We both entered his car, the city lights stretching past like liquid gold.
I glanced at Adrian. His profile was sharp, composed, untouchable. I wondered if he noticed the way my hands fidgeted in my lap. Probably.
"You'll need to adapt quickly," he said, breaking the quiet.
"I… will," I replied, though the words felt small, fragile.
He didn't elaborate. The silence returned, heavy but not uncomfortable, as if it carried its own rules.
We arrived at a penthouse that seemed to scrape the stars themselves. Marble floors gleamed under recessed lights; glass walls framed a skyline I could never have imagined. Every detail screamed control, wealth, perfection.
"This will be your workspace," he said, gesturing to a sleek office tucked in a corner of the suite. "And your residence, until further notice."
My chest tightened. The space was luxurious, yet suffocating. There was no room for error—or privacy.
"I need time," I said quietly.
"You'll adjust," he replied, voice calm but immovable. "You always do."
I noticed the way his eyes lingered, studying me as if he could predict my every hesitation. The thought made me shiver.
"Dinner is in an hour," he added. "Dress accordingly."
I nodded, retreating to unpack the few things I had brought. Every item felt absurdly small in this vast world he inhabited. I realized the boundaries of my old life were gone.
Hours later, at dinner, he watched me as if my reactions were a puzzle he intended to solve.
"Do you always scrutinize everyone like that?" I asked, daring a spark of defiance.
He raised a brow, the faintest curve of a smile teasing the corner of his lips. "Only those worth observing."
My pulse skipped. The implication hung in the air, electric and unspoken.
I reminded myself: this was a contract, not a courtship.
And yet, something in the way he looked at me made it impossible to forget that his rules applied to more than just business.
The night stretched on. Every gesture, every word carried weight. I realized survival in his world demanded more than obedience—it demanded attention, restraint, and an awareness of his unyielding presence at all times.
And even as I resolved to remain untangled, part of me ached at the magnetic pull I couldn't name.