Bought to be His Wife

of the penthouse, her hands clenched

lean. The kind of place that s

dn't feel

ven c

jacket. He tossed it on the back of a chair like he'd done this a thousa

door, unsure if she

ancing at her. "You'll get los

heavy. The floor was too shiny. The air too c

ong hallway and sto

room," he said. "

" she ask

t us to sleep in the same bed," he said without he

. Not from fear. Fr

about what sharing a bed

door and turne

ve bed. Floor-to-ceiling windows. A view

de, but didn't p

asked, sounding mor

"It's more

whether to say more. "If you need anythi

. Not

ousek

said, barely a

d and tu

closed door for a lo

dge of the bed and burie

idn't

come. They felt stuck - like her hea

as ma

to a man she

brother was lying in a hospital bed

for him.

olded her clothes into the drawers. She wasn't used to this kind of

n't fe

at eight, h

d at the c

hange? Shoul

adn't eaten since morning. Her ne

on something simple - a long sweater and blac

sian was already seated at the head of the tabl

for a second, something flickered in

ame,"

e if you real

ou think I'd offer food

t seem like the type who

o her shock, he

t," he

et. Tense. But

, Elara noticed the way he moved - calm, caref

en't so differ

d to leave, h

la

ooked

s unreadable. "Yo

"I didn't d

un," he said.

hard. "You thi

blame you

dn't a

signing the contract, her che

at night without c

ut cr

inking too

breat

w... that