Chapter 27
It was finally time for the engagement party.
Nicole was already dressed, yet she remained seated on the edge of the bed, staring blankly ahead, unable to bring herself to go downstairs to welcome the guests. Her hands rested in her lap, fingers lightly clasped together, betraying the nervous energy running through her veins.
How was she supposed to walk into a room filled with elite people and wear a smile on her face when everything about this engagement was built on a lie?
That thought alone was heavy enough, but it wasn’t even the main reason her chest felt tight.
Nicole was nervous because she had no idea how Gabriel’s guests would receive her—or worse, how they would judge her once they met her.
She was certain they would be curious, that they would want to know where she came from, what her background was like, who her family was.
And the truth was simple and terrifying at the same time—she was nothing close to rich.
She didn’t want to embarrass Gabriel. Not even a little.
That was the last thing she wanted to do.
This entire contract suddenly felt like the worst decision she had ever made.
She should never have accepted it in the first place.
But what choice had she really had? She needed the money, and this—this was still better than robbing a bank or selling her body.
At least that’s what she kept telling herself, even as doubt gnawed at her chest.
She was still lost in her thoughts when the door opened and Helen walked into the room. Nicole didn’t notice her at first until the mattress dipped slightly beside her. Helen had taken a seat next to her on the bed.
“Nicole, honey, why aren’t you downstairs yet?” Helen asked gently, her voice warm.
Nicole blinked, momentarily startled, then turned to her with a small, forced smile.
“I’ll be down soon,” she replied, hoping the smile would hide the nerves buzzing beneath her skin.
“Honey, there are only a few guests. You have nothing to worry about,” Helen said calmly, her words taking Nicole by surprise.
How did she know?
How did she always seem to know exactly what was going on in her head?
Nicole’s expression must have given her away, because Helen chuckled softly.
“You don’t have to look so surprised. I figured you two wouldn’t want something big, so I decided to keep it small and simple,” she explained. “Now come on, let’s go.”
Just as Helen finished speaking, the door opened again, and Gabriel walked into the room.
“Oh sweetie, you’re here,” Helen said brightly when she saw him. “I’ll leave you two alone then. But please—don’t get so into yourselves that you forget about the guests.”
She shot them a playful smirk before turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind her.
Gabriel remained standing where he was, his eyes fixed on Nicole.
For a moment, he forgot about everything else.
She looked breathtaking.
The green evening gown hugged her body tightly from her chest down to her knees, clinging to her curves in a way that made his breath hitch.
A hint of cleavage showed, tasteful yet undeniably tempting, and the color brought out her complexion beautifully.
She looked elegant, radiant—far more than he ever imagined when this whole arrangement began.
He could stand there all night, just staring at her, and never get tired.
In that moment, Gabriel knew one thing with absolute certainty—he didn’t regret bringing Nicole into his life. She was worth every risk he had taken. And for the first time, he wished deeply that what they had was real. Not a contract. Not an arrangement. Something true.
It took everything in him not to cross the room, pull her into his arms, and kiss her the way he’d been imagining—slow, deep, passionate. Her lips looked so inviting, so soft, and his mind betrayed him with thoughts of all the things he would do to her if she were truly his.
He exhaled sharply and forced himself back to reality, mentally shutting down the dangerous direction of his thoughts.
“You look beautiful,” he finally said, his voice steady despite the storm inside him.
Nicole looked up at him, still trying to suppress her nerves.
“Thanks,” she replied softly. “You don’t look bad yourself.”
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yeah… I guess?” she said, rising from the bed and walking toward him.
Instinctively, Gabriel placed his hand on her lower back, the touch firm yet reassuring, and guided her out of the room.
As they reached the spiral staircase, Nicole’s nervousness doubled. Her eyes landed on the guests gathered below—and they were far more than she expected. More than thirty people filled the space, chatting and laughing, dressed in elegant attire. A few guests, Helen had said.
Her body stiffened almost instantly.
Gabriel felt the change in her immediately. Without a word, he reached for her hand and laced his fingers with hers, grounding her as they began their descent down the stairs.
“Relax,” he whispered close to her ear, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “Everything’s going to be fine. I promise.”
Nicole swallowed hard. How could he always tell?
Before she could respond, Gabriel leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss was tender, reassuring—exactly what she needed in that moment. She melted into it, kissing him back without hesitation. Part of her craved this closeness, especially after the kiss they’d shared the night before. It ended far too soon, leaving her slightly breathless.
When they pulled apart, Nicole couldn’t hide the surprise in her eyes as she stared at him.
Gabriel seemed to surprise her more with every passing day.
“There they are!” Helen’s voice rang out from the crowd, snapping them back to reality.
The guests turned toward them, and suddenly applause and cheers filled the room as Gabriel and Nicole stepped fully into view.
They greeted everyone one by one, and to Nicole’s surprise, the guests were warm and welcoming.
They seemed genuinely happy for Gabriel, eager to see him engaged at last.
No one questioned her background. No one made her feel small.
It felt like many of them had simply been waiting for Gabriel to finally settle down.
Gabriel and Nicole were in the middle of a conversation with one of his cousins when someone tapped Gabriel’s shoulder. They both turned around.
Standing there was a tall blonde woman with striking greyish-blue eyes, a perfectly pointed nose, and plump lips. She looked like she belonged on a runway—elegant, confident, flawless. She appeared to be in her thirties, and her presence alone was intimidating.
Nicole felt small instantly.
At 5’6”, she suddenly became painfully aware of her height compared to the woman’s towering 5’9” frame. The woman looked like a goddess, and Nicole hated how inadequate she suddenly felt.
The woman’s expression darkened briefly when she noticed Nicole standing beside Gabriel, but the moment her eyes settled on him, her annoyance vanished, replaced by a bright smile.
“Sam?” Gabriel exclaimed in surprise. “I had no idea you were here!”
“I wanted to surprise you,” the woman—Samantha—said, placing her hand casually on his shoulder. “And I’m glad I did.”
“When did you return?” he asked.
“Two days ago,” she replied. “I was surprised to hear you’re engaged. You didn’t tell me.”
“I’m sorry,” Gabriel said apologetically.
Nicole stood there, watching as Samantha’s fingers lightly caressed Gabriel’s arm. He didn’t stop her. He didn’t even seem to notice. And worse—he didn’t introduce Nicole at all.
Her chest tightened.
She felt invisible. Foolish.
It was clear—this woman held a special place in Gabriel’s life. Nicole didn’t belong here. She never had. So instead of standing there, pretending everything was fine and risking ruining the party with her mood, she quietly walked away toward the bedroom.
“Honey? Where are you going?” Helen’s voice stopped her.
Nicole froze, as she wasn’t expecting Helen to see her.
“I, um —I need to use the bathroom,” she replied nervously.
Helen studied her closely. “Are you alright?”
“Y-yeah,” Nicole said quickly, forcing a smile.
Helen looked unconvinced but eventually stepped aside.
Nicole exhaled in relief and continued upstairs, her heart heavy as she left the party behind.