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elivered the command like it was an errand. He ended the call and finally lifted his gaze back to mine. "You made the right choice," he said. "I didn't have one." "Doesn't change the outcome." He reached into a drawer and pulled out a slim black card. The kind of card you had to earn-not apply for. He placed it on the desk between us. "Unlimited. For personal use only. Clothes, makeup, jewelry. You'll need to look the part." "I don't want-" "You'll take it." His voice was steel wrapped in velvet. "This is your new life. Embrace it." I swallowed hard. The card gleamed like temptation itself. After a beat, I reached for it. His eyes tracked the motion like a wolf watching its prey. "Good girl," he murmured. The air between us shifted-something unspoken and electric. Before I could respond, he stood and walked around the table, stopping beside me. His presence pulled at the air itself. "I need you to understand something, Alara." I tilted my head toward him. "We're not telling the world this is a contract. We're playing a role now. You're my fian