Chapter 4 Boardroom Games

7:01 AM - Cade Enterprises, Executive Floor

Amara had never walked into a boardroom looking like she owned it.

But today, she tried.

The dress Sebastian had picked-a sleek charcoal gray sheath with a structured neckline and a cinched waist-made her feel like a woman who belonged in a room filled with power.

Only... she didn't.

Yet.

She kept her expression calm as she stepped into the conference room, eyes scanning the long table, already filled with ten sharply dressed men and women in their thirties and forties. Investors. Executives. People who didn't know-or care-about interior design.

And at the head of the table?

Sebastian.

Dressed in a black three-piece suit. Watch glinting. Hair perfectly styled. Calm, commanding, and looking at her like she was his.

"Miss Lane," he said smoothly, not missing a beat, "right on time."

The others turned, giving polite nods. A few side-eyes. One woman smirked like she already had Amara's entire backstory-and wardrobe-figured out.

Amara sat at the opposite end of the table.

Sebastian began the meeting without preamble. Corporate reports, restructuring updates, real estate acquisitions.

Then-abruptly-he changed direction.

"One final update," he said. "As you all know, the penthouse renovation is underway. I've hired a private designer. Independent."

He looked directly at her.

"This is Amara Lane. She'll be managing the redesign personally, under my supervision. Any questions or requests go through me first."

Murmurs around the room. The same woman who smirked earlier raised her brow. "You're living with your designer?"

The room went still.

Amara froze.

Sebastian didn't miss a beat. "She's staying in the guest suite for convenience. I like to be involved."

The woman smirked. "I bet."

Sebastian's gaze snapped toward her with a sharpness that cut the air.

"Unless you'd like to discuss the wine cellar budget again, Monica, I suggest we move on."

Amara's pulse thundered. She looked down quickly, scribbling nothing in her notebook.

Sebastian never looked away from Monica until she dropped her gaze.

9:12 AM - Elevator Ride Down

As soon as they were alone in the elevator, Amara turned to him.

"You could've told me this was happening. I didn't know I'd be paraded like your pet project."

Sebastian leaned against the mirrored wall, arms folded.

"You weren't paraded. You were introduced."

"There's a difference."

He cocked his head, eyes gleaming. "You're in my world now, Miss Lane. Here, image is everything. The sooner you understand that, the easier this will be."

She stared at him. "I'm not your toy."

"No," he said, low and dangerous. "You're my weapon."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

Sebastian stepped closer, voice velvet over stone. "Everyone in that room is watching. They want to know what you are to me. What you mean to me. That's power."

"And what do I mean to you?" she asked, voice tight.

He smiled faintly.

"Right now? You're a beautifully dangerous distraction."

Later - Penthouse Workspace

Amara threw herself into the design plans with a ferocity she didn't recognize. She needed the distraction. Needed to not think about his scent, his eyes, the way he casually played with people like chess pieces.

But it was hard to stay focused when the man she was working for had secrets that whispered through the walls.

She pulled up the initial sketches: clean lines, warm tones, subtle luxury.

No chaos. No bold colors. No personality.

Just like him.

Boring.

No. Not boring. Controlled.

She sighed, then scribbled a note across the plan:

"Break the rules just enough to feel human."

Meanwhile - Cade Enterprises Archive Room

Sebastian stood alone in a restricted section of the company's archive, flipping through decades-old files.

His assistant appeared quietly behind him. "You're still going through her father's records?"

Sebastian didn't look up. "I want every detail. Every lie. Every cent."

"And her?" she asked, softly.

He paused, jaw flexing.

"She's too good," he muttered. "Too real. I didn't expect..."

The assistant looked at him. "Are you catching feelings, Cade?"

He turned sharply, gaze ice cold.

"No. I'm catching a debt."

Would you like to go on to Chapter 5, or pause for a full story arc outline (chapters 5–30) so you can see how it all unfolds-love, betrayal, secrets, revenge, redemption, and the final twist?