"Mr. Pierce, what is the purpose of your presence at this conference? Should we expect to hear about a merger between the Van Empire and the Archon Group because of this marriage?"

Cillian gave them a dazzling smile. "Well, as far as I know, there will not be a merger right now. However, that could change depending on our chairman and his future wife."

A faint teasing glint flashed through his eyes as he continued casually.

"As for my reason for being present here today... it’s quite simple. I’m merely here as a witness, much like Mister Jacob, to confirm that I was also one of the first people to learn about their relationship. Just in case anyone attempts to twist the story into something else later."

The saint-like smile remained on Cillian’s face, but his eyes held a knowing look. It suggested he was well aware of how notorious reporters can be when they want to make a story more sensational.

The reporters cleared their throats and shifted their focus back to the couple.

"Mister Valentine, you are the most eligible bachelor in Astoria. Why have you decided to settle down so early?"

The moment the question was asked, Gavriel’s icy blue eyes slowly shifted towards Aliana.

She looked back at him with a faintly raised brow, silently wondering how exactly he planned to answer that.

Truthfully, even she found herself unexpectedly curious about what his response would be.

But instead of looking back at the reporters, Gavriel kept his gaze fixed entirely on her before replying calmly, "When you find a rose in a field of weeds, you do not leave it behind for someone else to pick."

The moment the word rose left his lips, Aliana’s cheeks instantly flushed a delicate shade of pink, because she knew exactly what he meant.

Little rose.

That was what he always called her.

Meanwhile, the reporters looked visibly stunned by the unexpectedly poetic answer coming from the cold and intimidating chairman of Archon Group. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

And for the very first time, many of them truly began to wonder if the terrifying Gavriel Valentine was genuinely in love with the young heiress sitting beside him.

"Miss Vanderbilt, does your family know about this? Where will the wedding take place? And will there be an official engagement party?" another reporter hurriedly asked.

The sudden question instantly snapped Aliana out of her daze she had almost fallen into once again. At the thought of her parents and the absolute chaos they were probably going through right now, she quickly cleared her throat before replying in a composed voice.

"All those details will be shared in due time. As I mentioned earlier, this press conference was held specifically to clarify the matters regarding yesterday’s news."

With that, she subtly turned towards Nigel and gave him a brief look signalling him to wrap things up, which he immediately understood.

Stepping forward, Nigel addressed the crowd, "That will be all for today, as we are unfortunately short on time. Thank you all for being present here today."

The moment he finished speaking, the conference hall instantly erupted into chaos once more as countless reporters desperately shouted additional questions at them. Camera flashes exploded wildly across the room while media personnel practically leaned over one another trying to get one final statement from the newly revealed couple.

Yet amidst all that frenzy, neither Gavriel nor Aliana looked affected in the slightest.

Together with Cillian, the three calmly rose from their seats before walking away from the stage, completely ignoring the endless storm of voices chasing after them.

.....

Later that day, the elevator dinged open before a pair of ivory heels, followed by a pair of sleek, polished shoes that stepped onto the gleaming floor of the penthouse at Victorian Heights.

"Welcome to my place. Make yourself at home," Aliana said softly without looking back at the man behind her before walking towards the open kitchen. Placing her clutch on top of the large kitchen island, she went to open the fridge.

"Would you like something to drink?" she asked a little nervously, still able to feel the intense gaze of the man she had left standing near the elevator.

Her heart had been unusually restless ever since they had quietly left Van Empire after the press conference ended.

Neither of them had spoken a single word to each other during the ride here, yet she could feel the simmering tension thickening between them the longer they remained alone in each other’s silent company.

Nigel had been instructed to handle matters at the office on her behalf since she no longer wanted to deal with people for the rest of the day. While Cillian had already left earlier to attend to his own work.

When Gavriel had asked her whether she wanted to return to his house, Aliana had requested a small detour to her own apartment at Victorian Heights so she could collect some important belongings.

The last time she had left this place in such a rush that she ended up staying at Gavriel’s house without ever getting the chance to return to her own apartment.

But now, standing alone with him inside the silence of her penthouse, with not a single soul around to interrupt them, her heart could not stop racing beneath the overwhelming weight of his presence.

Gavriel never answered her question about the drink, yet somehow his silence felt far louder to her than words ever could.

Louder even than the frantic beating of her own heart.

Taking a slightly shaky breath, Aliana reached for a bottle of water while whispering silently to herself, ’Calm down, Aliana. It’s not like this is your first time alone with a man.’

But even she knew that excuse was weak. Because she had never brought a man back to her apartment before.

Partly because she hated the trouble of eventually throwing them out later or dealing with them trying to overstay their welcome.

But more importantly, this place was hers.

Her sanctuary.

And she had never wanted anyone’s temporary presence to invade that peace. Making Gavriel the very first man to ever step inside her home as her romantic partner.

Truthfully, even if he had not been the first, Aliana knew she still would have reacted this way regardless. Because Gavriel Valentine was simply different from all the other men who had meant absolutely nothing to her in the past.

’Does that mean he means something?’ a quiet voice whispered inside her head once again, making her pulse quicken.

Heat continued spreading through her body, and with the fridge door still open, the cool air brushing against her skin was the only thing helping her at the moment.

’Maybe I should just blast the air conditioner at the lowest possible temperature,’ she thought distractedly before finally shutting the fridge door.

But the instant the sleek black surface closed before her, another figure appeared reflected behind her.

A gasp immediately escaped Aliana’s lips.

Startled, she instinctively stepped backwards, only for her body to collide directly against the hard, solid warmth standing behind her.

Him.

At that moment, thunder rumbled loudly outside as dark clouds once again swallowed the daylight hanging over the city. Soon, rain began crashing against the towering glass windows overlooking the skyline, turning the afternoon into something that felt close to evening beneath the stormy heavens.

Slowly, Aliana lifted her gaze upwards only to meet those icy blues already staring down at her with such terrifying intensity that her throat instantly went dry.

’There is a shift between us,’ she thought, a quiet panic rising within her.

’A shift that I have been unable to name or stop since the night I accepted his marriage proposal.’

Gavriel’s deep baritone voice slipped out like smooth silk against her senses as he murmured quietly, "You were standing here for far too long."

’The question is,’ her inner voice whispered, ’how long can I hold back before giving in to these...’

"I... yes," she stammered, her voice coming out softer than intended.

She took a small step forward before turning to face him properly and gesturing with the bottle in her hand. "Water."

"Are you thirsty?" she asked before twisting the cap open and taking a slow sip, her throat feeling unbearably parched.

The moment the cold liquid slid down her throat, her eyes fluttered shut briefly at the relief it brought her overheated body. But when she finally pulled the bottle away from her lips, a single droplet of water escaped from the corner of her mouth and slowly traced its way downward.

She had absolutely no idea what that simple sight was doing to the man standing before her.

A man who was already hanging onto the last shreds of his restraint ever since they had been left alone together. First inside the silence of the car, and now within the intimate walls of her penthouse.

Gavriel’s gaze slowly travelled across her delicate features before lowering towards her soft, petal-like lips. His eyes followed that lone droplet as it slipped down the curve of her chin, glided along the elegant line of her throat, then disappeared lower beneath the enticing neckline of her dress.

A dark hunger flickered inside those icy blue depths.

As if moving in a trance, Gavriel took a step forward.

His eyes slowly rose back to her face, and a low whisper slipped from his lips. "I’m thirsty."