Elaine’s heels echoed sharply down the corridor, each step ringing like a funeral bell in the hush that had fallen between them.
A sham marriage? She almost laughed.
She turned back halfway, eyes narrowing as she studied Lucas. The marble light framed him and his perfect suit, perfect posture. A lifetime ago, she would have thought him unshakable. Now she knew better.
“What do you mean by a sham marriage, Lucas?” she asked, her tone brittle with disbelief. “What was it before, if not exactly that?”
His mouth twitched, like he wanted to deny it. But he didn’t. He stood there, his silence confirming her worst truth: their entire bond had always been empty.
Lucas exhaled slowly, forcing his voice to stay even. “I’m one step away from becoming Alpha President, Elaine. If yo
