Chapter 4I Died And Became Your Stranger

My engagement party to Luke was even more lavish than I had anticipated.

My parents had invited every prominent figure in the tristate area. The docks were lined with luxury vehicles, and the yacht itself was a towering, multi-deck monument to excess.

I sat in the bridal suite, staring at my reflection in the vanity mirror. The face looking back at me was mathematically perfect—every strand of hair styled to perfection, every feature painted to highlight the Henderson lineage.

For my entire life, I had been molded into the ultimate trophy. I was a product designed to elevate the Henderson brand.

"Miss Paula, you look absolutely breathtaking," the stylist whispered, holding up a delicate pink-and-white diamond necklace that caught the light beautifully.

Before she could clasp it around my neck, the door flew open.

"Paula!"

Gemma burst into the room. She was wearing a stunning, emerald-green silk gown with a dramatic train that swept across the floor. It was easily as expensive and elaborate as my own bridal gown.

She spotted the necklace in the stylist's hands and snatched it away.

"Oh, this is gorgeous! It matches my green dress perfectly!"

She sat down in front of the mirror, demanding the stylist put it on her. I watched our reflections side by side.

She was right. The diamonds looked striking against her fair skin and dark green silk.

Luke stepped into the room a moment later.

"Gemma, stop playing around," he said gently, though his eyes lingered on her. "Give the necklace back to Paula. I had a custom emerald piece placed in your suite. Go see if you like it."

Gemma’s eyes lit up. She quickly let the stylist unclamp the necklace and practically skipped out of the room.

Luke watched her retreating figure, calling out, "Slow down! Your ankle isn't fully healed yet!"

"I know, I know! You’re worse than Brody!" her voice echoed down the corridor.

Only when her footsteps faded did Luke turn his attention to me.

He stepped up behind me, took the pink-and-white diamond necklace, and fastened it around my neck. Meeting my eyes in the mirror, a rare, soft smile touched his lips.

"You look beautiful tonight, Paula."

I tilted my head, resting my chin in my palm, my gaze locked onto his reflection. "And when am I not beautiful, Luke?"

The small trace of warmth on his face vanished. "You are my fiancée, Paula. On a night as important as this, please don't act like a petulant child. It’s highly inappropriate."

A quiet, bitter laugh slipped past my lips. "You’re right. I won't say things like that anymore."

The party officially began, and the yacht slowly drifted away from the harbor, heading out into the dark, calm waters of the Atlantic.

The grand ballroom was packed to capacity.

When Luke and I made our entrance, a collective murmur of admiration rippled through the crowd.

"Thank you all for being here tonight," Luke spoke into the microphone, his hand resting on my waist. "Paula and I grew up together. To call her my fiancée is an honor, and I know this night represents the culmination of everything she has dreamed of..."

As he droned on about our history, my mind drifted.

The transition window was approaching. It had to be timed perfectly—not a minute too early, not a minute too late.

My parents cornered me near the bar a few minutes later, keeping their voices low and sharp.

"What is wrong with you, Paula? Do you have any idea how much is riding on tonight?"

I knew exactly what Dad meant. My entire existence was a business transaction designed to secure the Henderson-Lance merger. One step out of line, and the illusion of our perfect family would shatter.

After the speeches, the music swelled, and Luke led me out onto the open deck for our first dance.

Brody stood near the brass railing, holding Gemma close. Gemma whispered something in Brody's ear, and Brody immediately caught Luke’s eye, giving him a subtle nod.

They had grown up together; they shared a silent language. Luke understood the signal instantly.

As the waltz reached its dramatic crescendo, Luke suddenly let go of my hand, pushing me outward to finish my spin.

At the exact same moment, Brody gently pushed Gemma forward, guiding her into Luke’s waiting arms.

Luke caught her seamlessly, continuing the waltz without missing a single beat.

This yacht had been my eighteenth birthday present from Luke. I knew every inch of its polished wood and brass. I knew precisely how to use the momentum of Luke pushing me away to drift backward toward the low railing.

The heavy brass bar hit my lower back. My three-inch stilettos caught on a deck groove, throwing off my balance.

My body tipped backward into the empty, cold night.

As I plummeted toward the dark ocean, thirty meters below, a sharp gasp erupted from the few onlookers on deck.

Someone rushed toward the railing, but Brody and Luke quickly stepped in, blocking their path.

"She’s a synchronized swimmer," Brody said dismissively, his voice carrying over the wind. "Paula can swim in her sleep. She’s just throwing a tantrum. She’ll climb back up in a minute."

As the freezing water rushed up to swallow me, a calm, synthesized voice echoed in my mind:

"Elysium Transition protocol initiated. Please prepare for consciousness transfer. Old identity memories will be archived and replaced."