Chapter 2

I anticipated the movement of his arm. Instead of backing away, I darted sideways.

Darien's hand froze mid-air. His fingers convulsed as he pulled his weight to a sudden, rigid halt.

Nobody did. Because right in front of him sat the Ember family.

At the center of that row sat Cian.

He leaned back slightly, one long leg crossing over the other as he lazily adjusted a gold cufflink.

"Darien, sit down," Rian Ember commanded, his voice instantly anchored the room.

He didn't look at my clothes with disgust.

"The City Hall officials are ready. Let the registration proceed."

Darien swallowed his fury, offering a stiff nod before backing away.

Paloma stepped toward the table where the laptop was open.

She offered Cian a dazzling smile, her diamond-encrusted fingers reaching for the stylus.

The registrar typed for a few seconds.

Then he stopped.

He blinked once and adjusted his glasses before looking back at the screen.

"Is something wrong?" Kaelin asked.

The registrar didn't answer immediately.

"Mr. Ember..."

He cleared his throat.

"I'm afraid the system won't let me complete the registration."

Paloma frowned.

"Why not?"

The registrar swallowed.

"Because according to the marriage registry..."

He looked up at Cian.

"You're already married."

The grand hall erupted into chaos.

Reporters' camera shutters clicked frantically.

"Check again," Paloma said.

The registrar's face turned even paler.

"I'm sorry. The record hasn't changed."

Paloma grabbed the registrar's arm so hard that nearly ripping the sleeve of his gray suit.

"Check it again."

"The record was locked two years ago in the Podgend international registry," the registrar stammered.

"The legal spouse is listed as... Ms. Elowen Maris."

At that time, nobody moved.

The reporters went silent. The cameras stopped clicking.

Cian slowly leaned forward, sliding a hand into his pocket as his dark eyes fixed on the glowing red warning on the monitor.

"Show me," Cian said.

The registrar's hands shook violently as he turned the laptop around, tilting the screen toward him.

Kaelin pointed a trembling finger down at me, her voice cutting through the quiet like a blade.

"There has to be some mistake. Rian, someone must have hacked the registry portal before the ceremony."

Darien took one aggressive stride toward me, his hand raising to grab my arm and drag me from the room.

In the front row, Rian Ember simply uttered a single word.

"Darien."

I didn't waste the second. I walked straight toward the front row, moving straight toward the Ember family table.

Cian's personal secretary stepped forward, his arm rising to block my path to the empty seat.

"Is this seat taken?" I whispered.

"Let her," Cian murmured.

The secretary immediately dropped his arm and stepped back into position.

I slid into the seat, leaning back into the leather.

Kaelin's composure finally unraveled.

"It is not true. The girl is mentally ill. She's dangerous, and she belongs in an asylum!"

Cian slowly turned his head.

His dark eyes locked onto my stepmother, his face betraying nothing.

He let the silence stretch for two seconds.

"Mrs. Jove," Cian said smoothly. "Watch your words."

The billionaire didn't fight the registry. He didn't deny it.