The Billionaire's Hidden Heir

Chapter 6: The Silk Prison

The night in the Steele Manor didn't bring the peace I desperately craved. Instead, it felt like the walls were closing in, draped in expensive wallpaper and silent judgments. After the "contract" was signed, Xavier had disappeared into his study, leaving me alone with a battalion of maids who moved like clockwork.

I sat on the edge of the king-sized bed in the Master Suite—our suite, as the head housekeeper pointedly reminded me. Leo was safely tucked away in the adjoining room, guarded by a security detail that could protect a small nation. He was safe, but I had never felt more in danger.

The door clicked open. I didn't need to look up to know it was him. The air in the room simply changed, vibrating with the heavy, electric energy that Xavier Steele carried like a weapon.

"You haven't touched your dinner," he noted, his voice cutting through the silence. He was loosening his silk tie, the gesture oddly intimate and terrifying at the same time.

"I’m not a pet you can just feed and expect to be happy, Xavier," I snapped, finally meeting his gaze in the vanity mirror.

He walked over, standing behind me. In the reflection, we looked like a tragedy in the making—the wolf and the girl who forgot to run. He placed his hands on my shoulders. His touch was cold, but it sent a searing heat through my silk nightgown.

"You are my wife now, Clara. At least, the world will believe you are by tomorrow morning. I suggest you start acting like you enjoy the privilege."

"Privilege?" I let out a harsh, dry laugh. "You took my life. You took my freedom. You’re using my son as a bargaining chip. Where is the privilege in that?"

Xavier’s grip tightened, just slightly. He leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear. "The privilege is that you are under my protection. There are people in this city—enemies of my father and mine—who would use a secret heir to tear this empire apart. Here, Leo is safe. Here, you are untouchable."

"Untouchable by everyone except you," I whispered.

He turned me around to face him. The intensity in his eyes was staggering. For a moment, the mask of the ruthless billionaire slipped, and I saw the man from five years ago—the one who had looked at me as if I were the only person in the world.

"I am a man of my word, Clara. You signed the contract. I provide the life, and you provide the image. But don't forget... tonight is the last night you sleep with the door unlocked."

He didn't wait for a response. He walked toward the balcony, staring out at the dark expanse of his kingdom. I stayed on the bed, my heart a frantic drumbeat. I was living in a palace, but as I looked at the gold-plated handle of the bedroom door, I knew it was just a very expensive cage.