Serena didn't fully realize what she had done until she heard the click of Adrian's pen.
It was done. The contract was signed, irrevocable.
The weight of the moment pressed against her chest, but she kept her face unreadable. She had learned long ago that showing emotion was a weakness—especially in a world where men like Adrian Blackwood reigned.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, watching her with a gaze that was both assessing and amused. "You don't look like a woman who just saved her family's legacy."
Serena met his gaze, her spine straight. "That's because I don't feel like one."
He smirked, but there was something darker lurking beneath the surface of his expression. "Regrets already?"
"Not yet," she admitted. "But I have a feeling they're coming."
Adrian chuckled, a low, rich sound that sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. "You're an interesting woman, Serena Vale." He tapped the contract with his fingers, slow and deliberate. "Most people fear making deals with the devil. But you—" His gaze dropped to her lips before snapping back up. "You look like you might enjoy it."
Heat coiled in her stomach at his words, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead, she reached for her purse and stood. "If we're done here, I'd like to go home and pretend I didn't just agree to a loveless marriage with a man I barely know."
Adrian's smile widened, but his eyes darkened. "Loveless, perhaps. But you're mistaken if you think this will be painless, Serena."
The way he said her name sent a thrill through her, but she shoved it down, forcing herself to turn toward the door.
"Tomorrow, we go public," he continued smoothly. "I'll send my driver to pick you up at seven. Dress appropriately."
She paused, glancing over her shoulder. "And what exactly is 'appropriate' to you?"
Adrian's gaze swept over her, slow and deliberate, before he answered, "Something that makes the world believe you belong to me."
Serena clenched her jaw and strode out without another word, refusing to let him see the way her hands trembled as she gripped the elevator railing.
This was her reality now. A contract marriage with Adrian Blackwood.
And she wasn't sure if she'd just saved herself—or made a deal she'd never escape from.
The Next Evening
Serena had spent hours debating what to wear.
She hated that she cared. Hated that Adrian's words had echoed in her mind long after she left his office.
Something that makes the world believe you belong to me.
She had half a mind to wear the plainest thing she owned out of sheer defiance, but she knew that wouldn't do. Adrian wasn't just a man—he was a brand, a statement of power. And tonight, at the exclusive charity gala where he would introduce her as his fiancée, she had to look the part.
So she chose a dress that was both a compromise and a weapon.
The silk clung to her curves, the color a deep shade of crimson that whispered danger and seduction. It wasn't overtly revealing, but it left enough to the imagination to make a statement.
By the time Adrian's driver arrived, Serena had forced herself into a mask of cool indifference.
She expected a sleek black car. What she hadn't expected was Adrian himself waiting by the door, dressed in a sharp tuxedo, his presence commanding as ever.
His eyes swept over her the moment she stepped outside, and for the first time since meeting him, she saw something flicker in his expression. Something raw. Something possessive.
"You approve?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she approached.
Adrian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached for her hand, his fingers warm against her skin as he helped her into the car. Then, once they were both seated inside, he leaned in slightly, his breath teasing the shell of her ear.
"You look exactly as you should, wife."
Her stomach tightened at the word. It was a reminder. A claim.
And the worst part? It thrilled her.
She turned to him, her voice cool despite the warmth creeping up her neck. "Let's get one thing straight, Adrian. I may be playing this role, but I don't belong to you."
His lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk. "We'll see."
Serena exhaled sharply, turning away as the driver pulled onto the street. The city lights blurred past the tinted windows, but the real storm was inside the car.
This man. This game.
She had walked into the lion's den willingly.
The question was, would she make it out unscathed?
The Gala
The moment they entered the ballroom, Serena felt the shift.
The air thickened with curiosity, envy, and admiration. Whispers followed them like a shadow, eyes trailing their every move.
Adrian was used to this. He exuded power effortlessly, every step measured, every glance calculated.
And Serena? She had spent years being overlooked, dismissed by men who underestimated her.
But tonight, she wasn't invisible.
She was the woman on Adrian Blackwood's arm.
The woman the world now wanted to know.
She felt his hand settle possessively on the small of her back, guiding her through the crowd as if staking a silent claim. The contact burned through the fabric of her dress, sending an uninvited thrill through her.
"Smile," Adrian murmured against her ear, his voice rich with amusement. "You're supposed to be madly in love with me, remember?"
Serena's lips curved into the perfect, practiced smile she had mastered long ago. "I'm sure you're used to women fawning over you. Try to pretend you're actually interested in this one."
Adrian chuckled, but before he could respond, a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Adrian."
Serena turned, and the moment she saw the woman standing before them, her stomach clenched.
Blonde. Tall. Dressed in an emerald gown that screamed wealth.
And looking at Adrian like she knew him.
Too well.
"Olivia," Adrian greeted smoothly, his grip on Serena's waist tightening almost imperceptibly.
Serena may not have known much about Adrian's past, but one thing was clear—this woman wasn't just an old acquaintance.
She was something more.
And for the first time since signing that contract, Serena felt something unexpected twist inside her.
Jealousy.
It made no sense. This wasn't real. This was a deal, nothing more.
But as Olivia's gaze flickered over to her, eyes assessing, lips curving in something that wasn't quite friendly, Serena knew one thing.
She had just stepped into a world full of secrets.
And Adrian Blackwood had far more of them than she'd thought.
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