Chapter 3 Tangled in silk and secrets

Elara pov

---

I'd always thought the sound of silence was supposed to be calming. But in Adrian Blake's penthouse, silence had teeth. It stalked me through every room, clung to every polished surface, and pressed on my chest like a weight I couldn't shake off.

The place itself was beautiful-opulent, understated, and curated down to the last detail. A far cry from the cozy, cluttered apartment I'd shared with my son, Leo. Here, there were no toys scattered on the floor, no scent of lavender detergent clinging to the furniture, no warmth of a life lived.

Just marble, glass, steel... and him.

Adrian.

Even his name felt dangerous on my tongue, like a forbidden spell I wasn't supposed to cast.

I stood in front of the massive floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glittering city, my arms wrapped tightly around myself. The city lights blurred through the foggy reflection of my breath, but my mind was on him on the man I'd just agreed to marry.

If I closed my eyes, I could still feel his presence from earlier that day, the sheer gravity of him pulling me in even as I swore I'd never let him get close. His scent sandalwood and something dark, like smoke-still clung to my skin. His voice still echoed in my head:

"If we're going to do this, Elara, you need to understand. My life doesn't allow room for mistakes. I won't tolerate games."

I should have said no. I should have run.

But then I'd pictured Leo's soft curls, his sweet laugh, and those big hazel eyes eyes that were so much like Adrian's. My son deserved more than a life of secrets and uncertainty.

And now, here I was.

Standing in a billionaire's fortress. Wearing a silk dress that wasn't mine. A ring sparkling on my finger that weighed more than I could afford to think about.

---

The door to the study clicked open, and my heart gave a startled leap. I turned sharply, pulse thrumming in my ears.

Adrian walked in, jacket discarded, shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms. Even like this relaxed, casual-he radiated control. His every movement was deliberate, like a man who knew exactly what power he held over everyone in the room. Over me.

"You should eat something," he said smoothly, his deep voice cutting through the thick silence. "There's dinner on the table."

I swallowed hard, clutching my arms tighter around myself. "I'm not hungry."

His eyes flickered toward me, sharp and assessing. He didn't press, though. Instead, he poured himself a glass of whiskey from a crystal decanter and leaned against the edge of his desk, studying me over the rim of his glass.

"You're nervous," he observed.

"No," I lied, though my voice betrayed me with its slight tremor.

A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but it wasn't warm. It was the kind of smile that said he could see right through me.

"You've stepped into a different world, Elara," he said softly. "You can't afford to be nervous. Not in this house. Not around me."

His words shouldn't have sent shivers down my spine, but they did.

"I didn't come here to impress you," I snapped, more defensive than I intended. "This is for Leo. That's all."

Something in his expression shifted at my son's name, a brief shadow flickering in his eyes. He downed the whiskey in one smooth motion and set the glass aside.

"Leo is all that matters," he said firmly, and for a moment, I saw something human in him. Something soft. "But if we're going to make this believable, we'll need to get comfortable with each other."

---

I stiffened, unsure if I liked the sound of that.

"Comfortable?" I repeated.

Adrian stepped closer, his presence filling the space between us. The silk of my borrowed dress brushed against my legs, and suddenly I was hyperaware of everything-the steady rhythm of his breathing, the faint scent of his cologne, the heat radiating from his body.

"Yes," he said simply. "People are going to watch us. My family. My business partners. The press. If they smell even a hint of pretense between us, this arrangement will crumble. And I don't deal well with failure."

His words carried weight, like a promise or a threat. Maybe both.

"Then what do you suggest?" I asked, my chin tilting up instinctively, though my heart hammered in my chest.

His lips curved into a smirk that wasn't playful at all. "We start practicing."

Before I could react, his hand lifted to my jaw, his thumb grazing the edge of my chin. The touch was feather light, but it sent electricity zipping down my spine. My breath caught as his face dipped closer, his gaze fixed on mine with an intensity that stole my words.

"Relax," he murmured, his voice like velvet. "You're acting like I'm about to devour you."

"Aren't you?" I whispered before I could stop myself.

That earned me a real smile sharp and wicked, but genuine.

"Not yet."

---

He closed the space between us, and his lips brushed mine.

The kiss was unexpected-not gentle, but not rough either. It was claiming. Testing. My pulse quickened, and I hated how my body betrayed me, leaning into him when I should've pulled away. His hand slid to the back of my neck, steadying me, while his other hand rested on my waist.

It wasn't just a kiss; it was a warning.

This was Adrian Blake-the man I'd sworn I'd never let close again. The man who had unknowingly fathered my son. And here I was, melting under his touch like I'd been waiting for this moment all along.

When he finally pulled back, his eyes burned into mine, searching, calculating.

"You kiss like a woman with secrets," he murmured.

My breath hitched, panic spiking in my chest. Did he know? Could he see it the truth I'd hidden for three long years?

"I... I should get some rest," I stammered, stepping back.

"Good idea," he said, his voice smooth again, as if nothing had happened. But his eyes stayed on me, dark and unreadable, until I turned and walked away.

---

That night, I lay in the guest bedroom-no, my bedroom now staring at the ceiling while my mind spun. Every part of this arrangement felt like a dangerous game I wasn't equipped to play.

The kiss haunted me, replaying over and over in my head. I could still feel his hands, his lips, his steady control.

I thought of Leo, asleep miles away with my sister for the night, and a pang of guilt twisted in my chest. I was doing this for him. For his future. Not because Adrian's touch made my pulse race.

I repeated that to myself like a prayer until exhaustion finally dragged me under.

---

I woke up to a strange noise.

At first, I thought I'd dreamed it, but there it was again-a faint beep followed by the soft whir of machinery. I sat up, heart pounding, and glanced at the door.

The sound wasn't coming from the hallway. It was coming from outside.

Throwing on a robe, I padded barefoot to the balcony. The city was still alive with lights, but what caught my attention wasn't the skyline-it was the sleek black SUV parked below the building. Its headlights were off, but I could see figures moving inside.

And then, as if sensing me watching, one of them stepped out.

A man in a dark suit, his face shadowed by the brim of a cap. He looked up directly at me.

My stomach dropped.

He raised a phone to his ear, and a second later, my own phone still on the nightstand lit up with a call.

Unknown number.

I scrambled back inside, heart in my throat, and answered.

"Hello?" My voice trembled.

A distorted voice crackled through the line.

"We know about Leo."

The line went dead.

I froze, the phone slipping from my fingers. The silence in the room was deafening.

And then I heard it-another beep. This time, from the corner of the room.

I turned slowly... and saw the tiny red light of a surveillance camera blinking from the bookshelf.

Someone was watching me.