“Do you want it or not?”
“I…” I hesitate. “I guess, yes.”
“Try to be a little more enthusiastic about it.”
“I’m sorry,” I mutter, looking at the ground.
“It’s tonight,” father informs me. “Everyone will be here. There’s a dress and shoes waiting for you in your room, and Bryony said you can borrow her hair stylist and makeup… person. Be ready to greet the guests at seven p.m.”
“Yes, Father,” I say, quickly making my way up the stairs and away from him when I remember something else and turn around, calling out to him. “Father?”
“Yes?”
“Is there a special reason for this party?”
He smirks at me, and I know he’s got something up his sleeve.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” he says cryptically, making my heart beat faster as I nod, heading to my room.
* * *
The dress I’m wearing for the party is made of beautiful scarlet sequins. Bryony’s team worked magic on me, and I know I look good, though I still have no idea why I had to get so glammed up – and why my birthday is suddenly important to father, who couldn’t care less on the actual day of.
The party is boring and uneventful. Everyone is here – all the Firstborns and Secondborns, including their parents. It’s a good chance to meet everyone but I’m too preoccupied with the thought of Dexter. So far, he’s been a no-show, though I wouldn’t be surprised to find out father hasn’t invited him at all. He’s still pissed at him for what he did to me.
Now, father begins to clink a fork against a champagne flute, and everyone gathers in the grand hall, looking at him up on the stairs expectantly.
“My dear guests,” father begins in his booming, deep voice. “As you know, my daughter… Pandora… has celebrated a birthday this past week. I’m delighted to announce some amazing news – and a small change of plans.”
His words are enough to send shivers down my spine. I’m fucking nervous.
“Unfortunately, my daughter’s engagement with Dexter Booth has come to an end,” father goes on, prompting some whispers from the guests, though I’m sure most of them knew already. “But I’m pleased to announce a new engagement – a bond between the Oakes family… and the Brantleys. Come up here, Easton.”
My mouth is agape as my friend from school walks up to my father with a confident smile.
“And now you, my daughter.” Father extends his hand to me in a show of fatherly love, but his gaze tells me everything – I have to obey him or fucking else.
I join the two men on the stairs, nervously fidgeting with my dress.
I’m helpless as Easton pushes a brand-new ring up on my finger, the diamond not as big as Dexter’s, but still impressive in size. The ring feels alien on my hand, and I toy with it nervously. How the hell is Dexter going to take this? He’s going to fucking kill me.
“Looking beautiful as ever.” Easton leans in, leaving a fleeting kiss against my cheek.
It shocks me that I hesitate before pulling away. The boy has put a spell on me, and he looks especially charming today in a custom-cut suit with diamond cufflinks.
Father drones on about the engagement while I try to come to terms with what he’s saying.
“Isn’t this crazy?” I mutter against Easton’s hear as we stand next to my father who is still whining on and on about our engagement. “I can’t believe he’s making us do this.”
“Well… it wasn’t just his idea,” Easton winks at me.
“What do you mean?”
“I told my parents I was interested in you,” he shrugs. “They were more than eager to put in a good word with your father. This is a union that could be beneficial for everyone.”
“Oh, is it?” I tease him. “And that’s all there is to it?”
“Well,” he grins. “I thought you could use someone to protect you from Dexter. And you’re not so bad to look at it.”