The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing a penthouse that could have belonged to a king—or a monster. Glass walls stretched from floor to ceiling, revealing the city's skyline, its lights blinking like distant stars. Everything gleamed: black marble floors, silver fixtures, and silence thick enough to swallow her thoughts.
Lila stepped inside, still clutching the edge of her soaked wedding dress. The fabric dragged across the polished floor, leaving faint trails of rainwater. Dominic didn't look back as he poured himself a drink, his movements calm and deliberate.
"Whiskey?" he offered without turning.
She shook her head, her throat too tight for words.
Dominic took a slow sip, studying her over the rim of the glass. "You look like someone who just buried a dream."
"I did," she said flatly. "And you're offering me a new nightmare."
A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "Nightmares build stronger survivors."
Lila crossed her arms. "Stop talking in riddles. You said you wanted a contract. Let's hear it."
He set the glass down and walked toward her. The air shifted, charged with something dangerous. "One year," he said. "You'll be my wife in public, my partner in business, and my shadow in every room that matters."
"And in private?" she asked, her voice low.
Dominic stopped close enough that she could feel his heat. "In private, you'll follow my lead."
Her pulse spiked. "So you want obedience."
"I want trust," he corrected softly. "And loyalty. Everything else is negotiable."
Lila laughed bitterly. "You sound like you're buying a company."
"In my world," he said, "marriage is the most valuable merger."
She stared at him, trying to read his expression, but his eyes gave nothing away. "What do you gain from this, Dominic? Be honest."
"Power," he said simply. "The kind that makes enemies disappear."
Her stomach twisted. "And I'm your… what? Trophy? Shield?"
"Leverage," he admitted. "Your name, your face, your connection to Monroe Industries—together, we look untouchable."
Lila exhaled sharply. "And if I say no?"
He stepped even closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Then your father loses everything Ethan stole. And the people he crossed will come for you next."
Her breath caught. "You're threatening me."
"I'm protecting you," he countered. "There's a difference."
The words were cold, but his tone wasn't. It was quiet, almost gentle, as if he was offering her something she didn't understand yet.
Lila turned away, pacing toward the massive window. Below, the city looked unreal—glittering, cruel, alive. Her reflection stared back at her: the runaway bride, the fool, the woman who had everything and lost it all in one night.
"What happens after a year?" she asked.
Dominic's footsteps were silent behind her. "You'll get your freedom. A divorce, a settlement, and your reputation back."
"And you?"
He smiled faintly. "By then, I'll have what I need."
Lila faced him, folding her arms. "And what if someone finds out this marriage is fake?"
"They won't," he said. "Because it won't be."
Her brows furrowed. "Meaning?"
Dominic reached into his jacket and handed her a sleek black folder. Inside was a legal document already stamped with his signature. At the bottom, the space for hers waited—empty, expectant, binding.
She scanned the clauses, her eyes widening. "This says I'll live here."
"Yes."
"I'll attend all events as your wife."
"Yes."
"I can't date anyone else."
Dominic's lips curved. "You're married, Lila. That shouldn't be a problem."
Her voice rose. "This is insane."
"No," he said evenly. "This is control. Chaos destroyed you tonight—I'm offering order."
She met his gaze, frustration and fascination warring inside her. "You're arrogant."
"And you're desperate," he said quietly. "That makes us even."
The truth cut sharper than any insult.
Lila closed the folder and handed it back. "You're asking me to give up my life."
"I'm asking you to survive," he replied. "Everything else comes later."
He turned away, giving her space to breathe, but the silence pressed heavy between them. The city's glow cast long shadows across his face, softening nothing. He looked like temptation carved from darkness.
Finally, she said, "I'll think about it."
Dominic's voice was calm. "You have until morning."
He walked toward a sleek hallway, but paused halfway. "The guest room is down the hall. Third door on the left."
"I didn't agree to stay," she said.
"You will," he murmured, and disappeared into his study.
Lila stared after him, furious that he sounded so certain. Yet when she looked around—the city below, the storm beyond the glass, the emptiness behind her—she realized he might be right.
Because where else could she go?
Hours later, she found herself standing barefoot on the balcony, the night air cold against her skin. The city stretched endlessly, beautiful and merciless. Somewhere out there, Ethan was running. And somewhere even closer, Dominic Blackwood was planning his next move.
Her phone buzzed again.
Unknown: You're making a mistake.
Lila froze. The same number from before. Her pulse raced as she typed back with trembling fingers.
Lila: Who are you?
No reply came. Just the wind and the distant hum of the city.
She turned sharply when she heard footsteps. Dominic stood in the doorway, now without his jacket, the top buttons of his shirt undone. He looked impossibly calm for a man who had just proposed a contract that could ruin her.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.
"Shouldn't you be celebrating?" she shot back. "You got exactly what you wanted."
"Not yet," he said softly. "You haven't signed."
Their eyes locked. For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he stepped closer, voice dropping low. "Let me give you one reason to trust me."
Lila's breath caught as he reached out—not to touch her, but to set a small black flash drive on the railing between them.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Proof," he said. "Of who really betrayed you."
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up. "Why are you giving me this?"
"Because I don't need your blind faith, Lila," he said. "I need your choice."
And just like that, he walked away again—leaving her alone with the city, the storm, and the burning truth that her life would never be the same.
When she looked down at the flash drive, one thought echoed in her mind.
If Dominic Blackwood was the devil… why did trusting him feel like salvation?