The Fiance He Never Knew

The Rules of the Cage

Lyra point of view

The cab dropped me off at the back entrance of the Vance Global Tower. I had only a small suitcase. Everything else—Leo's toys, his favorite blanket, the picture of us on the beach—was already packed into boxes waiting for Chloe.

A huge, black car was waiting for me. I felt like I was being taken away by the secret police, not a fiancé. The driver was silent. We drove for ten minutes, but it felt like ten hours.

When we reached Cassian's building, my neck hurt from looking up. The Vance Tower was a giant mirror, reflecting the whole city. It was cold and beautiful. My small apartment felt like a warm, forgotten memory.

The security was crazy. Guards checked the car. They checked me. Then a private elevator took me straight to the top floor. No buttons. No stopping. Just a cold, fast ride to the penthouse.

When the doors opened, I stepped out onto a floor that was shinier than glass. The room was massive. The whole city seemed to be spread out at my feet, twinkling like cheap costume jewelry. The space was all white, grey, and glass. It looked like an expensive, empty museum.

And in the middle of this empty space, standing nervously next to my small suitcase, was Chloe.

"Lyra!" she whispered, rushing over. She looked terrified and amazed at the same time. "This place is insane. It's bigger than our whole building."

I hugged her hard. Her warmth was the only real thing in the room.

"Where is Leo?" I asked, my voice low.

"Safe," Chloe said, nodding toward a hallway. "The driver brought his small backpack. He’s asleep in a guest room. I told the security guy I was the 'Executive Assistant' and I needed a quiet space for my 'important documents.' They didn't even blink."

"Thank you," I breathed. She was the best friend a desperate mother could ask for.

Just then, I heard a quiet sound from the living area.

Cassian was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. He wasn't wearing his tuxedo anymore. He had on dark pants and a simple, expensive black shirt. He looked even bigger and more dangerous this way—unstructured, but totally in control.

"Ms. Hayes," he said. His eyes flickered to Chloe. "And I assume, Ms. Davis. My assistant, Maria, will show you to your quarters. You will be on the floor below us. I need a word with Lyra."

Chloe stiffened. "I'll just..." She gave me a nervous look, then followed the security guard who had appeared silently at the end of the hall.

And then I was alone with him. Just the two of us, high above the city, starting our lie.

"This is not a social visit, Lyra," Cassian began, his voice flat. "We need to set the rules. Right now. You are my fiancée, but only in public."

He walked over to a glass table. On it sat a black velvet box. He opened it.

Inside was the largest diamond I had ever seen. It was shocking. It looked like a piece of frozen starlight. It was huge and brilliant, and it made me feel sick.

"The ring," he stated. "You will wear it at all times when outside this penthouse, and whenever my grandfather is present. It is heavy, it is flashy, and it screams 'Vance.' That is the point. You will not lose it. If you do, the cost will be deducted from your final payment."

He picked it up. My hand started to shake again.

"Give me your hand," he ordered.

I held out my left hand. My fingers felt numb. He took my hand, and the touch—the brush of his skin against mine after three years—sent a horrible, unwelcome jolt through me. I pulled my hand back fast.

"I can put it on myself," I managed.

He ignored me. He took my hand again, holding it firmly. He slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly, of course. Cassian Vance would not fail at any detail.

The diamond flashed under the soft ceiling lights. It felt heavy, a beautiful, glittering handcuff. It was proof of the lie.

"Rule One," he said, his voice low and serious. "The narrative. We met six months ago on a project in London. We had a secret, intense romance. I am deeply protective and possessive. You are smart, professional, and entirely focused on me. No one knows our past connection. No one knows this is a business deal. The script is: True Love, Absolute Privacy."

I nodded, watching the light catch the ring. "Understood. The public sees the perfect couple."

"Rule Two: The Space." He pointed to a door on the far side of the room. "That is your room. It is big. It has its own bathroom and sitting area. I will be in the master suite, on the other side of the penthouse. We will not share a bed. We will not use the same bathroom. You will not enter my private space. We live separately."

This rule felt like a relief. I needed distance from him. I needed a wall.

"Rule Three: Your 'Assistant.'" He looked toward the hallway where Chloe had gone. "Your friend, Chloe, is your high-powered executive assistant. She is here to help manage your firm while you focus on the Vance contract. She is not a friend. She is an employee. She will never enter the main living area unless I invite her. She is on a separate floor. She is a tool to explain your sudden move, nothing more."

I hated how he talked about Chloe. She was family. But I nodded again. "She knows the story. She will keep to herself."

"Good. Finally, Lyra. No complications. This deal is six months. You will not develop real feelings. You will not bring up the past. You will not ask for more money. You will do what I need to secure the merger. When the six months are up, the contract ends. You walk away wealthy and safe. I walk away with my inheritance. Understood?"

"Yes," I said. My voice was a little shaky. "No complications. It's a business deal."

"Then we agreed." He looked at my hand, at the way the diamond flashed. "Now, go to your room. Maria will bring you clothes for the morning. We have a press breakfast at eight a.m. Tomorrow, we start the show."

He turned and walked away, disappearing into his private side of the penthouse. He left me alone in the freezing, perfect white room.

I looked at the ring on my hand. It was beautiful. It was terrifying. I was wearing the symbol of a fake relationship with the man who had abandoned me three years ago. And under the same roof, just down the hall, was the secret he didn't know he had—our son, Leo.

I was trapped. But Leo was safe. I closed my eyes, feeling the cold weight of the diamond. My war had started in the worst place possible: inside the enemy's home. I had six months to win.