$25 Bonus sat at the table, reading something on his tablet while sipping coffee. He looked up as I approached.
“Sleep well?” he asked, setting the tablet aside.
“Reasonably.” I poured myself some coffee and sat. “You?”
“Enough.”
An awkward silence settled between us. So much had been said the night before, so much left hanging in the air, that neither of us seemed to know how to move forward.
“About tonight’s event…” he finally began.
“Yes?”
“It starts at six. There’ll be key buyers, wine critics, a few celebrities.” He hesitated. “And my grandfather will be there.”
My stomach sank.
“So soon? I thought I’d meet him later.”
“Change of plans. He came back early from a trip to Europe.”
I swallowed hard, nerves spiking. The infamous grandfather-the man who demanded a marriage before handing his empire over to his grandson-would be sizing me up tonight.
“And what if he doesn’t like me?”
The question slipped out before I could stop it, exposing more of my insecurity than I meant to.
Christian studied me for a moment.
“Why wouldn’t he like you?”
“I don’t know. I’m…” I hesitated. “Normal. Ordinary. I don’t come from an important family, I have no connections, I know nothing about wine or the world you live in.”
“Zoey…” There was something gentle in his voice. “My grandfather doesn’t care about any of that. He cares about character.”
The hours blurred after that, until night finally arrived. I chose an emerald green midi dress-elegant without being over the top-and Carmen kindly helped with my hair, twisting it into a loose bun that framed my face.
When Christian saw me in the entry hall, something shifted in his expression. He wore a perfectly tailored dark suit and slim tie, looking like he’d stepped straight out of a fashion magazine.
“You look…” he paused, searching for the right word. “Stunning.”
Heat crept up my cheeks.
“Thanks. You don’t look bad yourself.”
The drive to the winery’s event complex was short but tense. Christian handled a sleek black Porsche convertible, the kind of car I’d only seen in movies.
“Nervous?” he asked, noticing how I fidgeted with the engagement ring.
“A little.”
“You don’t need to be. You’re…” he hesitated again, softer this time. “Amazing, Zoey. Just as you are.”
Something in his tone made me glance at him, trying to read what lay behind those words.
“And if they ask how we met?” I pressed, clinging to the practical details.
“Through mutual friends.”
“And the rest?”
He gave me that enigmatic smile I already knew too well.
“The rest is our story.”
By the time we pulled into the parking area, the place was buzzing. Luxury cars lined the lot, elegantly dressed people strolled about, crystal glasses glinting in the evening light.
“Christian…” My stomach clenched. “What if your grandfather doesn’t approve of me?”
He shut off the engine and turned toward me.
“After Francesca, I thought he’d never accept anyone. But when he heard about our engagement, he said something that surprised me.”
“What?”
“He said he was glad I’d finally found someone who seemed real.” Christian’s eyes locked onto mine, unwavering. “He saw the photos from the wedding and told me the way I looked at you… looked genuine.”
My heart raced. But before I could respond, I caught movement off to the right. Several cars pulled in, each stamped with the Elite PR logo.
“Christian…” My voice faltered.
He followed my gaze, and his expression hardened. Then, to my surprise, he reached for my hand and squeezed.
“We’re in this together, remember?”
That simple gesture steadied me more than any words could have. I nodded, feeling an unexpected wave of resolve settle over me.
We stepped out of the car and started toward the entrance. That was when I saw Elise, climbing gracefully out of one of the Elite vehicles, her perfectly styled hair unmistakable even from a distance.
Her eyes lifted, locking onto mine across the parking lot. For a heartbeat, the world froze around us.
And then, with a smile that never reached her eyes, she began walking straight toward us.
Elise closed the distance with that perfectly calculated walk of hers, each step a reminder of how effortlessly she belonged in settings like this. She wore an off-white ensemble that probably cost more than three months of my salary, her hair flawless, her makeup so perfect it could’ve been airbrushed.
And then, because the universe apparently wanted to make my night even harder, Alex appeared right behind her.
My hand found Christian’s instinctively, gripping tight. He glanced at me, his expression shifting instantly as he understood the situation.
“Christian Kensington,” Elise greeted smoothly, her professional smile failing to mask the calculating gleam in her eyes. “What a surprise seeing you here. It’s wonderful to have Kensington Wineries as our client.”
“Miss Banks,” Christian replied, his politeness edged with frost. “Marcus handles that side of the business.”
Her gaze slid toward me, something sparking in her eyes. Not hostility exactly-something closer to curiosity… tinged with envy.
“Zoey,” she said, her tone dipped in faux warmth. “Always a pleasure to see you.”
Before I could answer, Alex stepped up beside her. His smile faltered just slightly the moment his eyes landed on
“Zoey.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.