Two days after the gala, Chloe woke to a sharp knock on her bedroom door. She groaned, pulling the covers over her head.
"It's too early for whatever billionaire nonsense you have planned, Sebastian!" she shouted.
The door opened anyway, revealing Mrs. Hargrove, her expression unusually serious. "Mr. Kane asked me to fetch you. You're needed in the study immediately."
Chloe frowned, sitting up. "Needed? What's going on?"
Mrs. Hargrove didn't answer, simply giving her a look that said arguing was pointless.
With a sigh, Chloe threw on a robe and slippers, following the housekeeper down the hall to Sebastian's study. She hesitated outside the door, the sound of voices filtering through.
"You can't be serious, Kane. Bringing her into this mess will only complicate things."
It was a man's voice—sharp, clipped, and unfamiliar.
"She's already involved," Sebastian replied coolly. "And she's my wife. If this goes public, it affects her too."
Chloe pushed the door open, stepping inside. "Good morning to you too. What's this about affecting me?"
Two pairs of eyes turned toward her. Sebastian was seated behind his massive oak desk, his posture as rigid as ever. The man standing opposite him was tall and imposing, his tailored suit doing little to soften his hard edges.
"Ah, the infamous Mrs. Kane," the man said, his lips curving into a smirk. "Charming."
Chloe narrowed her eyes. "And you are?"
"Ethan Carlisle," he said, extending a hand. "Kane's lawyer—and occasionally, his voice of reason."
She shook his hand reluctantly before turning to Sebastian. "What's going on?"
Sebastian gestured to a chair. "Sit down."
"I'd rather stand."
"Chloe," he said, his tone making it clear this wasn't a request.
With a huff, she sat.
Sebastian leaned forward, folding his hands on the desk. "There's an issue with one of my companies—KaneTech. A major investor is threatening to pull out unless we can guarantee a smooth transition for a merger I've been negotiating."
Chloe blinked. "And what does this have to do with me?"
"The investor is old-fashioned," Ethan explained. "They value stability and… family values. Your sudden appearance in Sebastian's life has raised questions. They want to meet you—privately."
Her stomach sank. "You mean, they want to size me up."
"Essentially," Sebastian said, his tone devoid of sympathy.
Chloe crossed her arms. "Why do I have to be part of your corporate drama? This wasn't in the contract."
Sebastian's jaw tightened. "If this deal falls through, it'll cost thousands of employees their jobs. You're the one who insisted on making this marriage public, Chloe. Now you have to play the part."
She glared at him. "You're unbelievable. You throw me into this mess and expect me to fix it?"
Ethan cleared his throat. "In Kane's defense, this is less about fixing things and more about reassuring the investor. All you have to do is smile, nod, and look like the happy wife."
Chloe snorted. "Happy wife? Have you met your client?"
Sebastian's lips twitched, but he quickly suppressed it. "The meeting is tomorrow evening. I'll have a stylist come by this afternoon to prepare you."
"Of course you will," she muttered, rising from her chair. "Anything else, Your Highness?"
Sebastian didn't rise to the bait. "Just be ready."
---
The Next Evening
The meeting was held at an exclusive private club, the kind of place where membership cost more than Chloe's yearly salary—when she had one.
The investor, Charles Wentworth, was an older man with sharp eyes and an air of authority that made Chloe's skin crawl.
"Mr. Wentworth, my wife, Chloe," Sebastian said, his hand resting lightly on her back.
Wentworth's gaze swept over her, his expression unreadable. "A pleasure, Mrs. Kane. I must admit, I was surprised to hear about your marriage."
Chloe forced a smile. "Love has a way of surprising you, doesn't it?"
Sebastian's grip on her back tightened slightly, a silent warning to behave.
Wentworth chuckled. "Indeed. Tell me, Mrs. Kane, how do you find married life with a man as busy as Sebastian?"
"Oh, it's a whirlwind," Chloe said, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "But we make it work. He's surprisingly attentive when he's not running the world."
Wentworth raised an eyebrow, glancing at Sebastian. "Attentive? That's not a word I'd associate with Kane."
Chloe's smile didn't waver. "Then I guess you don't know him as well as I do."
Sebastian's lips twitched, but he remained silent.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of polite conversation and subtle power plays. By the time they left, Chloe was mentally and emotionally drained.
In the car, she leaned her head against the window, staring out at the city lights. "Was that good enough for you?"
Sebastian glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "You did well."
"High praise," she muttered.
He was silent for a moment before saying, "Thank you."
She turned to him, surprised. "For what?"
"For not making it harder than it already is," he said quietly.
Chloe didn't know how to respond, so she simply nodded, letting the silence fill the space between them.
For the first time since this whole mess began, she wondered if there might be more to Sebastian Kane than the cold, calculating businessman everyone else saw.
---