Page 73 of Falling for the Wrong Billionaire
The engagement party feels more like a funeral.
Everyone’s smiling, congratulating us, whispering polite words of encouragement. But underneath the surface, I can feel it: the hollow emptiness of the whole thing. It’s all just a performance. A masquerade ball where I’m the lead actress, pretending to be something I’m not.
I glance at Theo beside me, his smile tight, his hand resting on my lower back in a familiar, rehearsed gesture. He’s the perfect fiancé — handsome, charming, exactly what my father wanted for me. What the family business needs. But he’s not what I need. And that truth weighs down on me with every step we take into the heart of the ballroom.
The gold-trimmed chandeliers hang above us like a thousand disapproving eyes, casting light on this polished world I don’t belong to. The laughter, the clinking of glasses, the sound of richpeople talking about things that don’t matter — all of it feels so far away from the real world.
I feel so out of place. So trapped.
Theo’s voice cuts through the fog of my thoughts. “Shall we make our rounds?” he asks, his hand still on my back, guiding me forward.
I nod, even though I’m not sure I can keep it together much longer.
The introductions, the smiles, the pleasantries — they blur together. I don’t care about any of it. My mind keeps returning to Liam.
A low hum builds in my chest. I can’t keep pretending. Not like this.
I need air.
I excuse myself from Theo, claiming I need to freshen up, and slip away to a quiet corner of the room. I breathe in deeply, hoping the coolness of the evening will steady my nerves, but all I can think about is Liam.
And then I do what I have needed to do for the past few months. I return and find Theo. I need to stop this. I need to take control of my life and act like the adult I am.
“I need to talk with you, Theo.” I don’t want to do this. I don’t really want to have this conversation. But there’s no avoiding it now. I know the timing is awful, but I take a deep breath and ready myself to begin.
His gaze studies me as he interjects. “I think I know what’s going on between us, Lucy,” he says. “Or more to the point, what hasn’t.”
I freeze, my heart dropping to my stomach. “I know you've been thinking of him.” Theo’s voice is calm, but his eyes are sharp. “Liam, right?”
I’m speechless for a moment. How does he know? But it doesn’t matter. He knows. And now I need to tell him the truth.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “Theo, I’m sorry. I should’ve told you sooner. But the truth is, I’m not ready to marry you. I thought I could do this. I thought I could go through with it, but I can’t. Not anymore.”
Theo looks at me for a long moment. His expression is unreadable. I brace myself for anger, for frustration. But what he says next surprises me.
“Do you love him?” he asks, his voice almost gentle.
I look at him, confused. “What?”
“Liam,” he clarifies. “Do you love him?”
I stare at him for a long time. My heart pounds in my chest. “Yes,” I whisper, unable to deny it anymore.
Theo’s expression softens, and I can see theunderstanding in his eyes. “Then you should go to him,” he says quietly. “If you love him, go.”
The words hit me harder than I expect. I thought he would fight for me. I thought he would demand answers. But instead, he’s telling me to go.
I nod slowly, my heart aching. “Thank you,” I say, my voice barely a whisper.
He nods, his eyes distant, like he’s already moving on. “I hope you’re happy, Lucy. I really do. Of course I’d love to marry you. You’re beautiful and so bright. But the truth is, neither of us is in love with the other. Not you. Not me. Going through with a marriage to please our fathers is the worst thing we could or should do. And don’t worry, I won’t let this affect your dad’s business. I’m sure my father will continue with the deal. I’ll be sure of it.”
“Theo, I can’t believe that your father pushed you into this just like mine did! So, we’ve both been doing this to make our fathers happy? To be a business deal for them? I’m flabbergasted! Why didn’t we stop this merry-go-round before this? Anyway, thank you so much for being a wonderful man; forbeing honest with me, and for blessing my love for Liam like you did. I’ll never forget it.”
With that, he hugs me and walks away, leaving me standing in the quiet corner of the room, my heart torn for how I’ve let this go so far. But frankly, Theo seems just fine, and he’s been so kind. Maybe there is some hope for my life after all.
I move to the center of the ballroom, the spotlight on me, and for the first time tonight, I feel the weight of everything being lifted. The weight of my father’s disappointment, the weight of the life I’ve been forced into, the weight of a choice I never asked for.
The music softens, and the room grows quiet. I swallow hard, trying to steady my nerves.
