Tangled in Temptation

CHAPTER5

As Amelia sank herself into her new job with the passion of someone trying to run away from their ideas, the next days mixed gently. She would every morning put on her sharpest suits and meticulously present herself—practiced, calm, unshifting. As much as she was reality, her new identity as Sebastian Hawke's public wife was a show. The harder she tried to bury her doubts, however, the more they seemed to appear.

The day following her signing of the agreement the press statement had been issued and the feedback had been fast.

The Wedding that Will Transform the Business Scene: Corporate World's Newest Power Couple Amelia Davis and Sebastian Hawkes. The buzz was deafening and, much as Amelia despised the attention, she couldn't help but see that there was an electric energy in the air, a feeling that her life was changing in ways she could not quite comprehend.

Sebastian had been quick to start her work. Grace she had hoped she could maintain let her traverse the many wrinkles of Hawke Industries in back-to-back ongoing meetings over the last several days. But the business angle was not all there was consuming her time. At all times, it was the neverending media interviews, the need to be perfect, and the constant public appearances.

I was utterly tired.

But what other option did she have?

Amelia was practically burned out at the end. Both affluent events she had visited featured the upper class—the millionaires, power brokers, and moguls who whispered behind their champagne flutes and eyed every inch of her and Sebastian as they passed about the crowd. Every function was more exhausting than the last, every moment demanding a performance Amelia was unsure she could maintain. She was supposed to be the ideal wife—gracious, engaging in conversation with the most important persons in the room while Sebastian worked about the house like a seasoned politician.

Growing unease notwithstanding, Amelia remained levelheaded. She stood at his side, kept her back straight, nodded when warranted, and grinned when necessary. She reminded herself it was all just part of the arrangement—just a few months of acting before she could concentrate on the larger picture later.

But as she stood in the grand ballroom of the latest gala, the sight of Sebastian at the center of a group of businessmen talking about mergers and acquisitions left her feeling more like a shadow than a partner. She was supposed to look nice, smile, chat a little, and let him take over. Her determination beginning to wane, she was already sensing the weight of the world on her shoulders.

A voice cut through her thoughts, pulling her from the swirling atmosphere. "Amelia?"

Turning, she found a familiar face coming toward her—a woman she had run across at one of the company events several days ago. Senior vice president of Hawke Industries Isabelle Mercer was sleek in a floor-length black dress with her sharp, calculating dark eyes in a floor-length black dress.

"Isabelle," Amelia said with a smile and a handshake.

Isabelle had a strong grip on it. "You look great this evening. Knowing you'd adjust to the public spotlight rather readily catches me off guard."

Amelia's smile was manufactured. I guess it's all like work.

Isabelle paused, examining her intently. Of course, you are picking things up fast so next I must admit I was not sure how I regarded Sebastian's... choice of a wife. You, however, seem to have the correct sixth sense. You're doing the part well."

The praise rang insincere, and Amelia started to question if Isabelle's words had any more significance than she was letting on. Around the office, rumors were circulating about Isabelle's goals. Amelia could not stop thinking of the faint edge in her tone since she had for long been regarded as Sebastian's closest adviser. Was Isabelle checking her? Or was she only sizing her up as a possible danger?

Before Amelia could say something, Sebastian came to her side, intimidating as always. "Isabelle, I see you have located my wife."

Amelia's stomach flipped a tiny bit when she smiled forcefully. We were only getting caught up.

Sebastian's eyes flitted back and forth between them and a slight, almost unnoticeable change in posture made Amelia feel like she was perched on the edge of a precipice. Amelia felt the unspoken friction between the two even if Isabelle was all smiles.

Sebastian said coolly and almost velvety: "We must mingle." "Amelia, there is someone I would want you to meet."

Slightly he rested his hand on the small of her back, driving her into the middle of the throng rather than away from Isabelle.

Sebastian leaned closer, his voice hushed, as they headed for an isolated section of the ballroom. "Amelia, don't become too comfortable. Everybody here is viewing. Do not forget that."

With a shudder up her back, Amelia became more rigid. She had never been one to be cowed easily, but Sebastian's tone made her feel like a chess piece in a match she was not sure she grasped. The rules had changed, and she was just starting to see how much she had to give up.

Before a tall, well-dressed male who turned toward them with a grin that was too eager, they stopped. His gaze burned with a desire that made Amelia uncomfortable. He was the sort of man who saw others as resources, instruments to be employed for his advantage.

Sebastian introduced, his hand still resting on her back: "Amelia, this is Henry Westbrook." "He's the new investor we have been discussing."

Henry offered his hand, a strong and deliberate grip. A delight, Mrs. Hawke," he said smoothly, his eyes resting a little too long.

Returning the handshake stiffly, Amelia grinned to hide the tension starting to rise.

The enjoyment is mine.

Sebastian observed the exchange with a silent intensity, his eyes darting back and forth between them. Amelia could feel the quiet, nonverbal contact between them, a reminder that she was not merely a component of the business world but also a central part of Sebastian's empire.

“Tell me, Amelia,” Henry pushed on with a tone almost condescending, “how then do you find living under the spotlight?”

"It is..." an alteration: she answered delicately and picked her words prudently. “But it is all a component of the part.”

Henry chuckled in a quiet, insincere way. Indeed, the perfect wife's part. What good fortune yours is.”

Sebastian gently pulled Amelia away from the conversation before she could answer. “I enjoyed meeting you, Henry. We will come back soon.”

Amelia felt the weight of Henry's stare on her back as they advanced among the crowd. The interaction had left her feeling uneasy; she had been only a pawn in another person's game.

Sebastian, meanwhile, appeared unaffected. "Never mind him," he said dismissively. Henry sometimes crosses over remarks. Still, he is a critical participant in our small game."

Amelia's ideas swirled, but she knew one truth: this was just the start. She had registered for a sphere of sports, politics, and power battles and wasn't sure how much more she could play her role.

But now it was no longer possible to reverse course. The document had been signed. Whether she was willing or not, she had to learn how to negotiate this different reality—before it consumed her entirely.