Chapter 3: Whispers in the Marble Halls
The Auction – Blackwood Estate
Liana had never been to an auction this elite before. Held in the grand marble hall of the Blackwood Estate, the event oozed wealth and quiet wars in the form of whispered bids and sharpened smiles.
She wore a backless crimson gown—her choice, not Damien's—and walked beside him like a queen raised from fire.
"Try not to break the painting," Damien muttered under his breath as the bidding started for an abstract piece.
"I'll break a lot more than that if someone touches me without permission," she replied coolly.
Damien gave her a sideways glance. Was she always like this, or had marriage sharpened her edges?
They took their seats near the front. From across the room, a woman approached—tall, elegant, and brimming with superiority.
"Liana," Damien said lowly. "That's Victoria Langford."
"Your ex-fiancée?" Liana whispered.
"Unfortunately."
Victoria reached them, her smile icy.
"Damien. And this must be your… temporary wife."
Liana stood. "And you must be his permanent mistake."
Victoria blinked, lips twitching.
Damien tried not to smirk. He failed.
The Game Begins
Later, as the evening waned, Damien leaned toward Liana.
"You handled her better than expected."
"I handle wolves better than sheep," she said, sipping champagne.
He narrowed his eyes. "You're playing a game you don't understand."
"Then teach me," she challenged.
He paused.
"You might regret asking that."
But something in his voice told her… he already did.
A Message from Ethan
The next morning, Liana was wrapped in her robe and reviewing event photos online when her phone buzzed.
Ethan:"So, Mrs. Blackwood, you're trending. The 'auction queen' they call you now."
She smiled.
Liana:"I told you red was a power color."
Ethan:"Power only matters if the king notices it."
She stared at the message.
The king had noticed. But what did it even mean?
Damien's Office – A Dangerous Visit
Liana had no business being at Damien's office. But she'd brought him lunch—Maria's idea—and now she was standing in a sea of glass and whispers at Blackwood Tower.
The receptionist's eyes widened. "Do you have an appointment?"
"I don't need one," she said, lifting the lunch bag like a crown.
Security tensed, but Damien's assistant, a sharp woman named Celia, waved her in.
She walked in to find Damien arguing with Jared Wexler again.
"This merger is a trap," Damien said.
"Or an opportunity," Jared replied.
Liana didn't speak, but Damien's eyes flicked to her.
"This isn't a good time."
She placed the bag on his desk. "Neither was marrying me. Yet here we are."
Then she left.
Damien's Thoughts
After she left, Jared raised an eyebrow.
"She's braver than the last one."
Damien didn't answer. But in his mind, he couldn't stop replaying Liana's words.
"Neither was marrying me. Yet here we are."
She wasn't background noise.
She was starting to sound like the melody he hadn't heard in years.