Beauty and the Unconquered Beast

Chapter 17: The Engagement Announcement

Chapter 17: The Engagement Announcement

The morning sun rose over Boston in pale gold.

For the first time in days, there were no sirens outside the Montclair estate.

No shattered windows.

No police vehicles.

No men watching from parked cars.

Just the quiet hum of the city waking beyond the gates.

Inside the mansion, however, the silence was deceptive.

The dining room was already prepared for breakfast.

White porcelain plates.

Silver utensils.

Fresh fruit arranged neatly across a long marble table.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the room, mixed with the warm scent of buttered bread and smoked salmon.

Vireya sat alone near the window.

She wore a cream-colored blouse tucked neatly into black trousers. Her long hair fell naturally over her shoulders, and the engagement ring on her finger caught the sunlight whenever she moved.

She wasn't eating.

She was reading.

The wedding agreement.

Again.

Three weeks.

The date was already being discussed by both families.

The venue had already been selected.

The guest list had already begun.

Even the press had apparently been informed that an announcement was coming.

Vireya slowly closed the folder.

"They're moving too quickly."

A voice answered from behind her.

"They've been planning it longer than you think."

She turned.

Evren stood in the doorway.

He wore a charcoal suit with no tie, the top button of his white shirt left open. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and there was still a faint healing cut near his cheek from the attack.

Vireya looked at him.

"Did you sleep?"

"Three hours."

"That's not sleeping."

"It was enough."

She sighed.

"You're impossible."

"So I've heard."

He walked toward the table.

Instead of sitting across from her, he pulled out the chair beside her.

Vireya noticed.

"You usually sit over there."

"I know."

"Why did you move?"

"I wanted to."

She smiled faintly.

"That's new."

Evren poured himself coffee.

He didn't add sugar.

Vireya watched him.

"Do you always drink it black?"

"Yes."

"That explains a lot."

He looked at her.

"How?"

"You're already bitter."

Evren stared at her for a moment.

Then, unexpectedly—

he smiled.

It was small.

Almost invisible.

But it was real.

Vireya stared.

"What?"

"You smiled."

"So?"

"You actually smile."

Evren took a sip of coffee.

"Apparently."

She shook her head.

For a few seconds, the room felt normal.

Almost peaceful.

Then her phone vibrated.

She looked at the screen.

Her expression changed.

"What?"

Evren noticed immediately.

Vireya turned the phone toward him.

A news alert.

MONTCLAIR AND VALCERO FAMILIES TO ANNOUNCE MAJOR ALLIANCE TODAY.

Another headline appeared beneath it.

VIREYA MONTCLAIR AND EVREN VALCERO EXPECTED TO MARRY.

Vireya slowly looked up.

"We never approved this."

Evren read the headline.

"No."

"So who released it?"

"Someone who wanted the world to know."

She frowned.

"Before we even announced it."

Evren placed his cup down.

"Exactly."

The Announcement

By noon, the Montclair headquarters had become a storm.

Employees filled the lobby.

Reporters gathered outside.

Security personnel blocked the main entrance.

Cameras flashed every few seconds.

The Montclair name was suddenly everywhere.

Inside the executive floor, Vireya stood before a mirror.

Her appearance was immaculate.

A dark emerald dress fitted elegantly around her figure, the fabric falling just below her knees. Her hair had been styled into loose waves, and a pair of simple diamond earrings rested against her ears.

She stared at herself.

Not because she cared about the reporters.

Because she was wondering whether the woman in the mirror was still making her own decisions.

The door opened.

Lucien entered.

He wore a dark navy suit with a silver tie.

For a moment, he simply looked at his daughter.

"You don't have to do this."

Vireya turned.

"Don't I?"

Lucien sighed.

"I know this isn't how you imagined your life."

"Neither did Evren."

Her father was silent.

Vireya walked toward him.

"Who decided the announcement?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

Lucien's expression became uncomfortable.

"The families discussed it."

"That's not what I asked."

He looked away.

Vireya understood.

Someone else had pushed the announcement forward.

Someone powerful enough that even her father didn't want to name them.

"Does Darius know?"

Lucien didn't answer.

That was enough.

The ballroom doors opened.

The room was filled with reporters.

Camera flashes exploded like miniature bursts of lightning.

Business executives stood beside politicians.

Family members occupied the front rows.

Montclair representatives stood on one side.

Valcero representatives stood on the other.

At the center of the stage stood Lucien and Alistair.

Vireya entered first.

The room immediately erupted.

"Miss Montclair!"

"Vireya, how do you feel about the marriage?"

"When is the wedding?"

"Is this a business alliance?"

"Was this arranged?"

Vireya kept walking.

Her expression remained composed.

Then Evren entered.

The atmosphere changed.

Whispers spread through the room.

"That's him."

"The Valcero son."

"The one who went to Blackhaven."

"That's Vireya's fiancé?"

"He doesn't look like much."

"Isn't he the disgraced one?"

Evren heard every word.

He ignored them.

His black suit was simple compared to the expensive outfits worn by the other Valcero heirs.

No flashy watch.

No jewelry.

No attempt to impress anyone.

He walked directly toward Vireya.

When he reached her, he stopped.

She looked at him.

"You ready?"

"No."

She smiled.

"Good."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because neither am I."

They stood beside each other.

Lucien stepped toward the microphone.

"Today, the Montclair and Valcero families are pleased to announce the engagement of Vireya Montclair and Evren Valcero."

Applause filled the room.

Vireya looked toward the audience.

Her cousins were smiling.

Some genuinely.

Others not.

Darius stood near the back.

He wasn't smiling.

Neither was Adrian.

Then the reporters began shouting questions.

"Mr. Valcero!"

"Evren!"

"How did you meet?"

"Was the marriage arranged?"

"Did you choose each other?"

Evren looked toward Vireya.

Then toward the cameras.

"We chose to proceed."

The room became quieter.

A reporter immediately asked:

"Does that mean you personally agreed to this marriage?"

Evren answered:

"Yes."

Another reporter asked:

"Why?"

Evren looked at Vireya.

"Because I trust her."

Vireya's expression softened.

The room erupted again.

Cameras flashed.

Reporters shouted.

But Darius wasn't watching Evren.

He was watching the crowd.

Someone else was standing there.

A man he had never seen before.

Dark suit.

Black gloves.

Standing completely still.

Darius's eyes narrowed.

The man looked directly at him.

Then smiled.

Darius's stomach tightened.

The man disappeared into the crowd.

---

The Family Table

That evening, the Montclair family held a private dinner.

The room was enormous.

A long table stretched beneath a crystal chandelier.

Candles burned along the center.

The scent of roasted meat, herbs, and expensive wine filled the air.

Every important member of the family was present.

Vireya sat beside Evren.

Darius sat opposite them.

Adrian sat beside him.

One of Vireya's cousins leaned toward another and whispered.

"They actually look good together."

The other laughed.

"Don't say that too loudly."

Vireya heard them.

She ignored it.

Evren continued eating.

Darius eventually raised his glass.

"To the future."

Several family members followed.

"To the future."

Evren lifted his glass.

Vireya did the same.

But before she drank, Evren quietly said:

"Don't."

She stopped.

"Why?"

He looked at the wine.

"Something smells wrong."

Vireya leaned closer.

"Wine?"

"No."

He looked at Darius.

"Someone."

Her eyes followed his.

Darius was speaking with Adrian.

Nothing unusual.

But his hand was resting against the side of his glass.

His fingers were tense.

Vireya lowered her voice.

"You think he knows?"

"About what?"

"The person behind everything."

Evren's gaze remained fixed on Darius.

"I think he knows more than he's saying."

The Business Meeting

The next morning, Vireya entered the Montclair executive boardroom.

This time, Evren came with her.

Several executives immediately looked uncomfortable.

One older board member cleared his throat.

"Mr. Valcero."

Evren nodded.

"Good morning."

"We weren't informed you'd be joining us."

Vireya sat down.

"He is my fiancé."

The board member smiled awkwardly.

"Of course."

Evren remained standing.

The presentation began.

Revenue.

Shipping.

Real estate.

International investments.

Private equity.

Montclair Holdings controlled businesses across several major American cities.

Boston.

New York.

Chicago.

Los Angeles.

Miami.

Dallas.

Houston.

The numbers were enormous.

Vireya listened carefully.

Then an executive presented a new proposal.

"We're recommending that Montclair acquire a logistics company based in New York."

Vireya frowned.

"Why?"

"Expansion."

"How much?"

"Two hundred million."

Evren looked at the presentation.

"What's the company's debt?"

The executive hesitated.

"Approximately eighty million."

"Why would we pay two hundred million for a company carrying eighty million in debt?"

The room became silent.

The executive cleared his throat.

"Because of the assets."

Evren looked at Vireya.

"Show me the properties."

The executive opened another slide.

A map appeared.

Evren stared.

Then his expression changed.

"Stop."

The presentation froze.

He stood.

"Zoom in."

The map enlarged.

Vireya immediately recognized it.

The eastern corridor.

The same area connected to the abandoned tunnel.

She looked at Evren.

"They're buying another piece."

He nodded.

The executive frowned.

"I don't understand."

Evren pointed at the map.

"These properties aren't separate."

Vireya stood.

"They connect to the terminal."

The executive looked confused.

"Yes, but—"

"Who recommended this acquisition?"

Silence.

Everyone looked at one another.

Finally, the executive said:

"Darius Montclair."

Vireya's expression hardened.

She looked toward the door.

Darius wasn't there.

But someone had just made his next move.

The Man in the Black Suit

That night, Darius entered a private restaurant in Boston.

The restaurant was nearly empty.

He walked toward a secluded table.

The man from the ballroom was already waiting.

Dark suit.

Black gloves.

No drink.

No food.

Just a folder.

Darius sat.

"You shouldn't have come here."

The man smiled.

"You say that every time."

"Who are you?"

"You know."

"No."

Darius's voice hardened.

"I don't."

The man opened the folder.

A photograph slid across the table.

Evren.

Vireya.

Their engagement announcement.

Darius stared at it.

"What do you want?"

"The marriage."

"It's happening."

"Good."

"Then we're finished."

The man laughed softly.

"No."

He leaned forward.

"The marriage is only the beginning."

Darius's eyes narrowed.

"What happens afterward?"

The man closed the folder.

"Blackhaven."

Darius went still.

"You promised me that name would stay buried."

"I promised nothing."

Darius's fingers tightened.

"You don't understand what you're doing."

The man smiled.

"I understand perfectly."

He stood.

Then leaned toward Darius.

"Your family thinks you're manipulating the marriage."

A pause.

"You're not."

He walked away.

Darius remained seated.

For the first time in years—

he felt like someone else was moving the pieces.

The Rooftop

Later that night, Evren stood alone on the rooftop of Montclair Tower.

The wind was cold.

It pulled at his coat.

Boston glittered beneath him.

Vireya stepped through the rooftop door.

"You disappeared."

"I needed air."

She approached.

"What happened today?"

"Someone tried to push another acquisition through."

"The logistics company."

"Yes."

She leaned against the railing.

"Darius."

"Probably."

"Probably?"

Evren looked at her.

"We don't have enough proof."

She nodded.

Then looked toward the city.

"Do you ever wonder what would happen if we weren't surrounded by all this?"

"Often."

"What would you do?"

He thought about it.

"Nothing."

She laughed.

"Nothing?"

"I'd find somewhere quiet."

"Where?"

"Near the ocean."

She looked at him.

"Why?"

"I spent five years surrounded by concrete."

The wind moved between them.

Vireya's expression softened.

"I'd like that."

Evren looked at her.

"You?"

"Maybe."

She smiled.

"Somewhere far away from Boston."

"Blackhaven?"

She laughed.

"Absolutely not."

For the first time that night, Evren genuinely smiled.

Then—

his phone vibrated.

He looked down.

Unknown number.

One message.

YOU LOOK HAPPY.

His smile disappeared.

A second message arrived.

ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS.

Then the final message.

BECAUSE ON YOUR WEDDING DAY, YOU WILL LEARN WHY YOU WERE SENT TO BLACKHAVEN.

Evren stared at the screen.

Vireya noticed his expression.

"What is it?"

He slowly turned the phone toward her.

She read the message.

Her face became pale.

Neither spoke.

Below them, Boston continued to shine.

Traffic moved.

Buildings glowed.

People laughed inside restaurants.

Life continued as if nothing had changed.

But for Evren and Vireya—

everything had.

Because for the first time, someone had directly connected their wedding...

to the crime that had destroyed Evren's life.

And now they had only three weeks to discover the truth.