Chapter 4
1546 Words
The silence of the next morning felt like the calm after a storm or the warning hush before a greater one.
The morning sunlight streamed into Elena’s hotel-like suite, painting the walls in warm gold. She lay flat on her back, staring at the ceiling. Even the velvet bed felt like a bed of thorns beneath her restless body, her heart still pounding from the previous day's whirlwind.
A strange sadness had settled over the room, quiet and heavy.
The smell of fresh flowers filled the room, but her mind was elsewhere on Noah, on the lie, on Dominic’s silent promise of the ceremony.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She stared at the name:
UNSAVED.
A chill ran through her. The message read:
“He has to keep her distracted. Watch him.”
No name. No signature.
Only suspicion.
She closed her eyes. No time. Not today.
A soft knock at the door roused her. She sat up, smoothing the ivory silk sheet around her.
“Come in.”
Dominic entered, dressed in crisp business attire. He paused when he saw her awake before dawn.
She hadn’t expected him to be there. Seeing him, she sat up abruptly, as she spoke.
“I overslept,” she said lightly, gathering the sheet modestly around her.
She began gathering her thick black hair. His gaze held hers. He was watching the skill of her hands very intently.
Elena looked into his eyes, and for a short moment, everything around them felt quiet and still. It was like time stopped because of the gentle feeling between them. But then Dominic looked away softly as if hiding a secret he didn’t want to share. He said softly.
“Good. Breakfast in the lounge at eight.”
“Breakfast?” she echoed.
He stepped closer. “We’re presenting a date charm to a potential investor, which helps.”
A slight flicker of amusement passed his eyes before the cold returned.
“Understood,” she nodded.
He hesitated. Then said softly, “You look beautiful this morning.”
Her chest fluttered. “Thank you.”
She wasn’t expecting this from him. Neither did she like him, yet somehow, she felt her lips curve into a smile.
He offered a brief, near-smile and closed the door, leaving her with a storm of fluttering emotions.
She wore a black silk gown, soft and shining like the night, making her look even more beautiful, like a quiet secret under the stars.
Her hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, simple yet graceful, and on her finger, Dominic's ring shimmered brightly.
She was walking down the stairs slowly, and the soft sound of her heels caught Dominic’s attention.
He paused for a moment as if every step was meant just for him. He stood there, looking at her with eyes full of longing. As if she was something precious, he could never truly hold. She came to a stop, right in front of him, so close he could hear the quiet rhythm of her breath.
Dominic led Elena to a private table near the window. Coffee was already set, steam curling above fine china.
“Sit,” he directed.
She obeyed, every instinct fluttering. Lunch in this room was no cozy date, it was an audition.
He slid into the seat across from her so close she could count the gold flecks in his hazel voice eyes.
Elena took a sip of coffee.
“Thanks.”
He inclined his head.
“Let’s run through the talking points. Investors, market reach, brand aesthetics.”
Her pulse raced. She wasn’t trained for this. But he handed her a tablet with bullet points. Domesticated billionaire’s fiancée proves stability in the investor's eyes.
Elena blinked.
“Since when does my life matter to investors?”
He shrugged. “It doesn’t. But optics do. Social proof works.”
Her lips compressed. Social proof. She nodded.
They rehearsed. Every phrase clipped. Every look practiced. He instructed her posture, her tone, how to laugh lightly which side of her mouth to pull to smile.
When he paused, he leaned forward. His breath brushed her face.
“Look at me,” he said softly.
She froze, eyes meeting his.
“Good. That’s the face of someone who belongs here.”
Her breath hitched. Belongs here.
But she was still terrified of going home at night.
He straightened. “Finish your coffee. We leave in thirty.”
In the waiting car, the city rushed past tinted windows. Elena’s fingers pressed against the smooth glass. Again, unstable. She caught her reflection in soft waves, polished makeup, and a gown she didn’t deserve.
Her world flashed to their wedding his mother’s dripping sarcasm, his controlled calm, the phantom spark when he caught her.
The doors closed. He stepped out first, then held an arm toward her.
“You look stunning,” he said quietly, helping her out.
She stiffened, heart pounding. “Thank you.”
They slipped into a dimly lit reception room filled with sharp men in suits and poised women watching with revealed interest. A shady deal was being sealed here in hushed tones and calculated smiles.
Dominic’s eyes assessed them. When he introduced Elena, there was a flicker of… pride. Maybe. He moved her closer to the corner seats.
Elena rattled through her lines Project scope, projected returns, market penetration they all flowed.
When she faltered at a technical term he whispered from the side,
“Simplify.”
She shifted and smoothed her spine. Investors nodded.
After they left, he flicked a question mark at her.
She whispered, “I managed.”
He allowed a faint, cool smile. “You did.”
Back in the car, silence weighed heavily between them. Neither looked out the window.
“Elena,” he said finally, voice low. “What did the text say?”
Her breath caught. She met him through the rearview mirror.
“How do you know—”
He’s a man used to finding secrets. “Your phone buzzed at exactly 7:01 a.m. with an unknown sender. It’s not an accident, Elena.”
She pressed her lips tight. “It’s probably a random threat.”
He studied her. “Maybe. Or maybe someone doesn’t want you here.”
She swallowed hard. Her fantasies of Liam’s surgery felt fragile.
“I don’t want trouble,” he added softly.
She met his eyes. At that moment, Dominic didn’t look like a contract-master. He looked… protective.
The car crept through the penthouse entrance. Her pulse hammered in her ears.
In her room, evening light spilled over velvet curtains.
He followed her inside. “Change. You have dinner with my mother at eight.”
Elena stiffened. This time with purpose.
“Your mother hates me.”
“I know.”
She folded her arms. “And this dinner?”
He sighed, near-defeated.
“If you skip it, she’ll make it harder. Show her that you can smile, even when it kills you.”
Elena bristled. “She sees me as a phony.”
He stepped close. “You are. But you’re also necessary.”
Her heart dropped. “Am I?”
He kept his gaze so close she felt his breath. “Yes.”
Her knees trembled. “I can’t keep living a lie—”
He interrupted gently, hand brushing hers. “I didn’t ask you to feel safe. I asked you to be strong.”
She trembled both from the proximity and his words that scratched at her soul.
He let their hands linger a moment before pulling away. “Now go.”
She entered the dining room, graceful but aching inside. Dominic was already seated. His mother sat opposite, her posture regal and stern. She looked Elena up and down, cold judgment in her sharp eyes.
“Dinner,” Celeste announced, voice even.
They talked about superficialities: portfolios, events, charitable donations. His mother wove compliments so thin they barely touched Elena’s skin. Every question was a calculated test.
Dominic watched. His mother pressed Elena’s hand once soft, like a test of pressure.
Elena flinched
When the table fell silent, Celeste leaned forward.
“You’re doing precisely what’s expected.”
Her words were okay. The pause that followed? Not.
Elena bristled. “Yes.”
Behind her back, Dominic caught her gaze. He nodded once strong, unwavering.
Dinner ended. Celeste stood. “Good night. Don’t disappoint me.”
She left under a hush of awed servants.
Later in Elena’s suite, night had fallen. Rain splattered against the window, fitting the storm roiling inside her.
She stood at the edge of the bed soaking hotel linens matching the cold.
Dominic appeared silently in the doorway, storm-cloud gaze.
“You okay?”
She bristled. “Why act so interested?”
His mouth tightened. “Because I can’t make this work if you break.”
She turned, tears threatening. “Then why not tell your mother?”
He closed the distance, exasperated, revealing impatience.
“Because she would sabotage everything. Including your brother’s treatment.”
She realized again she had sold her soul on someone else’s terms.
She swallowed.
“I won't fail.”
He nodded.
“Then don’t.”
Their eyes locked. The contract still hung official
but somewhere between protocol and protectiveness, something real flickered.
- Writer
