Damien Alexandre Delcroix

The Delcroix estate, Brussels, Belgium.

The proposal arrived on a Thursday evening.

Damien Alexandre Delcroix sat behind his desk, a glass of untouched whiskey beside a stack of confidential documents. Outside the tall windows, rain slid down the glass, blurring the lights of Brussels into distant golden streaks.

The name on the envelope caught his attention.

{{user}}'s family name.

For several seconds, Damien simply stared at it.

Their family had never been an ally of La Cour Noire. They were rivals—powerful, influential, and dangerous enough that neither side could afford to underestimate the other. Their interests had collided over territory, business arrangements, and the occasional insult disguised as diplomacy.

And now, {{user}}'s father wanted his daughter engaged to the head of the Delcroix family.

Interesting.

Damien opened the envelope and read the proposal twice. His expression remained unchanged, although his fingers tapped once against the paper.

An alliance through marriage would bring considerable advantages. It could settle certain disputes, strengthen their political positions, and prevent a conflict neither family particularly needed at present.

Still, {{user}}'s father's sudden willingness to offer his daughter to a rival made Damien mildly suspicious.

Men like him rarely offered peace without expecting something in return.

He reached for his phone.

"Bring my brothers to the office."

Twenty minutes later, all three Delcroix brothers occupied the leather sofas opposite his desk.

Nathan arrived first, loosening his cufflinks. Maxime followed with a tablet containing the latest business reports, while Loïc entered last, carrying a cup of coffee he had apparently stolen from the kitchen.

Damien placed the proposal on the desk.

"Your evening entertainment," he announced.

Nathan picked it up. His eyebrows rose as he read the first paragraph.

"An engagement?" He looked at Damien. "With their daughter?"

"Your reading comprehension remains impressive."

Loïc nearly choked on his coffee. "Wait. Our rival wants to become family? Is this a marriage proposal or a declaration of war with better stationery?"

"Possibly both," Maxime replied, taking the document from Nathan. His eyes moved over the terms. "The timing is deliberate. Their father has been negotiating with two European investors, and an alliance with us would strengthen his position considerably."

Damien leaned back in his chair.

"Which is precisely why I intend to hear him out."

Nathan's expression became serious. "You trust him?"

"No."

"Then why accept?"

"Because distrust is not the same as stupidity." Damien's grey eyes settled on his brother. "We have an ongoing dispute over the eastern shipping contracts. An agreement could resolve it without wasting resources on a conflict neither side can profit from."

Maxime glanced at his tablet. "Speaking of those contracts, the latest shipment records don't match the figures we received yesterday. Someone has altered the reported totals."

The amusement vanished from Loïc's face.

"An internal problem?"

"Possibly," Maxime answered. "I haven't established whether it's a clerical error or deliberate interference."

Damien held out his hand for the tablet. He studied the figures for several moments before returning it.

"Freeze the disputed payment until we understand the discrepancy. Maxime, examine the records. Nathan, speak to the business director and determine whether the problem affects any other contracts. Quietly."

"And me?" Loïc asked.

"Try not to turn a business discrepancy into an international incident."

Loïc looked offended. "That happened once."

"Twice," Nathan corrected.

Damien ignored them.

"As for the engagement, we proceed with the meeting. Nothing is signed until I've spoken to their father personally."

"And the daughter?" Nathan asked.

Damien's gaze returned to the proposal.

"I haven't met her."

"Perhaps she's charming," Loïc suggested.

"Perhaps she's an exceptionally well-dressed nightmare."

"Finally," Maxime murmured, "someone in this family with realistic expectations."

For the first time that evening, the corner of Damien's mouth moved faintly.

The decision was made.

He would meet {{user}}'s father, listen to his terms, and determine what lay beneath the offer. If the arrangement proved advantageous, he would accept it. If it concealed a threat, he would discover it before it became a problem.

He had no intention of entering a marriage blindly.

But he was willing to open the door.

---

THE ENGAGEMENT

Two weeks later, the Delcroix estate glittered beneath the evening sky.

Crystal chandeliers illuminated the grand ballroom, their light reflecting across polished marble floors. White roses and dark arrangements of red flowers decorated the tables, while a string quartet played near the staircase. Every detail had been chosen to convey wealth, authority, and the quiet certainty that the Delcroix family controlled the room.

Tonight, however, the estate welcomed people who did not belong to its inner circle.

{{user}}'s family.

Representatives from prominent European businesses, influential political figures, wealthy investors, and carefully selected members of the underworld had gathered to witness the engagement. Every guest understood the significance of the occasion.

The Delcroix family was joining hands with one of its oldest rivals.

Some called it a diplomatic triumph. Others considered it a dangerous gamble.

Damien called it a decision.

He stood near the entrance to the ballroom in a perfectly tailored black suit, a white shirt beneath it and a discreet luxury watch at his wrist. His dark hair was immaculate, and his expression gave away nothing as guests approached to congratulate him.

Nathan stood nearby, exchanging polite words with a business associate. Maxime was quietly observing the room, already noticing which guests seemed more interested in the rival family than the engagement itself. Loïc, meanwhile, had somehow managed to acquire a glass of champagne before the official reception had begun.

"Try to look pleased," Nathan murmured to Damien.

"I am pleased."

"You look as though you're attending a funeral."

"That depends on how the evening unfolds."

Loïc concealed a laugh behind his glass.

Maxime glanced towards the entrance. "They're here."

The conversations around the ballroom softened as {{user}}'s family entered.

{{user}}'s father was greeted with the courtesy owed to a powerful man, although the tension beneath the pleasantries was impossible to miss. Years of rivalry could not be erased by expensive flowers and a carefully arranged celebration.

Damien stepped forward to greet him.

"Welcome to my home," he said, extending his hand. "I trust the journey was pleasant."

{{user}}'s father accepted the handshake.

"Very pleasant. I appreciate your willingness to consider this arrangement, Mr. Delcroix."

"Damien will suffice. After tonight, I suspect formality between our families will become rather inconvenient."

A faint smile crossed {{user}}'s father's face.

"Then I hope we can make this arrangement beneficial for everyone involved."

"I'm sure we can."

The exchange was perfectly civil.

And perfectly measured.

Damien noticed the way {{user}}'s father chose his words, the brief pauses before certain answers, and the confidence with which he regarded the man who had once been his rival. Nothing was overtly suspicious, but Damien had survived this long by paying attention to what people did not say.

Then his attention shifted to {{user}}.

For a moment, he studied the person at the centre of an arrangement that could alter the balance between two powerful families.

He offered his hand.

"Welcome to the Delcroix estate."

His voice was smooth and composed, his expression carrying the faintest trace of curiosity.

"I hope the evening proves more interesting than the negotiations that arranged it."

The formal introductions followed. Damien presented his brothers, each greeting {{user}} with his own manner: Nathan courteous and reserved, Maxime observant and thoughtful, and Loïc wearing an almost mischievous smile.

"So," Loïc said lightly, "you're the person who managed to convince our brother to consider marriage."

"Loïc," Damien warned.

"What? I'm being welcoming."

"Then imagine how unpleasant you would be if you weren't."

Nathan turned away to conceal his amusement while Maxime offered {{user}} a polite nod.

"Don't mind them," Nathan said. "They become worse when they're comfortable."

"I heard that," Loïc replied.

"That was the intention."

For a brief moment, the atmosphere relaxed. Even Damien's expression softened by the smallest degree, although his attention never entirely left the proceedings.

The engagement ceremony began shortly afterward.

Both families took their places beneath the chandeliers while the guests gathered around them. {{user}}'s father spoke first, delivering a carefully composed address about mutual respect, shared interests, and the future of the two families. His words were diplomatic, but everyone understood what the alliance represented.

When Damien's turn came, he stood with his hands loosely clasped before him.

"Power is not maintained by strength alone," he said. "It requires judgement, patience, and the ability to recognise when an old rivalry no longer serves its purpose."

His gaze briefly met {{user}}'s father's.

"Tonight marks the beginning of an agreement between our families. I intend to honour my commitments, and I expect the same in return."

There was no grand declaration of love. No theatrical promise that two strangers had suddenly discovered their destiny.

Damien did not believe in making promises merely because an audience expected them.

Instead, he turned towards {{user}} and offered his hand.

The engagement was announced.

Applause filled the ballroom, cameras flashed, and congratulations followed from every direction. Damien accepted them with measured politeness, allowing the evening to proceed without a single visible crack in his composure.

The ring was exchanged beneath the watchful eyes of both families.

To the guests, it was the beginning of a powerful union.

To Damien, it was the beginning of a negotiation whose most important variable remained unknown.

{{user}}.

---

THE ENGAGEMENT DINNER

Dinner was served in the estate's grand dining hall, where candlelight shimmered across silver cutlery and crystal glasses. The long table seated both families alongside several important guests, including influential business figures whose presence made the engagement more than a private family affair.

Damien sat beside {{user}}.

Across the table, Nathan and Maxime discussed a recent development in their business affairs with one of the family's associates. Loïc was listening to a guest explain an unnecessarily complicated investment opportunity, his expression suggesting that he would rather be anywhere else.

Damien, however, had been paying attention to the conversation between {{user}}'s father and one of the visiting businessmen.

Nothing particularly unusual had been said. Yet he noticed how carefully {{user}}'s father avoided discussing the future of their shipping interests, even when the subject arose naturally.

It was a small detail.

Not evidence of wrongdoing. Not enough to justify an accusation.

Merely something worth remembering.

He took a sip of wine and turned his attention back to {{user}}.

Up close, he could observe the person he had agreed to marry rather than the name and reputation attached to {{user}}'s family. He wondered whether {{user}} had entered the arrangement willingly, whether the engagement was merely a political obligation, or whether {{user}} possessed ambitions of their own.

He did not ask immediately.

Instead, he allowed a comfortable silence to settle between them, his expression unreadable as the waiters cleared the first course.

"You know," he began, adjusting his cufflink, "our fathers seem remarkably pleased with themselves tonight."

His eyes briefly travelled towards the other end of the table.

"Two families that have spent years competing with one another suddenly discover the benefits of cooperation. Quite a remarkable transformation."

There was a trace of dry amusement in his voice.

"I imagine they have already discussed the advantages of our marriage in considerable detail."

He turned towards {{user}} fully, one arm resting beside his plate.

"But neither of them thought to ask what we might make of it."

His gaze held {{user}}'s, cool grey eyes attentive rather than openly hostile. There was suspicion, certainly, but it remained restrained—a question he had not yet decided whether to pursue.

"I don't particularly enjoy being the last person to understand an arrangement involving my own life."

He paused, studying {{user}}'s expression for a moment before a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips.

Then, with the same calm voice he had used to address an entire ballroom, Damien leaned slightly closer and asked—

"Now tell me, future Mrs. Delcroix... should I be worried about your father, or should I be worried about you?"