Chapter Fourteen

Jayden

The ballroom gleamed with opulence, the golden chandeliers casting a warm, regal glow over the sea of sharply dressed guests. Crystal glasses clinked, and the soft hum of polite conversation filled the space. Waiters moved effortlessly between groups, offering expensive champagne and exquisite hors d’oeuvres.

The Kane Group’s anniversary gala was more than just a celebration. It was a statement—a display of power, wealth, and influence. A night where the elite of the business world gathered to reaffirm their positions at the top. And tonight, Katherine and I were about to take center stage.

I adjusted the cuffs of my tailored black suit, exhaling slowly as I scanned the room. Business moguls, investors, CEOs—all the right people were here. People who understood the value of strategic alliances. People who would recognize what my engagement to Katherine truly meant.. 

Beside me, Katherine radiated confidence. Her deep red gown hugged her curves, the color bold and deliberate—a queen staking her claim. Blonde waves cascaded over her shoulders, her makeup flawless, her every movement practiced. She had been born into wealth, trained to command attention, and tonight, she was about to make sure the world saw her exactly as she wanted to be seen.

She leaned in slightly, her voice a soft whisper against my ear. “Are you ready?”

I smirked. “More than ready.”

This was all calculated. Our engagement wasn’t just about love—it was about power. About securing our futures, strengthening our positions. The Turner and Smith families merging? It was a business move as much as it was personal.

Katherine turned toward the crowd, lifting her champagne glass gracefully. With a practiced ease, she clinked her spoon against the rim, the clear, ringing chime cutting through the room. The conversations halted, all eyes turning toward us.

I felt the weight of their attention, the anticipation in the air. This was our moment.

Katherine smiled, her voice carrying across the ballroom, smooth and confident. “Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have a moment of your time.”

The murmurs faded completely. Even the waitstaff had paused. The most powerful people in the city were now focused solely on us.

She continued, her tone laced with excitement. “As you all know, tonight is a celebration of success, partnership, and the future.” She turned slightly, reaching for my hand. “And Jayden and I have a special announcement to make.”

I laced my fingers with hers, lifting our joined hands for everyone to see. “We’re engaged.”

For a moment, there was silence—just long enough for the weight of the words to settle.

Then, the applause erupted.

Some clapped enthusiastically, their smiles genuine. Others nodded approvingly, though I could see the wheels turning in their minds.

I caught snippets of hushed conversations:

“A smart move.”

“The Turner and Smith families joining forces? That’s power.”

“They’re unstoppable now.”

Exactly what I had wanted to hear.

"That's my baby girl." Marcus Smith, a major shareholder of the company who was also Katherine’s father said grinning from ear to rar

Katherine’s fingers tightened around mine, a silent message passing between us. We did it.

As the applause softened, the orchestra struck up a soft, elegant tune. Katherine turned to me, her blue eyes gleaming.

“Shall we dance?”

I smirked. “Of course.”

I led her to the center of the ballroom, and the crowd instinctively parted for us. The polished marble beneath our feet reflected the warm glow of the chandeliers, and as we stepped onto the dance floor, every eye remained fixed on us.

This was the moment we had been waiting for.

I placed one hand on her waist, the other holding hers as we moved in perfect harmony. We glided across the floor effortlessly, every step precise, practiced.

This was more than just a dance.

This was a performance.

A declaration.

We were no longer just individuals—we were a unit. A force to be reckoned with.

As we moved, I caught sight of familiar faces in the crowd. My father, watching with careful approval. Katherine’s parents, beaming with pride. Business partners nodding to one another, likely already considering what this engagement meant for their own deals.

Everything was going exactly as planned.

Until it wasn’t.

A ripple of murmurs spread through the room. At first, I ignored it, figuring it was just idle chatter or a distraction. But then I noticed something odd—the way people’s eyes were shifting. They weren’t looking at us anymore. Their attention was drawn elsewhere, toward the grand entrance.

Something was happening. Something important.

I turned my head, and my entire body went rigid.

Richard Kane had arrived.

And he wasn’t alone.

I felt a sharp, uncomfortable tightening in my chest as I processed the scene unfolding before me. Richard Kane, the man who had always held himself with a quiet but intense air of authority, stepped into the ballroom. His sharp features were set in their usual, unreadable mask, and the crowd parted instinctively to make way for him.

But it wasn’t Richard that had my attention.

It was the woman walking beside him.

Emilia.

Her arm was tucked into his, the two of them moving as one, their connection so seamless it looked like they’d been walking together for years. She wore a sleek, black gown that hugged her curves and shimmered under the soft lights, the fabric hugging her figure in just the right way. Her dark hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, framing her face in a way that made her look elegant, powerful.

But that wasn’t what caught my attention.

It was the small but undeniable swell of her stomach.

The sight hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath out of my lungs.

She was pregnant.

With his child.

For a few moments, I couldn’t breathe. My mind struggled to process what I was seeing. The shock was so intense it left me frozen in place, my thoughts crashing into one another like waves against a jagged rock. How? How had I not known? I hadn’t heard a single whisper of this, hadn’t noticed anything strange. But now, seeing her like this—glowing, elegant, so completely at ease with Richard—it was clear.

She had been carrying his child for months, and I hadn’t known.

A deep ache settled in my chest, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. It wasn’t just the shock of seeing Emilia again, or the surprise of her being pregnant. It was the reminder of everything I had lost.

The room had gone eerily silent.

The whispers came next, soft at first, then building in volume, ricocheting off the walls.

“Is that Emilia?”

“She’s with Richard Kane?”

“And she’s… pregnant?”

I felt Katherine stiffen beside me, her grip on my hand tightening like a vice. Her eyes darted between Richard and Emilia, her lips pressed together in an expression of disbelief.

“What… what is this?” she whispered under her breath, her voice barely containing her shock.

I had no answer for her. I was struggling to find one for myself.

Richard guided Emilia into the center of the room with an ease that made my blood boil. His every movement screamed control and confidence—he was a man who knew exactly what he was doing, and it wasn’t lost on anyone in the room. They stared at him as if he were a king returning to his throne.

Then, in a voice as smooth as steel, Richard spoke. The kind of voice that made you listen, made you pay attention.

“Since tonight seems to be a night of announcements,” he said, his deep voice cutting through the silence like a knife, “I suppose it’s time I make mine.”

A hush fell over the crowd. Every pair of eyes was fixed on him. Everyone hung on his every word.

He turned to Emilia, his expression softening for just a fraction of a second. But it was enough for me to notice. His gaze lingered on her with an unmistakable warmth, a tenderness I had never seen from him before. He looked at her like she was everything.

And then he spoke again, the words hitting like thunder.

“This is my wife,” he declared, his voice firm and absolute. “And the mother of my child.”

Gasps filled the ballroom.

I heard them—the murmurs, the shocked voices, the disbelief that rippled through the crowd. “His wife?” “No way.” “When did this happen?”

It was like someone had thrown a stone into a calm pond, sending ripples of shock across the entire room.

Katherine’s face had gone pale. For a moment, I thought I saw her falter. But she quickly forced a smile, smoothing her expression like a practiced politician. She turned toward the nearest billionaire couple, her voice high and almost manic in its cheerfulness.

“Oh, how wonderful!” she said, clearly trying to mask her confusion. “We had no idea Richard was even interested in marriage.”

The older businessman, Mr. Langston, shook his head in disbelief. “Neither did I. This changes everything.”

“It certainly does,” his wife added, her voice thick with intrigue. “This isn’t just a relationship. He’s making it clear that she’s his partner.”

I clenched my jaw, my hands balling into fists at my sides.

This wasn’t just an announcement. This was Richard Kane claiming Emilia—publicly, unapologetically. He had put his stamp on her in front of everyone.

I could see what he was doing.

He was cementing his claim.

A younger executive leaned toward his colleague, a little too loudly. “I’d say this completely overshadowed your engagement announcement, Jayden.”

I forced a laugh, a hollow, humorless sound. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

But I couldn’t help it. My mind was spinning. Richard had just claimed the one thing I had once thought was mine. And Emilia—my Emilia—wasn’t looking my way. She wasn’t even acknowledging me.

And somehow, that was the worst part of all.

Then, just when I thought the room couldn’t feel more suffocating, Richard did something that made my blood run cold.

He turned to Emilia, cupped her face with undeniable tenderness, and kissed her.

Right there. In front of everyone.

The room held its breath for a moment, the sound of their kiss filling the air like a declaration of war.

A few gasps echoed around the ballroom. Someone sighed dreamily. Others watched in stunned silence, as if they couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Unbelievable,” a woman whispered, her voice tinged with awe and something darker.

Katherine stiffened beside me, her lips barely moving as she seethed under her breath. “What the hell is he doing?”

But the room was too stunned to respond. Applause followed—not the polite clapping from before, but enthusiastic, spontaneous, like they were witnessing something monumental.

People cheered, offering congratulations, shaking Richard’s hand, and smiling at Emilia like she was royalty.

And I stood there, paralyzed. Watching the woman I once had—once thought I owned—become someone else’s entirely.

She never even looked my way.

And somehow, that was the worst part of all.