Elena stood in front of the mirror,
fixing the collar of her blouse for the third time. Her hands were trembling
slightly, even though she told herself over and over again to calm down. It was
just another day. Another meeting. Another moment in this strange new life she
had stepped into when she signed the marriage contract with Dominic Vance.
But everything felt different now.
Dominic had changed. Or maybe, she had
changed. She wasn't sure which. All she knew was that their conversation the
day before had stayed with her. His words had echoed in her head through the
night.
"I think it's time we redefine it…
Maybe we can find a way to make this work."
She touched her necklace absently, the
one her mother had given her years ago. It was a simple silver chain, nothing
flashy or expensive, but it grounded her. Gave her strength.
With a final glance in the mirror, she
took a deep breath and stepped out of her room.
Downstairs, the mansion was quiet. Too
quiet. The staff moved like shadows, not meeting her eyes. Elena had gotten
used to the silence in this place, but now it started to bother her. Everything
felt… cold. Like a beautiful cage.
She made her way to the dining room.
Breakfast had already been laid out. Fresh croissants, sliced fruit, eggs, and
coffee. The kind of breakfast fit for royalty. But none of it appealed to her.
Dominic sat at the head of the table,
as always. His eyes met hers as soon as she entered the room.
"Elena," he said simply.
"Good morning," she replied, trying to
sound natural.
He nodded, then looked down at his
coffee. "Sit. Eat."
She took the seat beside him, the one
that had become hers over the last few weeks. She poured herself a cup of
coffee but didn't drink it right away.
"I have meetings today," Dominic said,
breaking the silence. "And I want you to come with me."
Elena's head turned sharply. "Me?"
"Yes," he replied, not looking at her.
"You're my wife. People are watching. They want to see how this marriage is
going. Especially the board."
Her heart sank. So this was about
appearances again.
But then he added, "And… I want you to
see what I'm dealing with. The business. The pressure. Maybe then you'll
understand why I've done some of the things I've done."
Elena was quiet. She didn't know what
to say. Part of her wanted to say no, to stay away from his cold world of power
and numbers. But the other part—the one that remembered how he had looked at
her yesterday, with something close to honesty—wanted to know more.
"Okay," she said softly. "I'll come."
He looked up at her, and something
passed between them. Not a smile. Not yet. But something.
⸻
The car ride was quiet.
Elena sat beside Dominic in the
backseat of the sleek black SUV, staring out at the city. The streets were
already buzzing with people rushing to work, horns blaring, life moving on.
"Do you always work this much?" she
asked suddenly, her voice low.
Dominic didn't look at her. "Always."
"Why?"
He shrugged. "Because I don't know anything
else."
She turned to face him. "What about
your family?"
His jaw tensed. "That's not something
I talk about."
Elena nodded slowly. She didn't push.
But she filed it away, another mystery piece in the puzzle that was Dominic
Vance.
They arrived at Vance Corporation, a
towering glass building in the heart of the business district. Elena had been
here once before, but this time felt different. This time, she wasn't just a
visitor. She was the wife of the CEO.
People stared as they walked through
the lobby. Some greeted Dominic with polite nods. Others glanced at Elena with
curiosity—some even with judgment.
She kept her head high.
Dominic led her into the executive
elevator, which only required a special keycard. Once inside, he glanced at
her.
"If anyone says anything—just ignore
it. They don't matter."
"Who doesn't matter?" she asked.
"The ones who think they know
everything."
She gave him a look, half amused, half
confused. "That's ironic, coming from you."
To her surprise, he chuckled. "Maybe."
The elevator doors opened to the top
floor. The air changed immediately—cooler, sharper. The decor was sleek,
modern, and expensive. Every step echoed.
Elena followed Dominic into his
office. It was massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the
city. The walls were lined with shelves of awards and books, and there was a
long black couch in the corner.
"You can sit there," he said,
gesturing. "This first meeting is with the board. They'll want to ask about
us."
She froze. "What do I say?"
"Just tell the truth," he replied,
adjusting his tie. "Or at least… enough of it."
Before she could respond, the door
opened, and people began to enter.
⸻
The board meeting was tense.
Twelve men and women, all sharply
dressed and carrying tablets, sat around a long table. They greeted Dominic
with forced smiles, then turned their eyes on Elena.
"So," one of them, an older man with
graying hair, said. "This is the wife."
Dominic's jaw clenched. "Her name is
Elena. And yes."
Another woman spoke. "We just want to
understand how this marriage affects the company. It happened so suddenly."
"It doesn't affect the company,"
Dominic said coldly. "Except that it strengthens it."
"And how exactly does it do that?" a
third member asked. "Some shareholders think it's a distraction. Others think
it's a move to protect Hart Enterprises, not Vance Corporation."
Elena felt the room go quiet. All eyes
were on her now.
She cleared her throat. "I didn't
marry Dominic to save my family's business."
That was a lie. But it didn't sound
like one.
"I married him because… we saw an
opportunity to help both sides. Business is business, right? But it's also
about trust. And over time, I've come to see that Dominic is someone I can
trust."
She didn't look at him, but she could
feel the change in the room.
The woman on the board tilted her
head. "Interesting."
After a few more tense minutes, the
meeting ended. The board members filed out, whispering to each other.
Once they were gone, Dominic looked at
her. "You didn't have to say that."
"I know," Elena said. "But I did."
"Why?"
She met his eyes. "Because you asked
me to come here. Because you said you wanted to try. That means I have to try
too."
Dominic looked at her for a long time.
Then, he simply nodded.
⸻
Later that afternoon, Dominic had
another meeting, and Elena sat in his office waiting. She scrolled through her
phone, trying to distract herself. But her thoughts kept drifting.
She thought of her mother, still in
the clinic, recovering slowly. Of Kingston, trying to pick up the pieces of
their father's broken legacy. Of herself, trying to find her place in a world
that had never truly been hers.
And then she thought of Dominic.
She didn't know what he truly felt. He
was still guarded, still cold in so many ways. But she saw something in him now
that hadn't been there before—a willingness to try. And that meant something.
The door opened and Dominic walked in.
He looked tired.
"You didn't have to wait," he said.
"I wanted to."
He walked over to the window, his
hands in his pockets. "They think we're lying."
"Are we?" she asked quietly.
He didn't answer at first. Then he
said, "Not completely."
Elena stood and walked over to him.
"You said you wanted something real. So let's make it real."
Dominic turned to her, eyes searching.
"How?"
"By being honest. By not hiding
anymore."
He looked at her for a long moment,
then reached out and took her hand.
It was the first time he had touched
her like that without it being forced, without it being part of the act.
"Elena," he said slowly, "there are
things I haven't told you. Things about the business. About your father."
Her heart skipped. "What about him?"
"Not now," Dominic said. "But soon. I
promise."
She nodded, even though her chest was
tight. She wasn't sure what he was hiding—but she knew it mattered.
⸻
That evening, back at the mansion,
Elena sat on the balcony outside her room. The wind was cool, brushing her
skin. She stared at the stars above, wondering how her life had turned out like
this.
So much had changed in just a few
moons.
She wasn't just the daughter of a
failed businessman anymore. She wasn't just a woman in a fake marriage. She
was… more. Stronger. Wiser.
Dominic joined her on the balcony. He
didn't say anything. Just stood beside her, looking at the stars too.
After a moment, he said, "You were
right. We can't keep pretending."
She turned to him. "Then don't."
He looked at her, and this time, he
smiled.
A real smile.
Something warm bloomed in her chest.
It wasn't love. Not yet. But maybe…
just maybe… it was the beginning.
And that was enough for now.