ly slept

Her bed felt too big, the silence too loud. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Lucien Cross's piercing gaze, heard the calcu

tuation had unsettled her in ways she couldn't explain. It wasn't just

an she barely knew. A man who made it cle

iness arrangement, nothing more. Three months

kept telling h

ight before, the terms agreed upon with an efficiency that left no room for doubt. All that remained now was the execution. The r

in awe of the sleek architecture as in dread of the ta

h-powered world she had walked into the day before. The receptionist greeted her with the sa

, without the slightest hint of curios

oward the door. Her palms were clammy, but she forced h

ice called, as crisp a

on the papers in front of him. There was no sign of emotion in his face, just the same stoic, controlled expression

tone neutral, though there was

"I thought it would b

toward a chair across fro

iet sigh. She had no idea what to expect fro

n asked, his gaze still trained on her, t

ncing the world they were in love, to deceive everyone around them, all

choice di

voice firmer than s

pression unreadable. "Good," he said, his voice softer now, almost like a command. "We'll be attending

n actress. She was a woman struggling to make ends meet. She had no idea how to

ts. "You'll wear it tonight. I've arranged for us to arrive together, and I expec

made it clear that ther

this time with more ce

as though the meeting had ended, as though she was already d

're playing it for me. I need you to be convincing, because if you aren't, it will be your credibility

und so serious. As though there w

said quietly, her voice

mething, maybe approval, maybe something else,

own her skirt. She had to focus on the task at hand, to block out the nerves and

gain, his voice low, almost tho

ng else there, something unexpected. For just a moment, the mask slipped, and she saw a flicker of s

her stomach twist. "I am not looking for a partner. Not emotiona

t, leaving her alone in the qui