The words stung, but Amelia swallowed them, just as she always did. Serena was dazzling-golden hair, bright blue eyes, and the kind of confidence that drew every eye in the room. Amelia, the younger sister, was softer, quieter, always a shadow behind Serena's.
But tonight wasn't about her. It was Serena's engagement party-Serena's chance to shine, to show off her victory. And the prize? Adrian Knight. The billionaire whispered about in every social circle. Ruthless. Untouchable. Powerful. And now-Serena's fiancé.
Amelia told herself she was only here to clap, smile politely, and disappear into the background.
************
The ballroom glittered with chandeliers, polished marble, and laughter sharpened by champagne. Waiters weaved between the guests with trays of crystal glasses, and the orchestra's music filled the room.
Everywhere Amelia looked, people sparkled-expensive gowns, diamonds catching the light, perfect smiles that hid sharper truths. She tugged at her dress, wishing she could melt into the wall.
Her sister glowed in the center of it all, clinging to Adrian's arm like a jewel she had claimed. Serena's golden gown shimmered with every turn, her laughter pitched just high enough for everyone to notice.
Adrian stood tall beside her, broad-shouldered in his tailored suit, impossibly handsome. Even when Serena leaned against him, even when she kissed his cheek for attention, he did not soften.
Amelia tried not to stare. Tried to remind herself she had no right. But when his gaze shifted and locked on hers, her heart jolted so violently she almost dropped her glass.
For a suspended second, the air between them thickened. "His eyes were sharper, staring at her intensively, cool steel hiding something darker. It made her heart race in a way that scared her.
"Her cheeks flushed with shame. as she averted her gaze, unable to meet his eyes."
She drifted through the crowd like a ghost, answering polite questions from people who only half-listened. "And you're the younger one, yes?" they said, before their eyes slid past her, back to Serena.
Near the dessert table, Amelia caught a hissed whisper: "She's pretty enough, but nothing compared to Serena. Imagine being the sister-it must be awful."
Her throat tightened. She set her untouched champagne on the tray of a passing waiter and slipped away.
The balcony was quiet. Cool night air wrapped around her, lifting the weight pressing on her chest. She leaned on the railing, letting her eyes close as the city stretched below, alive with lights and rushing traffic. Out here, she could breathe.
"Running away already?"
The deep voice froze her.
Her eyes flew open.
"Adrian Knight stood in the shadows staring at her.
Amelia's throat went dry. "I... I just needed some air."
He stepped closer, "You don't like parties."
It wasn't a question.
She forced a small laugh. "Not really. But Serena loves them, so..."
"So you endure."
The way he said it made her shiver. It was as if he had been watching her, as if he had noticed.
"You're not like her," Adrian said.
The words cut deeper than he knew. Amelia had heard them her entire life-never Serena, never enough. But from Adrian's lips, the difference sounded almost like a secret compliment.
She looked away, clutching the railing. "You should be inside. With her."
He leaned closer to her . "Because for once, I wanted to be where it feels real."
Her heart thudded violently. This was dangerous. She should go. She should run. But his gaze pinned her in place.
His hand brushed against hers on the railing. The barest touch. But it was enough to set her blood on fire.
She gasped softly, stepping back. "Adrian... we can't-"
But his mouth was already on hers.
*******
His mouth claimed hers, hard and hungry, and Amelia's knees went weak. She tried to speak, to say stop, but the words dissolved into a moan as his hands slid down her back, pulling her against the solid heat of his body.
"Adrian... this is wrong," she whispered, breathless.
"Then tell me to stop." His voice was rough, almost pleading, his lips brushing hers as he spoke.
But she didn't. She couldn't. Her silence was its own answer.
He kissed her again, deeper this time. Her hands gripped his shirt, clutching him closer instead of pushing him away. Every part of her burned for him, every thought drowned in the fire of his touch.
They stumbled through the hallway, his mouth trailing kisses down her throat, making her gasp and shiver. Her back hit the wall, and she arched into him as his hands roamed-bold, desperate, leaving her trembling. The thin straps of her dress slipped from her shoulders, sliding down her arms until the silk fell to the floor.
Adrian froze for one breathless moment, his eyes dark and blazing as they swept over her. "Amelia..." he rasped, as though her name alone was tearing him apart.
Her skin flushed under his stare, but instead of covering herself, she reached for him. That single movement shattered the last restraint between them.
He lifted her, carrying her into the suite upstairs. Their lips never parted, their hands never stopped. Clothes fell in a careless trail, every piece another line they crossed, another secret they could never undo.
Her soft cries filled the room as his mouth worshipped her skin, each kiss setting fire to places she had never felt alive before. She clung to him, lost, consumed, her body answering him with a need she had never known.
It was wild. It was reckless. It was wrong.
And it was the most unforgettable night of her life.
And when the morning light streamed through the curtains, she woke in Adrian Knight's bed.
Her heart nearly stopped.
She sat up with a sharp gasp, clutching the sheets to her chest. Adrian lay beside her, bare-chested, his breathing steady, his face unguarded in sleep.
The man who was supposed to marry her sister.
Tears pricked her eyes as the weight of it crashed over her. What had she done?
Her hands shook as she scrambled for her dress, slipping it over her trembling body. She didn't dare wake him. Didn't dare look at him again.
Her heels clicked softly on the marble as she fled down the corridor. By the time she reached the street below, the city was already buzzing-horns blaring, people hurrying to work.
Life went on, indifferent to her breaking heart.
She swore it would remain a secret. A mistake. One night she would bury forever. Adrian would forget. She would forget.
But life was cruel.
****
Two weeks later, Amelia sat on the cold bathroom floor, her back pressed against the wall, her hands shaking so violently she could barely hold the small stick.
Two pink lines.
Her vision blurred. "No... no, this can't be real."
But it was. Clear. Undeniable.
She was pregnant.
Her breath came in shallow gasps as her hand pressed to her flat stomach. Her mind screamed in chaos: How can I tell Serena? How can I face him? What will happen if anyone finds out?
Her tears spilled faster, hot against her cold cheeks. "This will destroy her. This will ruin everything."
She pressed her hand harder to her stomach as if she could erase the truth, as if denial might save her.
But the reality sat heavy and merciless inside her.
"I can't... I can't let anyone know," she whispered brokenly. "She can't ever find out."
But even as the words left her lips, she knew they were a lie.
Secrets never stayed buried.
And when Adrian Knight found out, nothing-nothing-would ever be the same again.