Serena wasn't sure what unsettled her more—Olivia's piercing gaze or the way Adrian's entire demeanor shifted the moment the woman appeared.
His grip on her waist was firm, his expression unreadable. But Serena knew better. There was tension beneath his polished exterior, a carefully masked edge that hadn't been there before.
"Olivia," Adrian greeted smoothly. "It's been a while."
She smiled, but it wasn't warm. It was the kind of smile a woman wore when she knew she held a man's past in the palm of her hand. "Not long enough, I imagine."
Serena's instincts sharpened.
This wasn't just an ex-lover.
This was a woman who had once held power over Adrian Blackwood.
Interesting.
Adrian's expression didn't change, but his fingers pressed against Serena's back, a subtle warning. A reminder that she was playing a role.
So she played it well.
Leaning into Adrian's side, she let her lips curve into a slow, knowing smile. "Aren't you going to introduce us, darling?"
Darling. The word tasted foreign on her tongue, but she delivered it with a perfect blend of amusement and possession.
Adrian's lips twitched as if he appreciated her game. "Serena, this is Olivia Kensington. Her family is old money, one of the city's finest."
Serena extended her hand, meeting Olivia's gaze without flinching. "A pleasure."
Olivia took it, but there was no warmth in her grip. "The pleasure is mine. Though I must admit, I'm surprised."
Serena tilted her head. "By what?"
Olivia's smile didn't waver. "That Adrian settled down. He never struck me as the type to… commit."
Serena felt the way Adrian tensed beside her, but she didn't take the bait.
Instead, she leaned in just enough to make a statement, running a single finger along the lapel of Adrian's tuxedo. "Oh, he's full of surprises," she murmured, her voice a velvet caress. "You just have to know how to handle him."
Adrian exhaled a quiet laugh, one hand sliding around Serena's waist, pulling her flush against him. His voice was low, dark. "And she does."
A spark of something flickered in Olivia's eyes. Not quite jealousy. Not quite anger. But something that told Serena she had won this round.
For now.
"Well," Olivia said after a beat, "I won't keep you two from your engagement celebration. Congratulations, Adrian. Serena."
She turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd like a ghost.
Serena waited until she was out of earshot before speaking. "She hates me."
Adrian smirked, but there was something unreadable in his gaze. "She hates that I moved on."
Serena arched a brow. "Did you?"
Adrian's eyes darkened, his grip on her waist tightening just enough to make her breath hitch. "You ask too many questions, wife."
The way he said it sent a pulse of heat through her, but she wasn't about to let him see it.
Instead, she stepped back, breaking his hold, and smoothed her dress as if unaffected. "I like to know what I'm getting myself into."
Adrian watched her for a long moment, then leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "Careful, Serena. You might not like the answers."
Before she could respond, a waiter approached with two glasses of champagne. Adrian took one and handed her the other.
"To us," he murmured, lifting his glass.
Serena held his gaze as she clinked hers against his. "To the greatest illusion we'll ever pull off."
She took a sip, the bubbles sharp against her tongue.
But the real spark?
That was the way Adrian Blackwood was watching her now.
Like he was already planning his next move.
And Serena had just stepped onto a chessboard where he always won.