The next two weeks passed in a whirlwind of fittings, photoshoots, and endless social media updates. Elena, ever the dedicated fashion and beauty blogger, documented every step of her engagement preparations, her posts a carefully curated facade of joy and excitement.
On the night of the engagement party, Elena stood before the full-length mirror in her dressing room, barely recognizing the woman staring back at her. The white mermaid dress hugged her curves before flaring out dramatically at the knees, its intricate lace patterns shimmering with delicate pearl embellishments. Each pearl seemed to glow softly in the warm light, like tiny moons against a milky sky.
Her stylist Mary was playing with the exquisite diamond tiara on top of her perfectly styled chestnut waves. "There," she stepped back, smiling with satisfaction. "Absolutely stunning."
Elena's gaze traveled down to the ten-carat diamond ring on her left hand, its brilliance almost blinding. The matching diamond necklace and earrings completed the ensemble, transforming her into a vision of bridal perfection.
"You look beautiful," Eddie murmured, appearing in the doorway. His eyes roamed appreciatively over her form, a smile playing on his lips.
Elena met his gaze in the mirror, forcing a smile. "Thank you,my dear," she said softly. "You look quite dashing yourself."
Eddie chuckled, moving to stand behind her. His hands came to rest on her waist, and Elena had to suppress a flinch at his touch. "Are you ready for this? To make it official?"
For a moment, Elena felt as if she were suffocating under the weight of all that diamond and pearl. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I am," she lied, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart.
The Eric family's Mayfair mansion was transformed for the occasion, dripping with fairy lights and fragrant blooms. As Elena made her way through the crowd of well-wishers, she felt like a living doll, wound up and set loose to perform for the masses.
"Elena, darling!" Mrs. Eric's voice cut through the din. "Come, there's someone I want you to meet."
Elena allowed herself to be led across the room, acutely aware of the eyes following her every move. She hadn't seen Alfie yet, and she wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.
"Elena, this is Mr. Blackwood," Mrs. Eric said, gesturing to a distinguished-looking man with salt-and-pepper hair. "He's the CEO of Lumière Cosmetics. I mentioned your blog to him, and he's very interested in a potential collaboration."
Elena's eyes widened in surprise. This was exactly the kind of opportunity she had been working towards. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Blackwood," she said, shaking his hand.
As they fell into conversation about potential brand partnerships, Elena felt herself slipping into her public persona - charming, confident, and utterly composed. She laughed at Mr. Blackwood's jokes, asked insightful questions about his company's latest product line, and even managed to secure a promise of a meeting next week to discuss details.
"You're quite the businesswoman, Miss Winters," Mr. Blackwood said, clearly impressed. "I look forward to working with you."
As he moved away, Elena was immediately surrounded by a group of society ladies, all clamoring for details about her dress, her ring, and her upcoming move to Boston.
"Oh, Elena, you simply must tell us where you found this exquisite gown," gushed Mrs. Fairfax, a well-known socialite.
"It's a custom piece by Vera Wang," Elena replied, smoothly reciting the details she knew her followers would be eager to hear. "The lace is hand-embroidered, and each pearl was individually sewn on."
The ladies cooed appreciatively, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of admiration and envy. Elena felt a familiar thrill - this was her element, after all. The spotlight, the adoration, the constant performance.
But as she continued to chat, posing for selfies and answering questions about her beauty routine, she felt a familiar prickle on the back of her neck. She turned, her breath catching in her throat as she locked eyes with Alfie across the room.
He looked devastating in a perfectly tailored tuxedo, a glass of champagne held loosely in one hand. His eyes burned into hers with an intensity that made her flush beneath her perfectly applied makeup.
Excusing herself from the group, Elena made her way towards Alfie, her heart pounding with each step.
"I wasn't sure you'd come," she said as she reached him, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alfie's lips quirked in a humorless smile. "And miss my little brother's engagement party? Wouldn't dream of it." His eyes roamed over her figure, lingering on the glittering diamonds at her throat. "You look like a princess, Elena. Or perhaps... a captive queen?
The tension between them was palpable, crackling like electricity in the air. Elena opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Eddie's voice rang out.
"There you are!" he said, appearing at Elena's side and sliding an arm around her waist. "I've been looking everywhere for you. It's almost time for the toast."
Elena felt herself stiffen at Eddie's touch, acutely aware of Alfie's gaze burning into them. "Of course," she said, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears. "We should go."
As Eddie led her away, Elena couldn't resist glancing back over her shoulder. Alfie still stood where she'd left him, his expression unreadable. But as their eyes met one last time, she saw a flicker of something in his gaze – determination, perhaps. Or a promise.
The rest of the evening passed in a haze of champagne toasts and camera flashes. Elena smiled and laughed in all the right places, accepted congratulations with gracious nods, and tried to ignore the growing sense of panic clawing at her chest.
She danced with Eddie, her movements graceful and practiced, all too aware of the phones recording their every move. She cut the elaborate engagement cake, a towering confection of white chocolate and roses, feeding Eddie a bite with a coy smile for the cameras.
Throughout it all, she could feel Alfie's eyes on her, a constant reminder of the secret she carried.
It wasn't until much later, as the party was winding down, that Elena found a moment to slip away. She made her way to the balcony, desperate for a breath of fresh air.
She leaned against the railing, the cool night breeze a welcome relief against her flushed skin. The diamonds at her throat and ears felt heavy, the tiara a crown of thorns.
"Running away again?"
Elena's eyes flew open at the sound of Alfie's voice. He stood in the doorway, his silhouette backlit by the warm glow from inside.
"I needed some air," she said defensively.
Alfie moved to stand beside her, close enough that their arms almost touched. "You've been putting on quite a show tonight," he said softly. "The perfect influencer bride. Tell me, Elena, how many likes is your soul worth?"
Elena turned to face him, her eyes flashing. "You don't understand. This is my career, my future."
"Is it?" Alfie challenged, his voice low and intense. "Being with me, your career can become a career. Are you sure Eddie wants a queen, not a beautiful vase?"
For a moment, Elena felt her resolve crumble. But then, from inside, she heard Eddie's laugh – bright and carefree. The sound was like a bucket of cold water, snapping her back to reality.
She straightened, squaring her shoulders. "This is the life I've chosen, Alfie. The life I want. Whatever happened between us... it's over."
With that, she turned and walked back into the party, leaving Alfie alone on the balcony. But as she rejoined Eddie, plastering on a smile for yet another Instagram story, Elena couldn't shake the feeling that she'd just made a terrible mistake.
The enormous diamond on her finger, once a symbol of love and promise, now felt like a shackle. And as she looked around at the sea of smiling faces and flashing cameras, Elena realized with a sinking heart that she had curated a life so picture-perfect, she wasn't sure she'd ever find her way back to reality.
As the last of the guests began to depart, Elena found herself cornered by her best friend, Sophie.
"Okay, spill," Sophie said, her eyes narrowing. "What's going on with you and Alfie?"
Elena felt her heart skip a beat. "What do you mean?"
Sophie rolled her eyes. "Please. I saw the way you two were looking at each other. There's definitely something there."
"You're imagining things," Elena said, forcing a laugh. "Alfie's my future brother-in-law, nothing more.
But even as the words left her mouth, Elena knew they were a lie. And judging by the skeptical look on Sophie's face, her friend wasn't buying it either.
As she bid Sophie goodnight, promising to meet for brunch next week, Elena felt the weight of her deception heavily on her shoulders. She felt her throat dry up and sweat pouring down, "Lying is also a physical activity," she mocked herself in her heart. But thinking about Mr. Blackwood's cooperation offer, she was happy again. "Maybe a new business deal is just around the corner."
Carrying these chaotic thoughts, Elena and Eddie got into the long-awaited car and returned to their spacious apartment. As they drove through the night of London, the city lights blurred into a golden haze, and Elena felt a sense of disorientation. Engaged to Eddie, and having gained access to great resources through his family, she had now achieved the plans she had made for herself. But at this moment, she felt uneasy in her heart. "Maybe, I should try a little harder," she said to herself.
Entering the house, Eddie couldn't wait to pick her up, "Darling, you are finally my fiancée, you know? You look so beautiful today. Seeing you dressed up, I immediately reacted." As he spoke, he laid her down on the sofa and began kissing her. To make it easier to change clothes, she was only wearing a very forgiving slip dress with tape on her chest today. This dress made it easy for Eddie's movements, and he quickly unzipped the back, roughly pulling down the straps, leaving Elena almost completely naked in front of him. The low air conditioning temperature caused goosebumps to appear on her skin.