Billionaire Gambit

ina'

silk sheets and cold floors. I sat upright on the edge of the bed, staring out at the skyline lik

with more rules or some icy remark. But instead, there was only silence. The kind

own, soft as a whisper. But even in silk,

as massive, filled with chandeliers, mirrors, and too many rooms that didn't need to exist. A whole

t a nerve. Not because I was married, but because I hadn'

king. Glass towers, moving cars, water glimmering in the distance. I

was a

ncy

n with

-

" Maria, the head maid, said ge

smile. "T

nd left just

ouldn't. My stomach turned

staircase toward the drawing roo

hen I fo

n a black suit, perfectly tailore

he said, eyes st

I answered, not ex

y on the table. "I've drawn up some thi

I echoed, rais

end social events with me. You'll smile. You'll represent this

ing about me like I'm a

ge, Selina. We both know that. You play your part.

ions. Just the bab

d once.

up his phone and began typin

cry. Not

. A rope pulled too tight. A match t

-

he elevator to the west wing where no

behind an old painting. Dusty. Books s

hat felt real. Like someone had lived t

r the keys. I didn't know how to play. B

hoed in the small ro

sed m

sound swallo

-

few days

ad to wear designer clothes, smile politely, pretend to be the perfect wife.

ed to

e-not with desire, but calculation. Like he was s

en I s

mson lips. She approached Mike, kissed his c

em like a statue,

" she purred. "I'm Carin

d?" I

pened. "Very o

aid no

before I said s

, when we got back h

ou. In front

jacket, calm

dn't st

daughter. You don't in

t supposed to stand there whil

lly met mine.

ife, Selina. You

standing th

-

went back to t

wasn't

there, flipping th

fr

tur

u

eath

spered. "You loo

"What... what ar

"Looking into the Blackthorn-Sinclair history.

s full of fire, clothes casual

be here," I

epping closer. "Selina...

obvious? They put me in a prett

ently. "Then maybe I can

't pul

-

. Always through the same hidden entran

ast. About everything

night visits, I forgot I was

oment-one kiss-for

ki

rything

-

ound a note slipped under my bed

kn

d turne

note over.

d. Mike? Did he

Mike came

nvi

ng you want to te

owed ha

long time. "You've b

t tired,

g to me, Selina. I can forgive a lot of th

ithout an

zen, my han

entered my room with a t

s it?"

for the first time,

led," she said. "He's put cameras in the hall

st tig

s wat

"He knows someone has be

dn't b

begged. "Can you ge

ted. Then

-

ght, Luca d

ait

wa

room sta

ano s

pered s

th

ent back

d my dra

rnal..

note in

l your secrets are.

ds wen

sn't

't need a

ad fou

no

ing to ma