Chapter 2 The Price of Secrets

The morning light cut through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Caden Alistair's penthouse like a blade, illuminating the clean, ruthless lines of the room. Everything about the space mirrored the man who inhabited it - cold, immaculate, designed for control.

Serena Vale awoke to the sound of the city stirring far below, her mind swimming through the fog of uneasy sleep. It took a moment to remember where she was. Not her tiny apartment with the peeling paint and secondhand furniture. Not the modest flat she shared with Mia.

Here.

In Caden's world.

In Caden's bed.

The realization hit like a weight on her chest. She wasn't naïve; the bed had been a prop for the benefit of the overnight staff and anyone watching. There'd been no romance, no whispered promises in the dark. Caden had insisted she sleep in the master suite to complete the illusion of a newly engaged couple.

He, naturally, hadn't stayed.

Serena pushed the duvet aside, feeling out of place in the luxurious space. The silk sheets were cool against her skin, the scent of something dark and masculine clinging to the pillows. She rose, padding across the marble floor to the window.

From up here, the city looked almost peaceful. An ocean of lights, endless and indifferent.

Serena's reflection stared back at her from the glass - tousled chestnut hair, deep-set hazel eyes, and a mouth too expressive for a life built on pretending.

She hated pretending.

But she would do it. For Mia.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," she called, adjusting the robe she'd borrowed.

A tall, efficient-looking woman entered carrying a tray of breakfast. "Good morning, Miss Vale. Mr. Alistair asked me to see that you're comfortable. He's in his study, should you wish to join him."

Serena forced a polite smile. "Thank you, Lorna."

The woman inclined her head and disappeared as quietly as she'd come.

Serena glanced at the tray. Fresh fruit, warm croissants, coffee strong enough to resurrect the dead. Luxury she neither needed nor trusted.

After a few minutes of pacing, she made her way down the long, glass-walled hallway. The penthouse was silent, the only sound the distant hum of traffic and the faint click of her bare feet against the marble.

She found Caden seated behind an imposing desk in a study that could've belonged to a king or a villain - all dark wood, leather-bound volumes, and the low gleam of gold accents. He was on a call, his voice low, sharp, and effortlessly authoritative.

"No, I want those numbers by noon. And if Carlson's team can't deliver, find someone who will." A beat. "Good. Handle it."

He ended the call and looked up, his gaze sweeping over her like a tide.

"You're awake," he said, setting his phone aside.

"I'm surprised you're here," Serena said, leaning against the doorframe.

He arched a brow. "Where else would I be?"

"I assumed men like you don't bother with breakfast meetings after a public engagement. You let the illusion linger while you disappear into your real life."

A corner of his mouth lifted, not quite a smile. "Perhaps. But we have business to discuss."

Serena crossed the room, the morning light catching the strands of her hair. She didn't sit, refusing to appear too comfortable in his world.

"What kind of business?" she asked.

Caden steepled his fingers, studying her with the same calculating focus he applied to boardroom negotiations.

"Last night went as expected. The press picked up the story within the hour. Our engagement is public. My father's approval, however... is conditional."

"Conditional how?"

He gestured for her to sit. "Lucien Alistair doesn't care about love matches or sentimental vows. What he cares about is power. Influence. Control. To him, this engagement is a strategic alliance, and he expects it to look the part."

Serena sat, her stomach knotting. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, we'll be seen together - everywhere. Dinners. Galas. Charity auctions. You'll be photographed on my arm. And you'll play your part convincingly, or this arrangement ends before it begins."

"And Mia?" she asked quietly.

Caden's gaze softened a fraction. "Your sister's surgery is scheduled for next month. I gave my word, Serena. I intend to keep it."

It wasn't kindness, she knew. It was leverage. A way to keep her tethered, compliant. But right now, it was also hope.

She nodded. "I understand."

Caden leaned back, regarding her. "I'll have a team sent over this afternoon. You'll need a wardrobe for upcoming events. Designers, stylists, image consultants. I trust you'll cooperate."

"I'm not a doll, Caden."

"No," he said, something unreadable flickering in his expression. "You're not. Which is why this might actually work."

Before Serena could respond, the intercom buzzed. Caden answered it.

"Mr. Alistair, your mother is here."

He muttered a curse under his breath. "Send her in."

Serena tensed as the door swung open and Evelyn Alistair swept into the room like a frost-laced storm. Impeccably dressed in a tailored ivory suit, her pale blond hair gleamed like spun glass.

"Good morning, Caden," she said coolly, her gaze sliding to Serena with predatory interest. "And to you, dear."

Serena rose, schooling her features. "Mrs. Alistair."

"I trust you slept well in my son's bed," Evelyn murmured, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"I slept fine, thank you."

Caden cut in. "Mother, why are you here?"

Evelyn crossed to the bar cart, pouring herself a measure of something amber and expensive. "I thought I'd welcome our newest addition to the family. After all, it's not every day we gain a future daughter-in-law plucked from obscurity."

Serena bristled but kept her tone even. "I might be unfamiliar to your circles, but obscurity doesn't make me unworthy."

Evelyn's smile sharpened. "Spoken like a woman who doesn't yet grasp the depth of the waters she's stepped into."

"Enough," Caden said, his voice a steel thread.

Evelyn lifted her glass. "To survival, then."

Serena met her gaze, unflinching. "I'll drink to that."

Evelyn laughed, a cold, brittle sound. "Oh, I like her. Let's see how long that fire lasts."

And with that, she swept out, leaving a wake of chill in her absence.

Caden exhaled a humorless breath. "Welcome to the family."

Serena smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm just getting started."