The Breaking Point

Over the next few days, I spent hours scheming for Sabotage, part five—the final date and the last chance I had. So it had to be flawless. Caius had somehow managed to turn every attempt at discomfort into an opportunity to show off his irritating adaptability. But this time, I was determined to hit him where it hurt. He might have survived karaoke and the dive bar, but could he handle my most unpredictable weapon yet?

My family was hosting a charity gala—a black-tie event filled with all the pomp and circumstance Caius was used to. So far, so boring. But I had a plan to turn the evening into a test he wouldn’t see coming.

I decided on something extreme: introduce him to my world, or at least a part of it he would never expect. Hidden beneath the glamour of the event, I would weave chaos. I'd enlisted a few old friends from school, wild cards who could make any formal event feel like a circus. It was a delicate balance of elegance and mayhem, designed to push Caius to the edge.

I dressed to the nines, of course. A sleek, black gown that hugged my body perfectly, my hair twisted into an elegant updo. I looked the part of a dutiful fiancée, every inch the sophisticated daughter of the Borromeo empire. But beneath the polished exterior, I was buzzing with excitement. I was about to drop him into a social storm that even his calm, collected self wouldn’t be able to withstand.

When Caius arrived at the gala, looking infuriatingly handsome in his tailored tuxedo, I greeted him with a dazzling smile that I knew would confuse him. We mingled, said all the right things to all the right people, but in the back of my mind, I was counting down to when the real fun would begin.

As we moved through the ballroom, my friends were already in position, scattered amongst the guests, waiting for my signal. We approached the dessert table, where delicate pastries and tiny chocolate sculptures were on display. I leaned in toward Caius, my voice low and sweet.

“Enjoying yourself?” I asked, giving him my most innocent smile.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious. “So far, yes. But with you, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected.”

“Oh, you have no idea what’s coming,” I whispered before turning away, letting him chew on that for a moment.

I gave a subtle nod to my friend at the edge of the room. That was the signal. Within minutes, the gala began to unravel.

It started slowly—a spilled glass of champagne here, a waiter tripping over nothing there. Just enough to cause whispers, people glancing around nervously. Then came the loud clatter of plates being knocked over in the kitchen. A few of my friends took it further, sparking spontaneous dance battles on the ballroom floor, drawing guests into their chaos with infectious laughter.

I could see the confusion on Caius’s face as the carefully orchestrated elegance of the gala began to crumble. His eyes flicked around, trying to make sense of the sudden descent into anarchy. And there I was, gliding through the chaos, watching him struggle to maintain his usual composure.

“I see your influence at work,” he said dryly when he finally found me near the bar, watching the scene unfold. “Are we still pretending this is an accident?”

I tilted my head, feigning innocence. “What? You don’t like a little fun at a fancy party?”

Caius looked around, taking in the people laughing and dancing with abandon, far from the usual rigid atmosphere of such events. He ran a hand through his hair, clearly debating whether to call me out or just go with it.

“Fun, huh?” he said, his eyes narrowing. “You think this will make me uncomfortable?”

I smirked, sipping my champagne. “It’s worth a shot.”

He shook his head, a slow smile creeping onto his face. “You really are something else, Calista.”

Before I could respond, one of my friends grabbed my hand, pulling me into the fray. Laughter erupted as we joined a spontaneous dance circle, and I found myself in the middle of the chaos I’d created. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Caius watching, arms crossed, trying to decide whether to join in or stay on the sidelines. He seemed so out of place, standing there in his pristine tuxedo, surrounded by the whirlwind I had unleashed.

To my utter surprise, he stepped forward. His hand reached out toward me, an invitation.

I hesitated for a split second before placing my hand in his. He pulled me close, his hand resting on my waist as the energy of the crowd swirled around us. The music changed, something slower, and suddenly we were dancing—really dancing. It wasn’t part of the plan. I wasn’t supposed to enjoy this.

“You’re not as predictable as I thought,” I muttered, trying to sound irritated but failing.

He smirked down at me, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Neither are you.”

The night spun on, the line between sabotage and enjoyment blurring with each moment we spent together. The more I tried to make him regret meeting me, the more he seemed to enjoy the challenge. And much to my dismay, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I was starting to enjoy it too.

The music slowed, and the chaotic energy of the gala faded into the background as Caius held me in his arms, guiding me effortlessly through the crowd. It was the kind of moment I had always despised—the perfect, picturesque dance between two betrothed. Except this time, I didn’t feel the urge to sabotage it.

I hated that.

“Don’t look so pained,” Caius teased, his voice low and close to my ear. “You’re the one who started this.”

I glanced up at him, narrowing my eyes. “I didn’t start this,” I shot back. “I started a riot. You’re the one who turned it into a slow dance.”

“Interesting perspective,” he said, his smile infuriatingly calm. “But I’m not the one fighting this. Are you?”

I stiffened slightly. He wasn’t wrong. I had orchestrated the chaos, hoping to unsettle him, but now I was the one feeling out of control. I couldn’t deny that there was something disarming about dancing with him like this, something unexpected. It wasn’t supposed to feel… comfortable.

“I’m not fighting anything,” I muttered, trying to sound indifferent. “I’m just biding my time.”

“For what?” His eyes locked on mine, the playful edge in his voice softening. “What exactly are you waiting for, Calista?”

The question caught me off guard. What was I waiting for? For him to finally crack, to show that he was as out of place in my world as I had hoped? Or maybe I was waiting for something else entirely—something I didn’t want to admit. The idea unsettled me.

“I’m waiting for this whole ridiculous charade to fall apart,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “I’m waiting for you to realize that this marriage is a terrible idea.”

Caius’s grip on my waist tightened ever so slightly, and for a moment, the teasing smile faded. He looked at me with an intensity that sent a ripple of unease through me.

“Is it really such a terrible idea?” he asked quietly, his gaze steady. “Or are you just afraid of what might happen if you let this play out?”

His words hit me harder than I expected. Afraid? No, that couldn’t be it. I wasn’t afraid—I was angry. I was resisting the life that was being forced on me. I was rebelling against the idea of marrying someone I didn’t choose. But as his words lingered in the air, I wondered if there was something more to it.

I pulled back slightly, breaking the eye contact. “You’re overthinking this,” I said, my tone cold. “This is just a deal, remember? And I intend to win.”

His lips quirked into a half-smile, but his eyes stayed serious. “If this is a deal, Calista, then maybe you should stop trying to control every move. Sometimes, the most interesting outcomes happen when you let go.”

Let go? That wasn’t me. I didn’t let go. I planned, I calculated, and I executed. But there was something in his words that gnawed at me, a part of me that wondered what it would be like to stop fighting so hard.

Before I could respond, the music shifted again, signaling the end of the dance. Caius released me, but not before leaning in close, his breath warm against my ear.

“Think about it,” he whispered before stepping back, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the dance floor.

I watched as he walked away, disappearing into the crowd. My heart was pounding in my chest, a mix of frustration and something else I couldn’t quite identify. For the first time, Caius had managed to throw me off balance, and I hated it.

As I stood there, trying to regain my composure, Lila appeared at my side, a mischievous grin on her face.

“Well, that was… unexpected,” she said, nudging me playfully. “You two looked pretty cozy out there.”

“Don’t,” I warned, my voice clipped. “It was nothing.”

“Oh, sure, nothing,” Lila said, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “If that’s what nothing looks like, then I’m all for it. You’ve got chemistry, Cali, whether you want to admit it or not.”

I glared at her, refusing to acknowledge her teasing. “I’m still in control,” I insisted, more to convince myself than her. “This was just a minor setback.”

Lila raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “If you say so. But you might want to reconsider your next move. He’s not as easy to break as you thought, is he?”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I turned away, scanning the room for any sign of Caius. He was nowhere to be seen, and for some reason, that bothered me more than it should have.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. If Caius thought he could turn this into some kind of lesson about letting go, he had another thing coming. I wasn’t going to let him win, no matter how disarmingly charming he could be.

My mission to sabotage every date I planned might have failed, but this was far from the end. There was always another game to play, another move to make. And I was determined to make him regret ever thinking he could get under my skin.

With a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and headed back into the fray. The night wasn’t over, and neither was the battle between us.

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