Half an hour later, Magnus and I emerged from the room.
My legs were trembling.
Magnus leaned in, his lips grazing the shell of my ear as he chuckled. "Miss Rothschild, consider this engagement mine." I could still feel the heat of his presence lingering on my skin, making me self-conscious. I ruffled my hair to mask my unease. "If you can't pull this off, you're dead." Magnus chuckled, the sound full of amusement.
"There's never been anything I couldn't handle."
"Especially… when it comes to you."
I knew Magnus was ruthless, and his methods even more so. Tonight, I had placed a bet on him—if he succeeded, I would be free.
If he failed, I would simply have one more worthless heir to deal with. The banquet was about to begin.
I stood beside my parents as we took the stage.
The groom-to-be was, unsurprisingly, still nowhere to be found. His parents, meanwhile, merely nodded at me with indifferent expressions. It was clear they didn't think much of me.
My father cleared his throat. "We've gathered everyone here tonight for an important announcement. Our eldest daughter, Lillian, has reached the age of marriage, and she has found the perfect match in the young master of the Knapp family—"
Before he could finish, a low chuckle interrupted him from the crowd. "Perfect match?"
Magnus's voice was not loud, yet it carried effortlessly through the venue.
I had assumed he would wait until later to interfere. I had underestimated just how impatient he was. My father paused, his brows furrowing. "Mr. Everstone, do you have an objection?"
"Yes."
Magnus strode forward and stopped beneath the crystal chandelier, his features illuminated, his eyes gleaming with an almost otherworldly light.
"I have objections regarding Miss Rothschild's marriage."
Magnus's words were sharp and unyielding, and they made my father laugh in disbelief. "I know you and Lillian don't get along, Mr. Everstone, but today is a special day for our family. Is this the level of manners you're bringing?"
Magnus remained unfazed, his eyes cold and measured. "If I lack manners, then what do you call the entitled fool who makes women get abortions every year?"
The parents of the groom's family stiffened, their faces turning pale. Whispers spread across the room, the murmurs growing louder by the second.
The elite families had always looked down on Magnus's humble origins, but because of his current position, they didn't dare openly offend him. Instead, their words became passive-aggressive, laced with the kind of thinly-veiled mockery reserved for those with a sense of superiority.
"Your parents probably never taught you, messing with someone's love life is bad karma,"Magnus raised an eyebrow. "If I ruin anyone's prospects, I'll make it up to her."
Then, he turned toward me and said, "Miss Rothschild, how about marry me?" The room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into chaos.
"What? Magnus Everstone and Lillian Rothschild? Impossible."
"Is he doing this out of revenge?"
Magnus ignored the buzz around us and casually lifted his gaze toward the Knapp family.
"Your son wants to marry her, but his family is willing to threaten her parents for stock, use all kinds of underhanded methods, risk her career, break her wings. With me, nothing's required."
"Stocks, power, whatever she wants, she gets."
"The treatment of a true young lady—if you won't give it to her, I will."
He then took out an agreement, unfolding it under the light. "Here's the written proof—clear terms, signed and sealed." The room went deathly quiet. The document, filled with dense text, was the same one Magnus had shown me earlier.
For a moment, I wanted to peel back his brain and see if he was simply infatuated.
My parents exchanged a glance, the glint of approval flickering in their eyes.
This deal was far better than the one with the Knapp family.
I met Magnus's black eyes, and something inside me began to stir, slowly spreading across my chest, opening old wounds that hadn't quite healed.
It was both painful and itchy.
The Knapp family's parents were speechless.
Under the watchful eyes of the guests, I took the agreement from Magnus's hands. With swift strokes, I signed my name. Then, I kicked off my heels. "It hurts, get me another pair."
"Alright."
Magnus calmly knelt down, swapping my heels for the flats he had prepared. The onlookers were practically speechless, and they immediately began asking about the nature of my relationship with Magnus. Once the shoes were changed, Magnus casually tossed the heels aside and stood up, grabbing my hand as we walked out together.
