before William's passing, became the cornerstone of an intricate dance between family obligations and corporate control.Ethan, summoned from his self-imp

eed some air," she mumbled, needing to escape the suffocating atmosphere.Ethan followed her out onto the balcony, the cool evening breeze whipping at her hair. The cityscape shimmered with a million lights, a stark contrast to the turmoil within her. "You okay?" Ethan asked, his voice soft for the first time.Stephanie looked at him, truly looked at him for the first time. He looked tired, the lines around his eyes deeper than she remembered. For a fleeting moment, a spark of something like empathyflickered in his gaze."I don't know," she admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "This isn't how I envisioned things.""Neither did I," Ethan conceded. "But there's nothing we can do about it now."Stephanie sighed, a wave of exhaustion washing over her. "No, I suppose not."The night stretched before them, a vast emptiness filled with unspoken emotions and a shared burden. They would be married in a week, a public display of a union born of necessity. The question that gnawed at Stephanie, the question she couldn't bring herself to ask, was: "Ethan," she began, her voice barely a whisper, "did you ever... did you ever think we'd be standing here, about to be married?" she finished, the unspoken question hanging heavy in the air.Ethan remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the glittering tapestry of lights below. A faint flicker of something, perhaps regret, flickered across his face."No," he finally replied, his voice low and rough. "Never crossed my mind."Stephanie's heart sank. A part of her, a foolish part perhaps, had hoped for a flicker of recognition, a hint of a past affection she could build upon. But Ethan's answer was a stark reminder of the reality – this was a business arrangement, nothing more."Well," she said, forcing a lightness that didn't quite reach her eyes, "life has a funny way of throwing curveballs, wouldn't you say?" Ethan didn't respond, and an awkward silence enveloped them once more. Stephanie felt a sudden urge to escape, to retreat to the solitude of her hotel room and drown the weight o