Signed in blood, loved in secrets

ChapterFour: Moving into Glass

Liora moved into the Blackwood residence three days after signing the contract.

No announcement. No welcome. Just a black car waiting outside her building before sunrise.

She locked her apartment for the last time, slid the key beneath the mat like she always did, and stepped into the back seat. The driver didn’t speak. She didn’t ask questions.

The city thinned as they drove. Buildings gave way to tall gates, trimmed hedges, and streets that felt too quiet to be real. When the car finally stopped, Liora looked out and saw glass stretching into the sky.

The house didn’t look like a home. It looked like a statement.

The doors opened before she touched them.

Inside, the air was cool and still. Everything gleamed. White floors. Wide windows. Furniture arranged perfectly, as if no one ever actually used it.

“You’ll follow me, please.”

The voice belonged to a woman standing near the stairs. She was in her early forties, dressed sharply in dark trousers and a fitted jacket. Her posture was straight, her expression neutral, but her eyes were sharp and observant.

“I’m Rowan Pierce,” the woman said. “Chief of staff.”

Liora nodded. “Liora.”

Rowan’s gaze flicked briefly to her bag. One bag. No boxes. No entourage.

“This way,” Rowan said.

They walked through long hallways lined with art that felt expensive but empty. Liora noticed cameras tucked into corners, discreet but present. She counted them without meaning to.

“This wing is yours,” Rowan said, opening a door at the far end of the corridor.

The room was large. Minimal. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked a private garden. A door led to a separate sitting area. Another to a bathroom that looked untouched.

“There’s a private exit through the garden,” Rowan added. “If you ever need it.”

Liora met her eyes.

“That’s thoughtful,” she said.

Rowan’s lips pressed together slightly. “Mr. Blackwood prefers preparedness.”

“Does he?” Liora asked.

Rowan didn’t answer.

Cassian was waiting in the study when Rowan left.

He stood near a table covered in tablets, papers, and his phone. His jacket off, sleeves rolled back.

He looked up when Liora entered, his gaze sweeping over her once before returning to the screen.

“You’re settling in,” he said.

“I’m observing,” Liora replied.

Cassian glanced at her. “Same thing.”

She walked further into the room, stopping near the window. The glass reflected both of them faintly. Two figures sharing space without touching it.

“We need to discuss the wedding,” Cassian said.

Liora didn’t turn. “I already told you. Small.”

“That’s not possible,” he replied sharply.

She faced him slowly. “Then you’re choosing spectacle over agreement.”

“I’m choosing credibility,” Cassian replied. “The board, the press, investors. A quiet wedding raises questions.”

“A loud one raises risks,” Liora said.

Cassian stepped closer. “You’re marrying into visibility. That was the deal.”

“And I warned you,” she said evenly, “that I walk if you push too far.”

The air between them tightened.

Before Cassian could respond, his phone buzzed sharply on the table. He looked down, frowned, and picked it up.

Rowan’s voice came through the speaker.

“Sir, we have a problem.”

Cassian’s eyes lifted to Liora briefly before he said, “Explain.”

“There’s a leak,” Rowan said. “Someone released the engagement to the press. Photos included.”

Liora’s stomach tightened.

“What photos?” Cassian asked.

Rowan hesitated. “From outside your former apartment.”

Silence filled the room.

Liora felt it settle in her chest like cold water.

Cassian’s jaw tightened. “Pull everything,” he said. “Now.”

He ended the call and looked at Liora.

“You told me no one followed you,” he said.

“I said I didn’t see anyone,” she replied. “There’s a difference.”

His eyes searched her face, sharp and suspicious.

“This is exactly what I warned you about,” she continued. “Exposure without control.”

Cassian turned the tablet toward her. Headlines flashed across the screen.

BILLIONAIRE CEO ENGAGED TO MYSTERY WOMAN

WHO IS LIORA HALE?

Her name.

Printed.

Public.

“You’re trending,” Cassian said flatly.

Liora took a slow breath. Her hands stayed steady at her sides.

“Shut it down,” she said.

“I can’t,” he replied. “Not completely. This is out.”

She nodded once. “Then we accelerate.”

Cassian raised an eyebrow. “You just argued against that.”

“I argued against spectacle,” she corrected. “This isn’t spectacle. This is damage control.”

He studied her, something unreadable moving behind his eyes.

“What are you suggesting?” he asked.

Liora met his gaze. “We announce the wedding date. Soon. Controlled. No interviews. No personal stories.”

Cassian folded his arms. “You want to walk into the fire.”

“Not really …I want to end the chase,” she said. “People stop digging when they think they’ve seen everything.”

Another silence.

Cassian exhaled slowly. “Rowan won’t like this.”

“Rowan works for you,” Liora replied. “And for the image you want.”

Cassian’s lips curved slightly. “You’re adapting fast.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

His phone buzzed again.

“Seven days,” he said suddenly.

Liora stiffened. “You already said that.”

“I’m confirming it,” Cassian replied. “Public announcement tonight. Wedding in seven days.”

Her heartbeat thudded once, hard, but her face stayed calm.

“I want full control over my presentation,” she said. “Dress. Appearance. No family interviews.”

Cassian nodded. “Agreed.”

“And security,” she added. “Not just yours. Mine.”

His eyes sharpened. “Why?”

Liora held his gaze. “Because someone didn’t want me invisible anymore.”

Cassian studied her for a long moment, then turned toward the door.

“Rowan,” he said into the intercom. “Clear my evening. Lock down media. And double security on Liora’s wing.”

There was a pause before Rowan’s voice replied, controlled but tight. “Understood.”

Cassian turned back to Liora.

“You’re officially part of my war now,” he said.

Liora look

ed around the room, at the glass walls, the cameras, the house that was already watching her.

“I’ve been in one longer than you think,” she replied.

Outside, cameras flashed somewhere beyond the gates.

And inside the Blackwood house, the countdown began.