“He seems nice,” I said to Artur, indirectly trying to get under his skin.
“Don’t get fooled,” he answered. “This is the version of him he wants you to see.” He glanced at me. “No one in this hall is nice. No one.” Artur grabbed a glass of champagne from a nearby waiter’s tray. “Well, except for you.”
I hesitated, an abrupt grin creeping into my face, faint and almost imperceptible. “Is that a compliment?”
Silence.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
As the night unfolded, I began loosening up bit by bit. I met a few of his associates, most of whom were just like him: mean-looking and cold. Deathly cold.
I thought that I’d be intimidated by their rigidity. But I wasn’t. Because it turned out that living under the same roof as Artur had hardened me in ways I didn’t realize.
All night long, I stood by his side, listening to the conversations he had with people. Some were acquaintances—allies—others were foes. A good number of the folks he spoke with displayed one of these or both. Respect. Fear.
His discussions were centered around business, money, and strategic alliances. However, sometimes, he’d switch from English to Russian. Or better still, start talking in coded messages. Whenever he did that, I knew the conversation was about something illegal.
The night was wonderful, and I was, at some point, already getting used to the atmosphere. Then, he pulled a stunt that I never saw coming, something that nothing could’ve ever prepared me for.
He was given the stage to say a few words about tonight’s gathering. All eyes on him, he took the microphone from the MC and began talking. Calm. Gentle. Powerful.
I stood there in the crowd, watching him with a strange sense of pride washing over me. The hall fell silent as hisvoice commanded attention. I noticed a few women smiling sheepishly, batting their eyelashes, and even winking at him.
It shouldn’t bother me, but it did. It irritated me so much that I didn’t realize I was glaring at them.
Shameless women!
Then came the shock of my life.
“Before I get out of your faces…” he said, his little tease stirring a quiet chuckle from the crowd. “I’d like to formally introduce you all to someone important to me.”
Everything was happening so fast that I couldn’t keep up.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my fiancée….” He gestured toward me. “Celine Hart.”
What?
Huh?
The whole world froze for a second, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. The words hit like a dropped glass, and I was still trying to confirm that I heard him right.
I met his gaze across the hall, shocked and confused, unsure of how to react.
Fiancée?
Was he being serious?
What the hell, Artur?!
I didn’t realize I’d been holding my breath this whole time until the crowd erupted into heavy applause.
All eyes were on me.
I was in the spotlight. Literally.
Fuck.
Shock flooded my face, hot and blinding as my fingers curled into fists. I locked my jaw, holding back the anger coursing through my body. All I wanted to do was walk away from these people, but I couldn’t embarrass him. Even though he started it.