The family dinner at the Carter mansion was in full swing. The laughter was forced, and the conversations were superficial. Helena could barely focus on the plate in front of her while Nathaniel dominated the room with his cold, calculated charm.
That's when the door opened with a soft thud, and a man stepped in unannounced. Tall, with perfectly combed gray hair and piercing eyes that seemed to read every corner of the room.
"Good evening," he said in a deep voice. "I'm Alistair Shaw."
A murmur spread across the table. Nathaniel frowned but motioned for him to take a seat.
Alistair wasn't just any guest. He had been a partner of the late Carter patriarch—a man linked to shady business dealings and rumors of hidden betrayals.
He sat beside Julian, whispering something in his ear. Helena watched from across the table, both curious and uneasy.
During dessert, Alistair spoke up.
"I've come to clear up some outstanding matters. Some contracts, investments… and certain decisions that affected more than one family."
Helena's eyes widened in surprise. She wasn't sure which family he meant, but something inside her flared to life.
After dinner, Julian approached Helena with an envelope in hand.
"He gave me this," he whispered. "Says it could change everything."
Helena opened the envelope with trembling hands. Inside was a copy of the purchase contract for her family's company, bearing her father's signature… but something didn't add up.
"Look," she said, pointing to the signature. "This isn't real."
Julian nodded.
"Alistair thinks Nathaniel was involved. That he betrayed his own father to ruin yours—and bought the company for a fraction of its real value."
Helena felt the floor vanish beneath her feet.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure enough to start looking for proof."
Nathaniel appeared behind them with a tight smile.
"What are you two talking about?"
They quickly hid the envelope.
Nathaniel's gaze sharpened.
"Do you need me to remind you of your place here?"
Helena and Julian exchanged a look. The game was just beginning—and the board was far more dangerous than they had imagined.
Later, the house was quiet. The voices and laughter from the party faded behind the thick walls of the main hall. Helena slipped away to the library, seeking refuge—but she didn't expect to find Julian already there, seated by the lit fireplace, eyes lost in the flames.
"I shouldn't be here," she said as she entered, but her voice trembled.
Julian looked up and offered a wistful smile.
"I've never been good at following rules, Helena."
She closed the door gently and approached him, feeling the air between them thicken with tension.
"Why won't you talk to me?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Because I don't know what to say." She lowered her gaze. "Because every word I say seems to push you further away."
Julian stood slowly and stepped toward her.
"I don't want to lose you again. Not like this."
Helena felt the warmth of his body surround her, and for a moment, she forgot every rule, every fear.
"What if it's already too late?" she whispered.
He took her hand and pulled her closer.
"Then we'll fight. Because what I feel for you isn't a mistake. Not this time."
Their lips met in a soft kiss, full of promises and buried pain. It was a suspended moment, where past and present blurred together.
Helena rested her forehead against Julian's, closing her eyes to preserve the memory.
"We can't," she murmured. "Not now."
"But we can try," he replied, his voice rough.
And in that small refuge of light and shadow, they both knew the game ahead would not only determine their fate—but the fate of everyone around them.