The living room, which had been cheerful and light just fifteen minutes ago, now exuded a tense, suffocating seriousness.
Recessed lighting cast a soft glow, enhancing the room's refined ambiance.
The Blackwell brothers sat on the sofa, while Margaret and Catherine occupied the armchairs around a sleek, low-profile coffee table made of dark wood, positioned at the center of the room.
Everyone sat in silence, waiting for an official statement.
Across from them, Edgar Blackwell and Douglas Vale sat in a pair of high-backed armchairs, engaged in a low, private conversation about how to proceed.
After a while, Rosalind and Isobel joined their husbands' discussion.
Damon stood in front of the fireplace, his gaze distant, lost in thought.
On the other side of the room, Selina sat quietly in a chair, staring at the dinner table.
First of all, she had no desire to meet anyone's eyes.
Second, she was trying to paint the image of an embarrassed young lady after what had happened.
At long last, the Blackwells and the Vales seemed to reach a satisfying conclusion.
They walked toward the center of the room.
Damon faced his father fully, waiting for Edgar to speak.
Everyone's focus shifted to the two men, anticipating the verdict.
Edgar exhaled, his deep voice cutting through the silence.
"We will not let this situation turn into a scandal."
Everyone nodded, but no one spoke.
Then Aunt Catherine shook her head.
"How is that possible?"
She folded her arms, her tone laced with skepticism.
"How do we explain that Damon came here to get engaged to Margaret but ended up marrying her younger sister instead? Everyone already knows that Margaret was supposed to be the bride. What are we going to say? That our son didn't like the eldest and preferred the youngest, so we simply took Selina instead?"
She scoffed.
"How is that not going to cause a scandal?"
No one answered immediately.
Instead, Douglas turned to his eldest daughter.
"Margaret."
Margaret lifted her chin slightly.
"Yes, Father?"
Douglas studied her for a long moment before saying,
"Do you wish to proceed with the marriage to Damon?"
It was an unexpected question.
Margaret's lips parted slightly in confusion.
Then, without hesitation, she shook her head and gave the answer they had all been waiting for.
"No."
A heavy silence followed.
Selina stole a glance at her sister.
She knew Margaret would choose her side.
Margaret wouldn't approve—but she would support her, regardless.
Even if she had no idea what Selina was planning.
Douglas exhaled, rubbing his temple.
At least she wasn't upset about all this.
Edgar's gaze flickered toward his son.
"Damon?"
Damon met his father's eyes.
He knew his answer didn't matter.
The decision had already been made.
He stared at his father, waiting for his next move.
Seeing his son's expression of reluctant acceptance, Edgar nodded, satisfied.
"Then this is what we will tell people."
He folded his hands behind his back, his voice calm, yet authoritative.
"Margaret made the decision to end the engagement herself."
He turned toward Margaret, granting her an approving nod.
"She and Damon met the other day, but she had no desire to uproot her life—not when she had just opened her restaurant and built a successful career here."
Margaret nodded, seamlessly stepping into the role he had written for her.
"Meanwhile, Damon and Selina met tonight and hit it off. Since Damon was returning abroad—and Selina has always been fond of a life outside the village—"
Margaret nodded as she interjected smoothly.
"That's correct. Everyone in town already knows this."
Selina finally lifted her head.
"And?" she asked quietly, tilting her head.
Edgar's gaze sharpened on her.
"You and Damon seemed to develop a connection, so the families decided to marry you two instead."
He spoke smoothly, as if the decision had been entirely natural.
"The promise was always about one of my sons marrying one of the Vale sisters. Years ago, we assumed Damon and Margaret were the obvious match because they were the same age. But now, you have all grown up. You have different opinions, different paths—and as your families, we are showing understanding."
Selina swallowed a laugh.
Show understanding?
That was certainly one way to look at it.
Rosalind clasped her hands tightly.
"It's a reasonable story. People will believe it."
Douglas nodded stiffly.
"It preserves both families' and Margaret's honor. No one will question it."
Edgar's piercing gaze shifted to Damon.
"You will not dispute this, nor will you say anything to the contrary. Do you understand?"
Damon's jaw flexed.
His fists clenched at his sides.
Then, his gaze flickered toward Selina.
For a long moment, their eyes locked.
Then he closed his eyes, exhaling deeply.
The weight of the entire room pressed down on him.
He took a deep breath—and gave the answer they all expected.
"Yes."
When he opened his eyes again, there was something new in them.
A quiet, grim determination.
Selina had won.
For now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
One by one, people left the main room to give them privacy.
Margaret was the last to go, giving Selina a supportive look before slipping out.
The moment they were alone, Damon slammed the door shut behind them.
Selina barely had time to turn before he was in front of her, his eyes ablaze, towering over her where she sat.
"What the hell was that?"
His voice was low, controlled—but furious.
Selina tilted her head slightly, feigning innocence.
"What was what?"
Damon let out a short, humorless laugh.
"Don't play games, Selina. What was that act of guilty conscience you pulled in there?"
Selina crossed her arms.
"Did I say anything wrong?"
Damon took a slow, steady breath through his nose.
"You made me look like a bastard in front of both our families."
Selina shrugged.
"You'll live."
Damon's fingers curled into fists at his sides.
"Stop. You knew exactly what you were doing in there. I want to know why. Why?"
Selina's voice was calm, almost bored.
"You were going to marry my sister. What difference does it make whether you marry her or me?"
Damon stilled.
Selina saw something shift in his expression—confusion, hesitation. Then realization.
And she knew.
He misunderstood.
He thought she meant that she wanted to marry him.
Even after their fight, he still believed she was that foolish girl with a childhood crush.
Of course he did.
It was probably hard for him to imagine someone not being obsessed with him.
Damon's shoulders relaxed slightly, his anger cooling into something more controlled.
Selina watched the change in his expression.
He wasn't mad anymore.
He thought he had everything mapped out.
Oh well.
As long as he played along, who cared what he thought?
Damon leaned toward her, his face inches from hers.
"You don't get it, do you?" he hissed.
"This marriage—it won't be what you think."
His voice dropped lower.
"You might think you've won, but I will not make it easy for you."
Selina's expression remained calm.
Her voice steady.
"That's fine by me. I wasn't expecting 'easy' in any way."
Damon blinked.
For a second, it seemed like he was caught off guard.
Then he straightened, watching her carefully.
After a long pause, he turned away and began pacing slowly, as if thinking through his next move.
Selina watched him in silence.
After a moment, he nodded to himself.
"Fine."
He walked toward the door and grabbed the handle.
Selina raised an eyebrow.
"Fine?"
Damon looked at her, calm now.
"We'll get married."
Selina kept her face neutral.
"Just like that?"
Damon shrugged and let out a humorless laugh.
"It's what you wanted, isn't it?"
He pulled the door open and left her alone in the room.
Selina's lips curled into a smirk as she watched his departing figure.
He still didn't get it.
But that was fine.
That was perfect.
Selina could see that now Damon had his own plan.
And as long as he thought everything was going according to his plan, he would play along—marry her, act the part.
That would be enough.
She could explain everything after they were married.
A small problem, though.
She didn't know just yet—but she had underestimated Damon's recklessness.
And overestimated his fear of Edgar Blackwell.
Margaret entered the room, giving her a look.
Selina didn't need her sister to say a word.
She knew exactly what Margaret meant.
They were going to have a very long conversation about all of this when they got home.
Meanwhile, across the main living room, in Edgar's old study, The elders sat in deep discussion about the details of Selina and Damon's marriage.
Isobel remained silent, watching her husband carefully.
Alistair Blackwell glanced at his father, choosing his words carefully.
"Are you sure this is the right decision?"
Edgar didn't hesitate.
"The damage is already done. Damon will take responsibility."
Alistair exhaled, looking tired.
"I understand that. But isn't it a little soon?"
Douglas's expression remained stern.
"Can you guarantee that your Aunt Catherine will shut up, so people don't find out what happened tonight?"
Alistair rubbed his temple, looking troubled.
He knew Douglas Vale was right.
With Aunt Catherine in the mix, the risk of rumors spreading only grew the longer they waited.
And just like that—the date was set.
Rosalind looked around the room, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
With a hesitant voice, she said, "So... it's settled, then. Selina and Damon will be married by the end of the week."
~~~~~~~~~~
When the Vales returned home, Douglas and Rosalind avoided looking at either of them before retreating to their room for the night.
Selina had barely made it down the hall before Margaret caught up to her, gripping her arm and swiftly pulling her into her room.
Selina sighed, moving to sit at the edge of her bed.
She didn't want to speak first, so she stared at the ceiling, waiting.
Then, finally—
"Selina."
Selina turned to face her sister.
Margaret's voice wasn't angry. It was… careful.
She studied Selina for a long moment.
"How long do you plan on keeping this up?"
Selina sat up slowly.
"Keeping what up?"
Margaret gave her a pointed look.
"The act. The lie."
Selina sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"Not long. Just until I get what I need."
Margaret's brows furrowed slightly.
"And what exactly is it that you need?"
Selina's gaze was steady as she met her sister's eyes.
"Time. Money. A way out."
She watched as Margaret's expression shifted—finally understanding the full extent of Selina's plan.
Margaret folded her arms.
"Did you talk to Damon about it? Did he agree? What if he tells his family?"
Selina gave Margaret a look that made her feel naive.
"Of course he doesn't know. I didn't tell him anything. And I won't tell him until the wedding either. I can't risk him telling anyone and ruining my plans."
Margaret inhaled sharply.
"And after the wedding?"
Selina shrugged.
"He doesn't want to be married either. He'll be happy to divorce me once I let him."
Margaret hesitated.
"…After the baby is born."
Selina nodded once.
"After the baby is born."
Margaret studied her for a long moment before finally sitting down next to her.
Then, reluctantly, she exhaled and nodded.
"Alright."
Margaret took Selina's hand in hers.
"Whatever happens—I will stand by you."
Selina relaxed slightly.
Margaret might not like it.
But she understood.
And for now—that was enough.