A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face.

I took a step back. He stepped forward.

I kept moving until my back hit the wall.

Josh stopped inches away, one hand braced above my head, the other gripping my waist.

His breath fanned my cheek. His eyes flickered to my lips.

My heart pounded.

He was going to kiss me.

Then, suddenly, he pulled away. His jaw clenched.

“Sorry,” he muttered before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

I stood there, my chest rising and falling, my fingers trembling at my sides.

I should have been relieved. Instead, a cold dread settled inside me.

After a moment, I composed myself, slipped on a pair of heels, and walked downstairs. Josh was already in the car, waiting.

The ride to his grandfather’s mansion was silent. The pressure of what was happening pressed down on me.

When we arrived, the air felt heavier.

Josh stepped out first.

I followed, my heels clicking against the stone driveway.

I lifted my gaze.

And my heart stopped.

Because standing right at the entrance was Kenneth greeting guest

I tried to turn away but it was too late as our eyes locked together.

Kenneth's eyes locked onto mine, his gaze burning with something dark—lust, anger, or both. He stepped closer, reaching out to grab my hand. His fingers barely brushed against mine before a cold, deadly voice cut through the air.

“Why are you staring at my fiancée like that?”

Josh.

His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of menace in it.

Kenneth froze. His expression twisted with shock.

He knew today was his stepbrother’s engagement ceremony, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect the bride-to-be to be me.

A flicker of panic crossed his face as he yanked out his phone, his fingers shaking as he scrolled through the engagement announcement. His eyes darted between the banner on the screen and my face.

It was real.

His jaw clenched, and he ran a hand through his hair in frustration before scoffing.

"You can't marry her."

Josh’s lips curled into a smirk. “That’s not for you to decide.”

I stood there, confused.

Josh seemed to sense it. He turned to me, his expression unreadable.

"Meet my stepbrother, Kenneth."

He said his name with a cruel smirk, like he was savoring the irony.

Kenneth’s face darkened. His entire body tensed before he lunged forward, grabbing Josh by the collar.

“I know you're desperate for a wife, but not Ivana.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Josh's fist shot out.

Crack!

Kenneth staggered back, blood spilling from the corner of his lips. His hand flew to his jaw as a stunned silence filled the air.

Then came a sharp gasp.

“Kenneth!”

Sophia.

She rushed in just as their father entered the room, his presence suffocating.

Kenneth’s mother ran to his side, her voice trembling as she tried to console him.

“What’s going on?” their father demanded, his voice sharp.

Josh, ever composed, simply adjusted his sleeves. "It's nothing, Dad."

Then, with one swift motion, he reached behind him and pulled me forward.

His grip was firm, possessive. His arm curled around my waist as he looked his father dead in the eye.

"This is my fiancée."

A hush fell over the room.

Then—

Laughter.

Sharp. Cold.

Sophia.

She crossed her arms, her lips curling in cruel amusement.

"Josh, you have such low taste. Of all people, you chose an uneducated girl who is also a thief?"

The words cut deep.

Shame. Humiliation. Anger.

It all crashed over me at once.

But before I could react, Josh’s grip tightened around me. His voice was cold, deadly.

“Say that again, Sophia. I dare you.”