Elias stood frozen in the middle of his room, the finely tailored wedding suit hanging untouched on the rack behind him. He stared at the spot where Damien had stood just moments ago—cold, distant, and gone without a trace.
"I swear to God," Elias muttered, pacing the floor. "That man only knows how to fuck around with people. Emotionally unavailable? Check. Mysterious and broody? Check. Rude as hell? Triple check."
He kicked at a slipper that lay helplessly by his bed. "He came in here, gave me two sentences like some royal decree, then just vanished like Batman! No feelings, no warmth, just poof—gone."
Catrina, sitting cross-legged on his bed with a mug of coffee, raised an eyebrow. "He is giving emotionally constipated villain energy, not gonna lie."
Elias flopped beside her and groaned. "He doesn't even care! Like, I'm the one marrying him, not going to war. At least pretend you like me a little."
Catrina patted his head like he was a grumpy cat. "Look, I get it. He's colder than your ex's heart, but maybe… just maybe, this is his weird way of caring?"
Elias scoffed. "Ghosting me on our date, sending a corporate email as an apology, disappearing after one sentence—yeah, super romantic."
Catrina sipped her coffee. "Hey, at least he showed up for the suit fitting."
Elias stared at the ceiling. "Barely. I blinked and he was gone again. He might as well have sent his hologram."
There was a long pause before Catrina's voice turned softer. "I can't believe it's in two weeks."
Elias turned his head toward her. "What?"
"The wedding. Two weeks from now," she said, her voice laced with disbelief. "My little brother is actually getting married."
Elias gave a small smile. "Feels unreal, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Catrina whispered. "I always thought I'd be the first to get married. But here we are. You, in a designer suit, marrying a man who probably doesn't even know how to hug."
Elias laughed through his nose. "Ironic, huh?"
"You're growing up so fast," she said, her eyes welling up but her voice firm. "I'm proud of you. Even if this is all happening in the weirdest way imaginable."
They sat in silence for a moment before Catrina added, "But if he ever hurts you, wedding or not, I'm slashing his tires."
Elias smiled. "Deal."
Just then, his phone buzzed on the dresser. They both turned.
One new message.
Catrina snatched it before he could, her eyes scanning the screen. Her expression shifted instantly—from curious to confused to something... unreadable.
"What is it?" Elias asked, sitting up straighter.
She looked up slowly, her voice hesitant. "It's… from Alex."
Elias blinked. "What?"
She turned the screen to him.
It was a message from a new number.
"Congratulations on the wedding, Elias. But you don't get to erase me this easily. We're not done yet."
Elias's breath caught in his throat.
The past wasn't ready to let him go just yet.
Elias threw himself onto the bed, groaning into the pillow. "Why does he always know what's going on in my life? Is he stalking me or something? I'm so fucking done with this guy. What the hell is he even trying to do?"
He turned his face toward the ceiling, eyes glazed with frustration. "God… I'm really about to quit life at this point."
Catrina let out a long sigh and crossed her arms. "He's not even worth the airtime, Elias. Here—let me block this number too."
"Go ahead. I don't care anymore," Elias muttered. "I'll tell Damien straight up on our wedding night that I want a divorce after three years. No strings attached. No fake relationship. Just a deal."
Catrina nodded, her tone growing firm. "You should. That guy's a waste of emotional space. But…" She paused, then shoved Elias lightly. "What if Damien already has someone?"
Elias blinked, sitting up slowly. "Wait, what? You really think that?"
"I mean, think about it," Catrina said thoughtfully. "I only saw him once—and even that was just a glance—but let's be real: the guy looked like he walked out of a high-end magazine. Black hair, black eyes, tall… what, 6'3? Dressed in a suit but still looked ripped underneath it. That man could get anyone he wants. I wouldn't be surprised if he already has someone."
Elias frowned, a chill settling in his stomach. "Yeah… now that you mention it, when he looked at his phone that day, he frowned. But not the annoyed kind—it looked more like… like he was worried. Like someone was on his mind."
Catrina tilted her head. "Exactly. So if that's true, maybe this marriage means even less to him than it does to you."
Elias let out a short laugh, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Well then, my job's easier. I'll sign the prenuptial agreement, no problem. He gets his deal, and I walk away when time's up."
Catrina's eyes widened. "Hold on—you're really going to sign a prenup?"
"Of course. What do I have to lose?"
She raised a brow. "Do you even know who Damien is? He's not just some guy, Elias. He's the CEO of the B... BT Group."
Elias froze. "He's… what?"
Catrina stared at Elias, brows furrowed in disbelief. "Wait… you didn't know he was the CEO of BT Group?"
Elias scoffed, eyes wide. "If I knew, would I be this shocked right now? Obviously not."
Catrina gave him a long look, then smirked. "So… are you still gonna sign that prenup?"
Elias leaned back on the bed dramatically. "If I get even a quarter of that man's wealth after three years, I'll never bother him again. Hell, I'll vanish and live on a beach somewhere."
Catrina burst out laughing. "No DNA test needed—you're definitely my brother."
Their laughter echoed through the room until it faded into tired smiles. Catrina yawned and stretched. "Alright, drama queen. Get some sleep. Big emotions need big rest."
Elias chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Good night, Cat."
"Night, loser."
And just like that, the chaos of the day gave way to the quiet comfort of shared laughter—and a silence thick with everything left unsaid.
The music played softly in the background, elegant and slow, like it was trying not to disturb the chaos in Elias's chest. He stood at the end of the wedding aisle, heart pounding behind layers of silk, lace, and carefully curated perfection. The venue was breathtaking—flowers draped from the chandeliers, soft golden lights casting a dreamy hue over the crowd.
But Elias? He could barely breathe.
This wasn't how he pictured his wedding—not to someone he barely knew, not like this. His fingers clenched the bouquet Catrina forced into his hands "for drama." She had winked when she handed it to him. "Trust me, Elias. You're the moment."
And he was. People were staring, whispering, clearly stunned by how stunning he looked. His suit—custom tailored—hugged his frame perfectly, his hair styled just enough to look effortless. He looked like a fantasy. He felt like a hostage.
He shifted his gaze toward the crowd, just trying to ground himself, when his breath hitched.
Someone was staring at him from the fourth row—half-hidden behind a tall woman in a lavender dress. Elias couldn't quite make out the face, but something about the presence felt... familiar. A chill ran up his spine. Their eyes locked.
Elias blinked.
His mind raced.
No… it couldn't be. Could it?
He didn't even realize his lips had parted slightly, his heartbeat skipping in time with the strings playing in the background.
Catrina, standing just off to the side, caught the look on his face and leaned over with a smirk. "See a ghost, or just your ex regretting life choices?"
Elias shot her a glare. "I swear to God, if Alex came here uninvited, I will hex him through the floor."
Catrina snorted. "Relax, witchy. Just keep smiling. You've got a wedding to fake."
Elias rolled his eyes, lifted his chin, and fixed his expression into something neutral—flawless but unreadable.
He turned back toward the aisle as the music shifted.
Here we go, he thought, gripping the bouquet tighter.
And behind him, in the fourth row, the mysterious figure slowly reached for their phone… eyes still fixed on Elias