MistNovel - Read Web Novel Stories & Fiction Online

The morning sun, once a promise, now felt like a spotlight illuminating a stage where Ariel had already performed and died. She knew every line, every cue, every venomous, smiling betrayal that would unfold if she followed the original script. Today, however, she would be improvising a new ending.
She bypassed the pretense of a family breakfast, knowing that ritual of passive aggression would only drain her resolve. Instead, she waited in her room, conserving her energy, a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike. When the doorbell rang, she knew it was Edward. She descended the stairs just as Esther was letting him in, her practiced enthusiasm grating on Ariel’s nerves.
Edward entered the house, a dazzling smile fixed on his handsome face. He was an actor playing the part of a devoted fiancé, a role he had perfected over years of deceit. "There's my star," he said, his voice smooth as polished stone. He crossed the living room to where Ariel stood and pulled her into a kiss designed for his audience of two, Margaret having emerged from the kitchen to observe. His cologne was expensive, his lips were warm, and his hands on her shoulders felt like the cold, hard steel of manacles.
Ariel returned the kiss, playing her part to perfection. Inside, a cold, analytical part of her brain cataloged every detail she had been too blind to see in her first life. The way his eyes never quite reached the warmth of his smile. The slight, almost imperceptible calculation in his expression before he spoke, as if he was always choosing his words for maximum effect. The proprietary grip that tightened almost painfully when she moved to pull away.
"Ready for the big day?" he asked, his hands sliding down her arms to clasp hers, trapping them.
"A little nervous," she admitted, which was the truth, though not for the reasons he so arrogantly assumed.
"Don't be." He squeezed her hands, his thumb rubbing circles against her skin in a gesture that had once brought her comfort but now felt like a brand. "This contract is going to change everything for us. The label's backing, the resources, the connections. It's everything we've been working toward."
Us. We. As if her talent, her soul, was a joint account from which he could freely draw. As if her dreams were a property he now co-owned.
"I'm so grateful you set this up," Ariel said, her voice soft and breathy. "I never could have done this without you."
His smile widened with smug satisfaction. "That's what I'm here for, Ari. To help you navigate the industry. You're brilliant, but you need guidance. Someone to handle the business side while you focus on creating." He meant he needed to control her, to stand between her and the world, filtering every opportunity, every connection, through his own selfish, parasitic agenda. In her first life, she had not only let him; she had been grateful for it.
"You're so good to her," Margaret said from the doorway, her approval a palpable thing. "Taking on that much responsibility."
"It's not a responsibility," Edward said smoothly, turning his charming smile on Margaret. "It's a privilege. Ariel's going to be a huge star, and I'm just honored to be part of her journey." Part of her journey. Not a partner walking beside her, but a tollbooth on her path to success.
Esther, who had been watching the exchange with a proprietary air, clapped her hands together. "Are we ready? We shouldn't be late for your own signing!" She moved toward Ariel, fussing with a strand of her hair in a gesture of sisterly affection that was pure performance. "You look a little pale, Ari. Are you sure you're feeling okay?" It was a classic Esther move, a statement of concern that was actually an insinuation of weakness.
"Just nerves," Ariel said, stepping away from her touch. "I need to grab my portfolio from my room."
Edward's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. "You won't need that. The contract covers all your existing work. I've already handled the submissions."
Ariel paused at the bottom of the stairs, her back to them. He had already given them her music, positioning himself as her manager before she had signed a single thing. "I'd just feel better having it with me," she said, turning back with an uncertain smile. "For confidence."
The flicker of irritation in his eyes was more pronounced this time, but he quickly smoothed it back into an expression of indulgence. "Of course, if it makes you comfortable. But Ari, you need to start trusting me on this stuff. I've got everything handled." Trust me. It was not a request. It was a command dressed as reassurance.
"I do trust you," Ariel said softly, letting her shoulders slump in defeat. "You're right. I don't need it."
Edward's triumphant smile returned. He moved to her side and draped a heavy arm around her shoulders, pulling her close in a gesture that looked affectionate to her family but felt like a leash to her.
"Perfect! Then let's go make our girl a star," Esther chirped, her eyes gleaming with avarice. Our girl. As if Ariel were a show pony they had trained together, a shared investment in their collective future.
They headed toward the door, Edward's arm a dead weight across Ariel's shoulders. As they passed the hallway mirror, she caught a glimpse of her reflection. The girl staring back looked small and uncertain, a lamb being led to slaughter. But her mismatched eyes, one amber, one brown, held a frigid, predatory resolve that none of them could see. She would let them drive her to the signing. She would walk into that meeting room and play the part of the grateful, naive girl one last time. And then, with ten years of remembered rage fueling her every move, she would tear their carefully constructed future apart with her bare hands.