"Tell me, Elara," Celeste's voice dripped with mockery, "do you honestly believe this… arrangement will last? My brother isn't exactly the sentimental type. And let's be frank—he's settled for less before, but this…" She let the words dangle in the air like a poised dagger, her lips curving into a satisfied smirk.
Before Elara could respond, the heavy doors to the dining room swung open with an effortless ease that only came from someone used to making an entrance. The man who strode in carried an air of lazy arrogance, his dark eyes glinting with amusement as they landed on her.
"Well, well," he drawled, the smirk on his lips mirroring Celeste's but laced with mischief. "Finally, our wife is here."
Killian's grip on his wine glass tightened imperceptibly. His tone was razor-sharp as he said, "Lucas."
Lucas Hayes—Killian's stepbrother. Almost the same age as him but his complete opposite in every way. While Killian was reserved, disciplined, and calculating, Lucas was playful, unpredictable, and charming in a way that made people either adore him or despise him. Their relationship had never been one of brotherly affection, and the underlying rivalry between them was noticeable.
Lucas sauntered toward an empty seat, but not before flashing Elara a look of keen interest. "I have to say, I was beginning to think this was just a rumor.,I can't believed that you are already married,or could it be a contract marriage, perhaps?" His voice was light, teasing, but there was an edge beneath it—one Elara didn't miss.
Elara didn't falter. Instead, she leaned back slightly, regarding him with cool confidence. "Funny," she said smoothly. "I was beginning to think the infamous Lucas Hayes was also just a rumor."
"Oh, I like her already."Lucas said with a short laugh as he settled into his chair.
Killian shot him a warning look. "Enough of that."
Lucas only grinned wider, ignoring his stepbrother's irritation. "Relax, brother. Just getting to know our new family member."
Their mother, Eleanor Hayes, who had been watching the exchange silently, finally spoke. "Elara," she said smoothly, her expression masked and her voice betraying nothing. "What is it that you do?"
Lucas, who had just reached for his glass, smirked. "Yes, do tell us please ,I'd love to know what keeps our dear sister-in-law occupied." He was still settling in, his movements deliberate as if savoring the moment.
Elara met Eleanor's sharp blue eyes with steady resolve. She knew this wasn't a casual question—it was an assessment. "I work in interior design," she answered evenly.
Celeste scoffed, and Vivienne's lips twitched into an amused smirk. "Interior design? How insignificant," Vivienne murmured in mockery while swirling the glass of wine in her hand.
Elara clenched her hands under the table but forced a composed smile. "Yes, I have an eye for spaces and aesthetics," she said smoothly. "I suppose it's a skill not everyone possesses,it needs intelligence."
Celeste's smirk wavered slightly at the jab. Lucas, enjoying the exchange, let out a chuckle under his breath. Killian, beside her, remained impassive, but there was something almost approving in the way his gaze lingered on her.
Victor Hayes, the family patriarch, finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the conversation like a blade. "Tell me, Elara, what do you think is the greatest weakness of a powerful family?"
Silence fell over the table. The weight of his gaze bore down on her, a test wrapped in a simple question. She knew this wasn't idle curiosity—he wanted to gauge her intelligence, her insight. A wrong answer could mark her as foolish. A right one could earn his respect.
Elara took a slow sip of her wine, her mind racing. Then, she set the glass down, meeting Victor's gaze with unwavering confidence.
"Arrogance," she said. "The belief that power is invincible. That nothing can topple it. But history has proven otherwise. The moment a powerful family stops adapting, stops anticipating threats, is the moment they become vulnerable."
There was a deafening silence stretched across the table. Even Celeste and Vivienne had momentarily stopped their quiet mocking.
Then, Victor let out a deep, rumbling chuckle. It wasn't one of amusement—it was one of intrigue.
"Well, then," he said, lifting his glass in a toast. "Let's hope then that you will live up to your own words."
Elara picked up her glass and clinked it against his without hesitation.
"I always do."
Killian watched her with an unreadable expression, something dark and intrigued flickering in his eyes.
Celeste, however, wasn't done. She leaned forward, her expression poised yet cutting,full of venom. "Tell me, Elara," she said silkily, "do you honestly believe this… arrangement will last?" Her gaze flicked toward Killian, her words designed to sting. "My brother isn't exactly the sentimental type. And let's be frank—he's settled for less before, but this…" She trailed off with a slow, cruel smile.
Elara's heartbeat pounded in her ears, but she didn't waver,she clenched her fist under the table.She met Celeste's gaze head-on with a slow, confident smile curving her lips.
"Then it's a good thing I never planned to be sentimental," she countered. "And as for what your brother has settled for—well, only he can answer that."
A slow smirk tugged at Lucas's lips, his gaze flicking between Killian and Elara. "Now, this just got interesting."
Killian's expression darkened, but he said nothing. His fingers tapped lightly against his wine glass, his thoughts unreadable.
Just then, Victor's voice cut through the tension once more. "Enough," he said, his tone final. "Elara has answered well. Let's see if her actions match her words."
The air remained thick with unspoken challenges, but the conversation shifted. Elara felt the burn of Celeste's and Vivienne's glare and the flicker of amusement in Lucas's eyes.
And beside her, Killian finally turned his gaze toward her, something unreadable lurking beneath his sharp features.
Elara exhaled slowly. The game had begun.
And she refused to lose.
She hate when someone wants to walk over her.And if she wants to fit in into Killian's world,she would not do that as a coward.