บท 12: Chapter 12: The Hollow Union
The days leading up to the wedding were an endless string of meetings, fittings, and preparations. Both families were laser-focused on making the wedding the event of the century. The press speculated about the union between the Greystone and Moriarty dynasties as if it were the merging of two empires—a grand, public spectacle.
Yet for Alice, it felt hollow. Each day brought her closer to a marriage that felt less like a union of two people and more like a contract between two corporations.
Elliot, on the other hand, moved through the process with an eerie calmness, methodically handling every aspect of the arrangement with precision. To him, it was simply another task on his list, another business deal to manage. Any emotional attachment to Alice had evaporated long ago, leaving behind only a cold, transactional outlook.
Alice had tried—time and time again—to rekindle something between them. She made attempts to connect, asking about his day, suggesting they go for walks, or even spending quiet evenings together. But every attempt was met with polite disinterest or outright dismissal. Elliot was polite, civil even, but his eyes no longer held that familiar admiration or longing.
They were empty. Distant.
One evening, a week before the wedding, Alice found herself sitting in the large sitting room of the Moriarty mansion. She had been waiting for Elliot, hoping to catch him between meetings. When he finally entered, dressed in one of his usual tailored suits, she stood, trying to compose herself.
"Elliot," she called out softly as he moved toward his study, his footsteps barely pausing.
He stopped but didn't turn to face her. "What is it?"
"I wanted to talk," she said, feeling the weight of the unspoken distance between them. "We haven't really… had a moment. Not since the engagement."
Elliot turned slowly, his expression guarded. "What do you want to talk about?"
Alice took a deep breath. "Us. The wedding. Everything."
"There's nothing to talk about," he said simply. "Everything is arranged. The families are in agreement. It's just a matter of following through."
Alice's chest tightened. "Is that all it is to you? Just a matter of following through?"
Elliot's eyes darkened, the faintest hint of emotion flickering across his face. "What else should it be? You made it clear a long time ago that this marriage wasn't about love. You wanted a business arrangement, and that's exactly what you're getting."
Alice flinched. His words, though true, felt like a punch to the gut. "I didn't know things would change like this."
"You didn't expect me to change," Elliot said coldly. "You thought I'd always be that same pathetic fool who followed you around, begging for your attention. But things aren't the same anymore, Alice. I'm not the same."
She bit her lip, fighting the urge to cry. "I know I made mistakes, Elliot. But I thought… I thought maybe we could start over."
Elliot let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Start over? You don't get to start over. You had your chance."
"I was wrong," Alice admitted, her voice cracking. "I didn't realize it then, but I do now. I should have treated you better."
For a moment, Elliot's gaze softened, but it quickly hardened again. "Too late for that. This marriage is just a formality now."
Alice's heart ached. She had spent so much time pushing him away, and now, when she was ready to try, he was already gone. The man who once adored her was gone, replaced by someone colder, someone who saw her as nothing more than an obstacle to be managed.
"Do you hate me?" Alice asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Elliot's eyes locked onto hers, the silence hanging heavy between them. "No," he finally said, his voice flat. "I don't hate you, Alice. But I don't care about you either."
Alice felt the tears welling up, but she fought them back. She had never expected this. Not from him. Not from the boy who had once doted on her, who had loved her unconditionally. And now, standing before the man he had become, she realized how deep her mistake had been.
"I deserve that," she whispered, looking away. "I know I do."
Elliot didn't respond, his expression unmoving. After a moment, he turned, ready to leave her there, as cold and detached as ever.
"Wait," Alice called out, her voice trembling.
Elliot stopped, but didn't turn around.
"Why did you even agree to this marriage?" she asked. "If you feel nothing for me, if you don't care about any of this—why go through with it?"
Elliot let out a slow, measured breath. "Because it's what's expected. It's what the families want, and it serves a purpose. We both know this isn't about us. It never was."
"And what if I wanted out?" Alice asked, her voice desperate. "What if I didn't want this anymore?"
Elliot turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "You had your chance to say no before. You didn't."
"And now?" she pressed, her heart racing. "Would you let me leave if I asked?"
Elliot's gaze was cold, calculated. "I wouldn't stop you. But make no mistake, Alice, leaving now would come at a cost. To you. To your family. And to everything they've built."
Alice felt a lump form in her throat. He was right. She knew that. The Greystones were powerful, but they weren't the Moriartys. The engagement, the impending marriage—it had been orchestrated to cement their place among the elite. Walking away would create ripples that neither her family nor the Moriartys would tolerate.
"I see," she whispered, her voice hollow. "So, this is it then."
Elliot's jaw tightened. "This is business, Alice. Nothing more."
Alice didn't respond. She simply nodded, the weight of her decision, her past mistakes, and her family's expectations crashing down on her all at once.
Elliot moved toward the door again, his back to her. Just before he stepped out, he paused, his hand resting on the frame.
"I should warn you," he said quietly, his voice devoid of any warmth. "I don't sleep well. I have nightmares… from what happened before. I still deal with that. So if you're expecting some kind of fairy-tale marriage, you're in for a disappointment."
Alice swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," she whispered, but the words felt meaningless.
Without another word, Elliot walked out, leaving her alone in the silence of the grand room.
Alice stood there for a long time, staring at the empty doorway, the realization sinking in deeper than ever before.
She had lost him.
And now, all that was left was the shell of the marriage she had once taken for granted.
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