Chapter 2

"Where is your engagement ring?" He asked, his voice cold and cutting, his gaze sharp as it bore into her. Celine's heart skipped a beat as Wade's cold question hung in the air. She instinctively curled her fingers, hiding her hand from his view. She had never thought Wade would notice so quickly, and she wasn't prepared for it. The weight of his stare felt like a burden pressing down on her, but she forced herself to keep her eyes straight ahead, refusing to meet his gaze. Celine's heart raced as she finally admitted, "It's in my bag." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it felt like a confession she couldn't hold back any longer. Wade's eyes flickered with something dark and unreadable. "In your bag?" He repeated, the disbelief in his tone unmistakable. He took a deep breath, visibly trying to rein in his frustration, but the edge in his voice betrayed him. "Why are you hiding it?" Celine bit her lip, her thoughts swirling in turmoil. The truth was, she hadn't wanted anyone to see the ring. Wearing it felt like an announcement she wasn't ready to make, a declaration she wasn't willing to show the world just yet. She didn't want to give off the impression that she was already tied down, as if the engagement had become a part of her identity. "I just..." She hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't want everyone to know I'm engaged. Not yet." The nervousness in his presence was written all over her face, clear and unmistakable. Celine's fingers fidgeted in her lap, her eyes darting around the car, avoiding his piercing gaze. The tension between them seemed to thicken with each passing second. Wade's jaw tightened as the realization hit him. The fact that Celine didn't want to show her ring-their ring-burned deep inside him. To him, it wasn't just a simple decision to hide a piece of jewelry. It meant something more, something unsettling. "She wants to stay single." He thought bitterly, his mind racing with the implication. It felt like a rejection, as if she was denying the bond they shared, the commitment they had made. Wade gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white. The anger simmered beneath the surface, but there was something else mixed in-hurt. She didn't want the world to know she was his. To him, it felt like she didn't want to be his. "So that's it?" He finally spoke, his voice low but sharp with frustration. "You want to pretend you're still single? Is that what this is about?" Celine's eyes widened at his accusation, but she remained silent, her mind racing. She hadn't seen it that way, but in Wade's mind, it was as clear as day. Yes, she didn't want to show everyone she was engaged to him- whether she admitted it or not-but his harsh words cut deeper than she expected, and it stung in a way she couldn't fully understand. "You don't want to wear the ring because you don't want people to know you're engaged." He continued, his gaze hard and piercing. "Because you want them to think you're still free. Is that it, Celine?" "I didn't mean it like that." She whispered, but the words felt weak, hollow, even to her ears. She glanced away, unable to meet his piercing gaze any longer. Her mind was conflicted. Part of her had been avoiding the reality of their engagement, pretending it wasn't real. But hearing him speak like that, with such anger and hurt behind his words, made her question her feelings. Why did it bother her so much to be with him in the eyes of others? And why did it hurt when he thought she didn't want him? Wade's voice dropped to a dangerously low tone as he spoke, his words laced with a mix of authority and control. "I don't care what you think about me or what you mean by all this." He said, his eyes locked onto hers, sharp and unyielding. "But you will respect this relation, Celine. You're going to wear that ring right now," His grip on the steering wheel tightened more as he continued, his gaze never leaving her. " If I find that ring missing on your finger again," He paused, letting the weight of his words settle, "Then you won't like what I'll do." The threat in his voice wasn't loud or overt, but it was there-cold and unmistakable. It wasn't the kind of threat that came from anger alone; it came from his deep need to assert control, to remind her that their engagement wasn't something she could simply dismiss or hide from the world. Celine's heart raced, a mix of defiance and anxiety swirling inside her. She wanted to push back, to tell him he couldn't control her like that, but the intensity in his eyes held her tongue. His words, sharp and commanding, left no room for argument. He was making it clear: this wasn't just a suggestion. It was a demand. She instinctively gripped her bag tightly, feeling the small metal ring hidden inside. She didn't want to wear it-not now, not in front of him, not after everything he had just said. But the way he was looking at her, as though he wouldn't take no for an answer, made her realize she had no choice in the matter. She slowly opened her bag and pulled out the engagement ring. The sight of it, a symbol of a relationship she still wasn't sure how to handle, only made her heart pound harder. Wade's gaze never wavered as he watched her hesitate, his expression unreadable but his impatience palpable. "Now," He repeated the single word, sharp enough to cut through the tension in the car. Reluctantly, Celine slid the ring onto her finger, the cool metal feeling heavier than it should. It wasn't just a piece of jewelry; it was a reminder that her life was no longer her own, bound to a man whose presence scares her. Celine quietly sat after slipping the ring onto her finger, her lips pressed together in a thin line. The silence between them felt suffocating, heavy with unspoken words and unexpressed emotions. She wanted to say so much-wanted to lash out, to demand why she had to wear a ring that felt more like a chain. But the words were stuck in her throat, buried beneath the fear that gripped her chest.