Maria.
I was completely stunned at Noah's words.
Engaged?
The word echoed in my head like a loud, unrelenting drum. For a second, I couldn't even react. My mind went blank, my body frozen as the weight of what he had just said settled over me.
But then I remembered where I was.
I was still standing under the cold gaze of Aidan as he kept waiting and watching me like a prey.
And suddenly, it made sense.
Noah wasn't just speaking—he was protecting me.
So I swallowed everything rising in my chest and forced myself to play along.
I stepped closer to him, my fingers curling lightly around his arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Yes," I said softly, though my heart was racing. "We are."
The tension in the air shifted immediately.
Without waiting for any more reactions, Noah tightened his hold on me and led me away. I didn't resist. If anything, I followed willingly, needing to get out of there just as much as he did.
