Chapter 3: The Gilded Cage
365 Words
The Vane estate wasn't a house; it was a fortress of glass and white marble perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean. As the black sedan pulled up the long driveway, my stomach did a slow flip. I was here to save my father, but looking at the high gates closing behind us, I felt like a prisoner entering a very expensive cell.
A man in a dark suit opened my door. "Ms. Ava? Mr. Vane is expecting you in the conservatory for breakfast. Please follow me."
I followed him through hallways filled with art that probably cost more than my neighborhood. We reached a room encased in glass, filled with exotic plants and the smell of jasmine. Silas was there, sitting at a small table. He looked different without the suit jacket—still dangerous, but more human.
"Sit," he commanded without looking up.
I sat. A maid placed a plate of food in front of me that looked too beautiful to eat. "I'm not here for a vacation, Silas. I'm here to work. Tell me what I need to do."
He finally looked up, a small, dark smile playing on his lips. "Impatient. I like that. Your first task is simple. There is a gala tonight for the city's elite. You will attend as my date."
I choked on my water. "Your date? I thought I was your assistant."
"In my world, those roles often overlap," he said, his eyes turning cold. "There is a man who will be there—Julian Thorne. He has something I want. You are going to make sure he stays distracted while I take care of business."
"You want me to be bait?" I asked, my blood boiling.
"I want you to be effective," Silas countered. "There is a dress waiting in your room. Put it on. And Ava? Try to look like you're enjoying yourself. A nervous date is a suspicious one."
As I walked to my new room, I realized this job was going to be much more dangerous than just answering phones. Silas Vane wasn't just a billionaire; he was a man at war, and he had just drafted me into the front lines.
- Writer
