The CEO's Broken Promise

“Don't touch me! Get away…”

In a dim room, Wyatt Yates was a bundle of panic, retreating to the bed's edge. Yet, each step back brought the looming shadow of the man closer, an ominous specter ready to tear her apart.

“Don’t come any closer... please, I'm begging you, spare me…”

“Huh”

His laugh, deep and mocking, echoed through the darkness, filled with contempt and danger.

Suddenly, his firm grasp on her chin and his face inching closer in the dark felt like the prelude to a nightmare.

His breath was a scorching threat, “Provoke me, and there’ll be a price.”

Price?

What price?

Frozen by fear, Wyatt flailed helplessly, pleading, “No...”

Her plea was cut short, her voice swallowed, leaving her utterly powerless to resist.

“No!”

Wyatt snapped awake, the glaring sunlight forcing her to shield her eyes hastily.

Pale, with a forehead slick with cold sweat and eyes flickering with residual fear,

it was that dream again.

Yet, the lingering ache served as a cruel reminder of the previous night's violation.

His menacing vow as she fled, “I will never let you go!” wasn’t just a threat.

In him, Wyatt sensed an overwhelming danger she couldn’t escape.

He would find her soon.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she covered her head, trying to piece together the events of that night. But alcohol-induced gaps in her memory offered no clarity.

She had no idea who he was or what she had done to provoke him.

“Miss Yates, we’re here.”

Her driver’s words jolted her from her reverie.

Looking up, she saw the upscale coffee shop, her nerves kicking in.

She was about to meet her fiance, Leo Hart, the city's most eligible bachelor and CEO of Hart Enterprises.

He’s renowned for turning his family business into a global empire within five years. His ruthless, uncompromising tactics had made him a legend, feared by many.

Many women dreamed of becoming Mrs. Hart, yet it was Wyatt, from a modest background, who was chosen by Grandma Hart herself.

Why Leo wanted to meet the day before their engagement was a mystery to Wyatt, yet it presented an opportunity she couldn't ignore.

An opportunity to end their engagement.

Despite the allure of marrying into wealth, the indignity of her assault made the thought of walking down the aisle unbearable.

But how could she, facing a man of such stature, voice her desire to end their engagement?

Nervously adjusting her scarf to hide the marks of that night’s encounter, she braced herself.

...

At that moment, in the exclusive Clyde Coffee Shop, reserved for the affluent, silence reigned, devoid of patrons or staff, ensuring utmost privacy.

Seated elegantly by the window was a man whose presence alone commanded attention. His dark, striped suit accentuated his impeccable figure, his posture relaxed yet authoritative.

His face was one of striking handsomeness, with sharp features that captivated and intimidated in equal measure. The cold brilliance in his deep blue eyes was both alluring and alarming.

Holding a coffee, his lips curved into a smirk that was chillingly predatory.

“Can’t find her?”

The question sent shivers down the spine of his assistant, Quinn Warner, who bowed deeply, his anxiety palpable.

“Apologies, sir. The surveillance from your hotel that night was tampered with. We can’t identify the woman who entered your room, making it impossible to find her before tomorrow’s engagement party.”

Failing to identify her meant the engagement could not proceed as planned with her as the bride-to-be.

But Leo was a man unaccustomed to defeat, especially not when challenged.

The incident was merely the beginning of his pursuit.

“One month,”

Leo declared coldly, a determined glint in his eyes, “Find her at any cost.”

“And the engagement tomorrow?”

As Leo glanced out the window at a newly arrived Bentley, his lips twisted into a smirk.

It was time for a slight change in plans.

......

Wyatt stepped into the café and was immediately struck by the absence of any waitstaff. Instead, her eyes landed on a man who embodied the essence of an executive assistant, standing at attention as if he had been waiting just for her.

“Miss Yates, he awaits inside. Please, follow me.”

“All right.”

The meticulous arrangement from the chauffeured ride to the exclusive booking of the venue spoke volumes of the genteel attentions bestowed upon her by her fiancé, stirring within Wyatt a deeper sense of guilt and unease.

If the forthcoming discussion revolved around the intricacies of their engagement, how was she to broach the subject of ending it without seeming cruel?

Head bowed, heart racing, Wyatt proceeded until the gleam of polished men's shoes brought her to a halt.

This was it.

The moment of reckoning had arrived.

Nervously clutching her purse, she summoned a smile, doing her best to appear composed as she raised her head.

“Mr. Hart, hello.”

She paused, unexpectedly taken aback by her fiancé’s striking looks. He was the epitome of male beauty, as if stepping right out of a fashion magazine—breathtakingly handsome, with an air of untouchable nobility and a distinguished presence that made him seem beyond reach.

His mere presence commanded respect, making any notion of disrespect feel like a grave sin.

And here she was, contemplating the ultimate betrayal by calling off their engagement.

A cold sweat broke out on her forehead as Wyatt’s nervousness intensified. Her throat felt constricted, making it exceedingly difficult to voice her thoughts.

“I actually came here today to discuss... our marriage.”

“Miss, I have no intention of marrying you.”

Leo’s interruption was firm, his tone leaving no room for negotiation as he casually sipped his coffee, barely acknowledging her presence.

Stunned, Wyatt’s mind reeled with disbelief.

He wouldn’t marry her?

Their goals were unexpectedly aligned!

Suppressing her surge of joy, Wyatt asked tentatively, “So, are you saying you brought me here to discuss calling off the engagement?”

“The engagement will proceed as planned. However, in a month, I intend to publicly cancel our engagement.”

For the first time, Hart looked directly at her, offering a glance that felt almost gracious as he slid a check across the table.

The amount on the check made Wyatt's heart skip a beat.

There were Six zeros!

She had never seen such a sum of money, let alone considered it could be hers.

Struggling, she diverted her gaze from the check, “Why wait a month to end the engagement?”

Wouldn’t canceling it before becoming officially engaged minimize the fallout for both parties?

“That's not your concern.”

His reply was dismissive, his demeanor exuding superiority.

Without another word, Leo stood and left, his interest in Wyatt seemingly nonexistent, his curiosity reserved solely for the woman he had met the night before.

Just like that, he was gone.

Wyatt stood frozen, watching his retreating figure, barely processing the abrupt end to their meeting.

He had summoned her, exchanged a mere three sentences, and departed.

Such decisiveness left her bewildered, without even a chance to respond.

But perhaps...

This was for the best. Playing along with Leo for a month meant she could finally be free of any obligations to him.

The following day, the engagement ceremony took place at the opulent Orpheus Hotel’s rooftop garden, a venue rumored to be available to less than ten privileged entities in Southern City.

Adorned in a white sequined gown and wearing makeup that highlighted her natural beauty, Wyatt looked nothing short of ethereal, a fairy misplaced in the mortal world.

Upon entering the hotel lobby and heading towards the elevator, her attention was inadvertently drawn to a wedding welcome poster.

The poster featured the very people Wyatt knew all too well – her ex-boyfriend and her college nemesis.

To think they would choose today of all days to marry, and in the same hotel...

A sense of irony weighed heavily on Wyatt’s heart, her complexion turning a shade paler.

“Wyatt, what are you doing here?!”

The question came sharply from Nora Owens, clad in her bridal gown, her tone laced with anger.

Behind her, Seth Sinclair, the groom, watched Wyatt with a complicated look, his lips pressed tightly together.

Confronted with them, Wyatt was reminded of past betrayals, sending chills through her.

Nora stepped closer, her gaze turning even more disdainful upon seeing Wyatt’s attire.

“Still haven’t gotten over Seth? After being rejected, how could you shamelessly show up here?”

Her voice was loud, filled with mockery, drawing the attention and whispers of those around them.

With a look of disgust, Wyatt responded coldly,

“Your wedding holds no interest for me. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“And yet you’re dressed for an occasion. This gown is only fitting for a wedding or an engagement.”

Nora’s sneer was palpable, treating Wyatt as if she were a fool, “Don’t tell me you’re here for an engagement with Mr. Hart?”

Given the two major events at the venue – the Hart’s engagement and the Sinclair wedding –

Nora found it unfathomable that Wyatt could be involved with Leo Hart, let alone be engaged to him.

Nora Owens’ bridesmaid couldn’t hide her scorn, chiming in with disdain.

“And just who does Mr. Hart think he is, compared to her? She’s hardly fit to be Mr. Hart’s fiancée.”

Their taunts echoed in the air, berating her in turns, leaving Wyatt Yates clenching in frustration, a simmering rage building within her chest.

She yearned to proclaim her rightful place as Leo Hart’s betrothed, yet the words seemed trapped, swallowed by the disbelief that shrouded her...

No one would lend her credence.

“Speechless, are we? Wyatt, you’re nothing but a siren here for Seth!”

Nora Owens accused, her finger jabbing accusatorily at Wyatt’s nose. “I’m Seth’s wife, and here you are, ensnaring him. Have you no ounce of dignity?”

Around them, whispers and pointed fingers painted Wyatt as the villain, a shameless interloper.

Seth Sinclair stood tall, his brows furrowing slightly, his eyes clouded with doubt as they rested on Wyatt.

“Just go back, Wyatt. There’s no undoing what’s been done between us,” he murmured, his voice laced with a feigned comfort that did little but trample over Wyatt’s pride further.

Wyatt bristled, incensed. On what grounds did they presume the right to denigrate her?

“Quite the ego, Seth, to dismiss my fiancée so lightly,” came a voice, icy and laced with derision, from the entrance.

Seth whirled around, shock etching his features at the sight that greeted him.

Nora’s face drained of color, her shock palpable, as if struck by lightning.

It was Leo Hart!

His declaration of Wyatt as his fiancée... could this truly be happening?

Leo advanced with a regal poise, his steps exuding a dignified grace. His dark evening suit accentuated his frame to near perfection.

His gaze found Wyatt, signaling her over with a simple gesture.

“Come here.”

Wyatt, her heart racing, was stunned. In her moment of utmost vulnerability, he was her unexpected champion.

As she gathered her wits, she straightened, her steps towards him confident, a smile gracing her lips.

As Wyatt and Leo stood side by side, Seth felt a scorching embarrassment, his earlier behavior now a source of ridicule.

Yet, as a man adept at concealing his true feelings, he quickly regained his composure, forcing a smile.

“A mere misunderstanding, I assure you. Ms. Yates and I are merely acquaintances, our earlier exchange was in jest.”

Jesting?

Wyatt’s gaze on Seth was filled with revulsion. How had she never seen his shamelessness before?

Leo stepped forward, his presence a protective shield around Wyatt, his demeanor unyielding.

His gaze on Seth was icy, lips pressed thin.

“And what right do you presume to have, jesting with her?”

Seth’s complexion fluctuated between red and pale, a vivid display of his mortification.

But no words of defiance came;

in Leo Hart’s presence, the Sinclairs were but ants.

Fists clenched, Seth bowed slightly, conceding with an apology.

“My apologies, Mr. Hart. Such misunderstandings will not recur.”

Leo’s derisive snort cut through the tension, his attention returning to Wyatt, his arm extended in an inviting gesture.

Wyatt was momentarily lost in thought, puzzled by Leo’s sudden warmth. Just a day before, he had been distant,

and now here he stood, fiercely by her side, embodying the role of a devoted fiancé.