2– Adaline

I’m standing in front of the mirror, nervous. My frayed nerves are not even about the party or being in a room filled with influential men and women—I’ve attended many such parties for at least sixteen years in a row, I’m already used to it. 

My birthday parties are after all business gatherings. 

I’m nervous about meeting Michael Black for the first time. I’m afraid of becoming someone’s wife-to-be barely twenty four hours after my heart was broken. 

A marriage of convenience. 

He’ll meet me today, and I’ll wear his ring today. And maybe in weeks, if I’m lucky, I’ll officially become his wife. Adaline Black.

What was I thinking yesterday when I barged into my father’s office and made that decision? I shake my head to push the doubts away. It’s done. There’s no undoing it now.

The door swings open, and Kate steps inside with a huge grin. 

She’s always so enthusiastic for my birthdays you might even think it’s hers. Good for her. 

I don’t like to consider Kate a household staff—maid as many of the rich folks around us will call it. 

My father once told me that Kate’s mother gave birth to her while still working for our family, just a few months before I was born. As long as I can remember, Kate’s been there—more of a friend than just the daughter of our staff.

Then my mother died and I sank into darkness, and that friendship faded. I stopped seeing her as someone I grew up with and started treating her like she was just another employee.

She never complained. She simply accepted it.

“Miss. Adaline, your guests are waiting. Are you ready?” 

I force out a smile. “Not really, but does it matter?”

Kate chuckles. “It doesn’t.” She says.

I take a deep breath and smile at myself in the mirror. 

My dress is simple—an off-white vintage dress. The color has a glowing effect on my skin, and it hugs into my curves. Elegant. And my mother’s necklace wrapped perfectly around my neck is the star of the show. 

I rub my hands down the dress, smoothing the already smooth fabric. Then I do the same to my hair with a heavy exhale. 

I look the part. A Daniels—graceful, beautiful. But inside, I’m nothing but chaos.

“Do you think he’ll like me?” I ask Kate.

She smiles softly. “You’re beautiful.”

“He should like me beyond my beauty, Kate.” I counter.

Kate lets out a small laugh. “He’ll need to acknowledge your beauty first before a natural instinct to know you better will kick in.”

I smile and nod.

She’s always been the smart one.

Well then, let’s get this over with.

. . .

As I descend the stairs, every eye in the living room—which has been converted into a ballroom—turns towards me. 

The music shifts, slowly, almost complementing my movements as if this moment was choreographed. My breath falters, but I keep my chin high, a serene smile on my lips, and mask the thoughts slamming into my mind. 

I reach the bottom of the stairs and smile up at my father as I take his waiting hand, allowing him to lead me through the guests. 

It’s always the same every year—smile for the cameras, be polite to business partners, dance with him, eat and then say my thank yous and goodbyes. 

Boring. But I’ll endure a few more hours if it keeps my father’s partners happy enough to keep the money flowing in. 

The night unfolds more smoothly than I had expected. And now, as the music changes, I know it’s time to have my first dance of the night with my father. Instead of taking me to the dancefloor, dad simply takes the mic from the coordinator. He speaks with a firm, yet soft voice, a genuine smile tugging his lips.

He’s never smiled like this since my mother died. 

Is he really that happy to marry me off?

“For years, on my daughter’s birthday, we’ve upheld this tradition of sharing her first dance.” he begins, his voice transitioning smoothly to build the right amount of tension. “However, this evening, as Adaline celebrates turning twenty, we turn the page to a new chapter.”

I can hear the soft murmurs in the background, but my mind is too focused on controlling my heart’s palpitations than on anyone’s opinions. 

Dad continues. “I would like to invite Mr. Black—the man who will share Adaline’s first dance tonight, and perhaps many more for the rest of their lives.” 

Gasps erupt in the room, murmurs of questions and speculation echoing.

A sharp breath escapes me.

They think my father is marrying me off to maintain a business partnership with Michael Black. I wouldn’t be surprised. 

Until now, I don’t know why my father kept insisting for months that I marry this man. But here I am. Ready to get it over and done with.

My eyes move around the room as I search the crowd. My stomach twists into knots, expecting to see some older man with graying hair. But the man walking towards me is everything but old and graying.

He’s not what I expected.

Tall, broad-shouldered, his steps exuding power. His tailored tuxedo fits him perfectly, accentuating the strong lines of his body. His dark hair is slicked back, flecked with a few silver strands. 

Then his face—this is a face I don’t think I’ll ever look away from. Chiseled jaw, fox-shaped eyes with irises as blue as the ocean. His features are striking in a way that it turns head as he walks by.  

This is the man I’m marrying?

This is the man I’m marrying!

I’m just realizing what Kate meant when she said he’ll need to like my beauty first before trying to get to know me. Because I like his beauty—enough to actually want to get to know him.

Enough that heat crawls up my cheeks as he stops before me and extends a hand. I hesitate for just a fraction of a second before placing mine in his. His grip is firm, warm, inviting.

“Adaline,” he says smoothly, his voice rich, confident.

“Mr. Black.” I swallow, sliding my hand into his. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

His lips twitch slightly. “Don’t be so formal, Ada, we’ll be married soon.” 

I arch a brow. “I’m about to marry a man I don’t know—a man who’s almost twice my age. You can understand how nerve wracking that is for me, don’t you?”

“I do,” he leans into the shell of my ear and murmurs as he leads me into the dance, his hand resting at the small of my back, his towering figure and intimidating presence enveloping my senses. “Don’t worry, you’ll get a hang of it soon.”

My eyes meet his and hold. Then I smile shyly, reminding myself not to look too uncomfortable or people might start asking questions about the circumstances surrounding this union. 

We move effortlessly to the music, our steps in perfect sync as if we’ve been dance partners for years. I catch glimpses of flashing cameras, the eager eyes of gossip bloggers capturing every moment.

I tilt my head slightly and smile wider. “They’re watching.”

“They are,” Michael agrees.

“Then you know what to do.” I say to him.

His brows pull into a furrow as he asks, “What?”

“Get on your knees and ask me to be your wife. Give them a show. It’s what this arrangement is about, isn’t it?”

Michael hums, amusement flickering across his face. “For someone who was uninterested in this relationship, you seem quite in a hurry.”

Shame almost cripples me when I realize how desperate I must have sounded asking this man to get on his knees and propose, I don’t let it. I inhale a deep breath before saying sternly, “I’m doing this for my father, so I don’t want it to linger for no reason. Just get on your knees and do what needs to be done.”  

The corner of Michael’s mouth upturns as he studies me for a long moment before nodding. Then slowly, he steps back before dropping onto one knee. A hush falls over the room as Michael pulls out a small box, flicking it open to reveal an enormous diamond ring and gasp ripples across the room.

Cameras flash and I slap my hands over my mouth, my eyes crinkling at the corners with a practiced to perfection smile.

“Adaline Daniels,” Michael says, his voice carrying through the silence. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

I inhale sharply, forcing out a squeal, giving them the show they want to see. 

“Yes,” I say, my voice clear and assured. “Yes, I will.”

Applause erupts around us as Michael slides the ring onto my finger. He rises and pulls me into a celebratory hug. I hug him back, laughing loudly and declaring how much I love him and how much he’s made me the happiest woman alive.

All lies. But dad said not to let anyone know that this is not a love union. I don’t know why, and I honestly don’t care to know. I simply want to do as I’m told, because apparently, I’m shit at making good decisions for myself.

For the next several minutes, we endure the endless congratulations, the smiles, the handshakes from the guests. Like they’re truly happy. I know they’re not—they’re simply waiting to leave the party before starting with their gossip.

I don’t care.

 The moment we step away from the crowd, Michael’s demeanor shifts, his voice dropping low as he says, “Now that we’ve handled the theatrics, let’s establish a few things.”

I lift my chin, my throat moving as I swallow. “I’m listening.”

“I don’t take orders from anyone, Adaline. That tone you used earlier? Don’t use it again.”

What the fuck?

I cross my arms. “Is that all?” I ask, my tone snarky.

He shakes his head. “I might’ve given you your show tonight, but I don’t rush into things blindly. I won’t marry a woman I don’t know. So pack your bags. You’re coming with me on a business trip.”

“The hell I am,” I bite out.

He doesn’t speak for a moment. He blows out a breath, his voice carrying an edge as he repeats, “Pack your bags, Ada.”

I stare at him, my pulse going wild. Beautiful and rude. He’s trying to test me, to see how far he can push me.

A small laugh escapes me, my tongue darting out and swiping across my lips. 

“Make me.”