My mysterious fiance

Previously

…As they prepared, Elara felt a strange calm settle over her. The fear was still there, a cold knot in her stomach, but it was overshadowed by a fierce determination. She was no longer a pawn in Julian’s game. She was a player, and she intended to win. The night of the gala arrived, a spectacle of wealth and power. Julian, impeccably dressed, his smile as sharp and polished as his cufflinks, greeted her with a possessive embrace. Elara returned his smile, her own a carefully crafted mask, her heart pounding a rhythm of defiance against her ribs. The game was on.