Venice's heart fluttered. She spent the entire day preparing—carefully curling her hair, putting on soft makeup, and slipping into a delicate cocktail dress.
She waited in the grand villa they shared, every minute an ache of anticipation.
But the man she waited for never came.
Instead, she saw him—on live television.
Kevin stood beneath a cascade of flashing lights, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, his handsome features sharp and refined as he officially announced his takeover of the McAuliffe Group.
The reporter smiled and congratulated him."Congratulations, Mr. McAuliffe. May I ask a few personal questions?"
Kevin accepted the microphone with a practiced charm."I know what you're going to ask. Yes—I'm getting engaged."
The crowd fell silent, waiting for the second half of the sentence.
"My fiancée," Kevin said, smiling at the camera, "is Miss Stefanie Cervantes."
Of course everyone knew that name.
Stefanie was the eldest daughter of the powerful Cervantes family—his godsister.
"Stefanie devoted her youth to me, I can't make her wait any longer. Seven days from now, we'll hold our engagement banquet at the Pearl Tower. Welcome everyone to my engagement party."