Chapter 5 No.5

Aurora spent the day in Corbin's library, a vast, two-story room filled with first editions and priceless art. It felt more like a museum than a home. She wasn't reading. She was searching. Her profession as an antique restorer had trained her to see what others missed-the subtle forgery, the hidden compartment, the hairline fracture that betrayed a fatal weakness.

She ran her fingers over the spine of a leather-bound book, her eyes scanning the shelves. She wasn't just looking at the objects; she was analyzing Corbin's choices. A Roman bust with questionable provenance sat next to a flawless Ming vase. It told her he valued the appearance of power over authentic history. He was a collector of symbols.

Her attention landed on a large, ornate Louis XVI desk. She circled it, her trained eye picking up on a slight discoloration in the wood near the base of a leg. A masterful repair, almost invisible. But she saw it. As she knelt to examine it, she heard the door open. Heavy footsteps on the Persian rug.

"Appreciating the decor?" a deep voice said.

Aurora stood up quickly, turning to face him. Corbin was standing there, watching her. He was wearing a dark suit, crisp and expensive.

"This desk," Aurora said, her voice regaining its composure. "It's a fake. A very good one, from the late 19th century, but the joinery is wrong for the period."

Corbin's expression didn't change, but a new light entered his eyes. He walked over to the desk, running a hand over the surface she had indicated.

"My father bought it at auction for seven figures," he said.

"Then your father was swindled," Aurora stated plainly. She was in her element now, her fear replaced by professional confidence. "The man who made this was a genius, but he used a type of wood glue that wasn't invented until a hundred years after Louis XVI was dead."

He stared at her, the silence stretching. He wasn't angry. He was intrigued.

"You are full of surprises, Ms. Paul."

"You should have it appraised," she said, turning to leave.

"I don't need to," he said, stopping her. "I already know." His hand shot out, not to touch her, but to block her path. "Just like I know about the appointment you had with Dr. Alistair Finch three weeks ago. The top obstetrician in the city."

The confidence drained out of her, replaced by ice. His PI had been thorough.

"I had a consultation," she said, her voice tight.

"You had an ultrasound," he corrected. He held up his phone. On the screen was a copy of her medical file. Illegally obtained, no doubt. "A confirmation of a viable, single-fetus pregnancy. Conception date estimated to be mid-January."

He pocketed the phone, his eyes never leaving her face. He took a step closer, backing her up against the fake desk.

"That night in Davos," he murmured, his voice a low vibration that resonated in her chest. "Was a mistake for both of us. But mistakes have consequences."

His hand moved, and for a terrifying second, she thought he would touch her. Instead, he picked up a heavy, leather-bound legal folio from the desk. He dropped it into her hands. It was heavy.

"This is a pre-nuptial agreement," he said. "And a custody contract. My lawyers drew it up this morning."

Aurora stared at the document, then up at him, horrified. "You're insane."

"I am pragmatic," he corrected. "The Heath board is pressuring me to settle down, to present a more stable image. A wife and an heir would solve that problem. You need protection and financial security. This is a merger, Aurora. Your freedom in exchange for my name. And my child."

He wasn't proposing. He was executing a hostile takeover.

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "That child is a Heath asset now. And I will control it."

He stepped back, leaving her trapped between the desk and the crushing weight of the contract in her hands.