Married by deception

THE BLACKWOOD EMPIRE

Elena had always believed that money could change a person's life.

She had never believed it could change a person's personality.

Until she met Damian Blackwood.

Three days after signing the marriage contract, Elena stood in the lobby of Blackwood Corporation, staring at the enormous company logo displayed behind the reception desk.

BLACKWOOD CORPORATION.

The name seemed to be everywhere.

On the walls.

On the employee badges.

On the screens displaying company announcements.

Even the atmosphere felt different.

People walked quickly. Conversations were quiet. Employees seemed to know exactly where they were going and exactly what they were supposed to be doing.

Nobody appeared relaxed.

Elena glanced at Marcus.

"Does everyone here always look terrified?"

Marcus gave her a careful smile.

"Not terrified."

"Then what?"

"Focused."

"That's a polite way of saying terrified."

He almost laughed.

"Mr. Blackwood is having a board meeting."

"I know."

"He asked me to bring you upstairs."

"Why?"

Marcus looked at her.

"Because you're his fiancée."

Elena sighed.

She still wasn't used to hearing that word.

Fiancée.

Soon it would be wife.

She wasn't sure which sounded worse.

The private elevator carried them to the executive floor.

When the doors opened, Elena immediately heard raised voices coming from the boardroom.

She looked at Marcus.

"Is that normal?"

"Not usually."

They walked toward the room.

The doors were slightly open.

Elena could hear a man's voice.

"We've already lost three major investors because of this decision."

Another voice answered.

Damian.

Calm.

Cold.

"Then replace them."

Elena stopped.

The first man spoke again.

"That's easier said than done."

"Then perhaps you're in the wrong position."

Silence.

Elena glanced at Marcus.

He seemed completely unfazed.

"Does he always speak to people like that?"

Marcus lowered his voice.

"When necessary."

Elena rolled her eyes.

"Of course."

Inside the boardroom, Damian sat at the head of a long table surrounded by executives.

He looked different.

Or perhaps this was simply the version of Damian that existed when Elena wasn't around.

His suit was immaculate.

His expression was unreadable.

A tablet rested in front of him, and several documents were spread across the table.

An older executive stood at the other end.

"Mr. Blackwood, with all due respect, this acquisition is too risky."

Damian looked up.

"How long have you worked for Blackwood Corporation?"

"Twenty-one years."

"And in those twenty-one years, how many acquisitions have you personally completed?"

The man hesitated.

"Seven."

"How many were successful?"

"Six."

"So you know what you're doing."

"Yes."

"Then you should understand why we're proceeding."

The man swallowed.

"Sir, the projected return—"

"Is based on last year's market conditions."

Damian picked up a document.

"The market changed six months ago. Your projection is outdated."

He dropped it back onto the table.

"I don't pay executives to tell me why something can't be done."

Nobody spoke.

"I pay them to find a way to make it work."

The executive slowly sat down.

Damian looked around the room.

"Any other objections?"

Silence.

"Good."

He stood.

"The meeting is over."

The executives immediately began gathering their documents.

Elena couldn't help staring.

This was the man she had argued with two days ago over the wording of a marriage contract?

The difference was almost ridiculous.

Here, nobody challenged him.

Nobody interrupted him.

Nobody even seemed willing to make eye contact with him for too long.

Damian finally noticed Elena standing outside.

His gaze settled on her.

The coldness in his expression disappeared almost instantly.

Not completely.

But enough for Elena to notice.

"Elena."

The executives turned.

Every pair of eyes landed on her.

She suddenly became aware of how much attention her presence attracted.

Damian walked toward her.

"You're early."

She smiled.

"That's becoming your favorite sentence."

A few executives exchanged surprised looks.

Apparently, nobody spoke to Damian like that.

Damian didn't seem offended.

If anything, the corner of his mouth moved slightly.

"Come inside."

Elena followed him into the boardroom.

"This is my fiancée, Elena Sterling."

A few people greeted her politely.

One man stood and extended his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Sterling."

"Likewise."

He smiled.

"Are you joining us for business?"

Before Elena could answer, another executive laughed.

"I doubt it. The meeting was already difficult enough."

The comment was casual.

But Elena heard the implication.

She looked at him.

"Why wouldn't I be joining you for business?"

The man's smile faltered.

"I didn't mean—"

"Then what did you mean?"

Damian remained silent.

He watched her.

The executive cleared his throat.

"I only meant that this is a corporate meeting."

"And?"

"And you're not an executive here."

Elena smiled politely.

"Neither were you when you first walked through those doors."

The room went silent.

Marcus looked down, obviously hiding a smile.

The executive's face tightened.

Damian's eyes remained on Elena.

She continued.

"If you have a problem with me being here, you can simply say so."

The man looked toward Damian.

Damian said nothing.

That was apparently enough.

The executive lowered his gaze.

"I have no problem with it."

"Good."

Elena turned away.

Damian stepped beside her.

"We're leaving."

She followed him out.

The moment the doors closed behind them, Elena looked at him.

"You're smiling."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I don't smile."

"You almost did."

Damian pressed the elevator button.

"You enjoyed that."

"I enjoyed watching you make an arrogant executive uncomfortable."

"You mean you enjoyed watching me work."

"No. I enjoyed watching someone else deal with your personality."

The elevator arrived.

They stepped inside.

Damian pressed the button for the top floor.

"You shouldn't provoke people."

"They shouldn't underestimate me."

"That's true."

Elena glanced at him.

"Was that a compliment?"

"Don't get used to it."

She smiled.

"Too late."

The elevator doors opened.

Damian's private office was even more impressive than she expected.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city. A large desk stood near the center of the room, surrounded by dark leather chairs.

Everything was perfectly arranged.

Not a single thing seemed out of place.

Elena walked toward the window.

"You really like being on top."

Damian placed his phone on the desk.

"I run the company."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know."

She turned.

"You're different here."

"Different how?"

"Colder."

Damian leaned against the desk.

"This is work."

"So?"

"So emotions get in the way."

Elena studied him.

"Is that why you're marrying me?"

His expression changed.

"What?"

"Because I'm useful?"

"No."

The answer came immediately.

Elena wasn't expecting it.

She looked away.

"Never mind."

Damian's phone rang.

He answered.

"Yes."

His expression became serious.

He listened for several seconds.

"How long ago?"

Elena watched him.

"What?"

He ended the call.

"There was another security breach."

Her smile disappeared.

"At the company?"

"Yes."

"Was anything stolen?"

"Not yet."

"Not yet?"

Damian walked toward the door.

"Stay here."

Elena followed.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

She stopped.

"There it is again."

"What?"

"The CEO voice."

Damian looked back at her.

"Elena, I'm serious."

"So am I."

He walked back toward her.

"There are people in this building who shouldn't be here."

"Then I'll stay with you."

"You'll stay here."

"I'm not hiding in your office."

His jaw tightened.

"You're impossible."

"And you're bossy."

"I'll have security escort you home."

"No."

"Elena."

"No."

She stepped closer.

"If we're going to be married, you need to stop giving me orders."

For a moment, Damian simply looked at her.

Then he lowered his voice.

"I'm not giving you an order because you're my fiancée."

"Then why?"

His gaze held hers.

"Because I don't want anything happening to you."

The words caught her off guard.

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Damian stepped away.

"Stay with Marcus."

He walked toward the door.

Before he could leave, Elena's phone vibrated.

She pulled it from her handbag.

Unknown number.

Her heart sank.

Another message.

I warned you.

She stared at the screen.

A second message appeared.

The closer you get to Damian, the more you'll regret it.

Elena's fingers went cold.

She looked toward Damian.

He had stopped.

His expression changed when he saw her face.

"What happened?"

She didn't answer.

Damian walked toward her.

"Elena."

She turned the phone toward him.

He read the messages.

The calm CEO disappeared.

His jaw tightened.

"How long have you been receiving these?"

"Since yesterday."

"You didn't tell me."

"You didn't exactly make yourself easy to talk to."

His eyes remained on the screen.

"Give me your phone."

"Why?"

"I need to trace the number."

She hesitated.

Damian looked at her.

"Please."

It was the first time she had heard him say that word.

She handed him the phone.

He immediately called Marcus.

"Lock down the building."

Marcus appeared at the doorway.

"Sir?"

"Nobody leaves until security clears them."

Marcus nodded.

Damian looked back at Elena.

"You're going home."

She shook her head.

"Not until you tell me what's happening."

"I don't know yet."

"Then find out."

Damian stared at her.

Something in his expression softened.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do."

He turned toward Marcus.

"Stay with her."

Then he walked away.

Elena watched him disappear down the corridor.

For the first time since their arrangement began, she wasn't thinking about Damian as an arrogant CEO.

She was thinking about the warning.

And about the strange certainty in the anonymous messages.

Someone knew something about Damian.

Something she didn't.

And whoever it was didn't want her anywhere near him.

Elena looked down at her phone.

One final message appeared.

Her blood ran cold.

Ask Damian about the night he first saw you.

She slowly looked toward the corridor where he had disappeared.

Six years ago.

The charity event.

The photograph.

The first time Damian had seen her.

Maybe the mysterious messages weren't trying to scare her away from her future husband.

Maybe they were trying to make sure she discovered the truth before it was too late.