Chapter 2 The Ring and the Cage

Elora stared at the ring in front of her as if it were a ticking bomb.

"I don't even know you," she whispered, her voice cracking beneath the weight of disbelief.

Kaelan didn't blink. "You don't need to know me. You just need to play your part."

Her fingers clenched into fists at her sides. "What part is that? The obedient little puppet you parade around in front of investors? The fake wife you use to cover up something shady you won't even tell me about?"

"You can be whatever you want behind closed doors, Elora," he said coolly, "but in public, you'll be mine."

She felt something inside her twist. Her pride screamed to walk away, to spit in his face, to let the world crash down around her rather than submit to a man who thought he could buy her. But another voice-quieter, more desperate-reminded her of the cold nights ahead, the uncertainty of homelessness, the way her inbox was filled with job rejection after rejection.

He was right.

She had no one. And nothing.

Her chest rose and fell in rapid bursts as she tried to steady herself. "What exactly do you expect from me?"

Kaelan didn't hesitate. "Attend every function with me. Smile at every camera. Pretend you love me when the press is watching. Be silent when I say nothing. And sign a contract binding you to secrecy. Once the three months are over, you disappear-wealthy and anonymous."

"So I'm just a prop to fix your image?"

He lifted a brow, unfazed. "A useful one."

Elora stepped forward, her hands shaking. "And what do I get?"

"A fresh start," he replied. "A clean break from the people who destroyed you. I'll make sure they never touch you again."

The thought of Marcus, of her mother's betrayal, of her stepfather's smirk-it all flooded back in a single wave. Her heart burned with humiliation, with helplessness.

But mostly... with rage.

She slowly reached for the box. Her fingers brushed the velvet lid, but she didn't open it.

"When do I sign the contract?"

A flicker of satisfaction crossed Kaelan's face. "Right now."

He walked to the side of his office, pulled out a slim black folder, and laid it in front of her. The papers inside were thick, legal, cold. Elora's gaze skimmed through the words. Three months. Non-disclosure agreements. Termination clauses. Her role as "temporary spouse." A confidentiality fee-five hundred thousand dollars.

Half a million.

She swallowed hard.

"You really planned all of this," she murmured.

Kaelan's eyes darkened. "I always plan."

Elora picked up the pen he offered, but paused just above the line. "You said this would help me. That I'd be free after three months."

"You have my word," he said simply.

"You don't strike me as the kind of man whose word means anything."

Kaelan's gaze locked with hers. "No," he said softly. "But I do strike you as the kind of man who gets what he wants. And right now, Elora, that's you."

Her breath hitched.

She signed.

The moment the pen left the paper, she felt something cold settle in her chest. Final. Heavy.

Kaelan took the folder without a word and closed it.

"It begins now."

He walked to his desk, retrieved the velvet box, and opened it. The ring glittered under the low light-a massive emerald-cut diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller stones, elegant and precise. Just like him.

He stepped forward and took her left hand without asking. Slid the ring onto her finger.

It fit perfectly.

Of course it did.

"You planned everything," she muttered.

Kaelan's lips twitched. "I don't leave things to chance."

The weight of the ring on her finger felt unreal. Binding. Beautiful and suffocating all at once.

He released her hand. "You'll be moved into the penthouse tonight. My driver will pick you up at six. You'll find everything you need there."

"What if I say I want to keep my apartment?"

His gaze turned to ice. "You won't need it."

She took a step back. "You don't own me."

"I do for the next three months," he said, matter-of-fact. "And if you want to survive them, you'll follow every instruction without question."

Elora's eyes narrowed. "You're enjoying this."

"No," he said, his voice suddenly sharper. "Enjoyment has nothing to do with it."

He turned away and walked back to the window. For a moment, his reflection in the glass looked more human-tired, tense, almost haunted.

But when he turned back, the armor was back on.

"Elora," he said, voice low, "don't confuse necessity with affection. I didn't choose you because I care."

She felt a sting in her chest. She didn't know why.

"I chose you because you're forgettable."

The words hit her like a slap. Her mouth went dry, and for a moment, all she could do was stare.

Forgettable?

After everything? After she'd just signed away three months of her life?

She turned on her heel, walking toward the door, not trusting herself to say anything. But just as her hand touched the knob, Kaelan's voice cut through the silence again.

"Oh-and one more thing."

She froze.

"You'll need to meet my mother tonight. She thinks the engagement is real. Don't disappoint me."