In The Pilot's Arms, Beyond The Clouds

A Maybach had been parked in the shadows by the river for hours, its tinted windows catching only faint glimmers of passing streetlight.

Inside, Irene Burton sat with her cheeks warming, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear as her unsteady fingers tried to compose themselves.

Across from her, Caiden Smith took in her shy hesitation with a lazy smirk before letting out a low chuckle. "Come over to my place tomorrow."

The word lingered in her chest like a spark. Tomorrow... it would be her birthday. Did Caiden actually remember?

For a heartbeat, a bright flicker rose in her eyes, a tiny spark she hadn't felt in a long time.

Then he added, as casually as if he were discussing the weather, "Paulina's stopping by tomorrow. She's still not feeling well, so I'll send you a menu. Make sure you prepare something healthy for her."

Irene's chest twisted sharply, but she swallowed the sting and bowed her head. "Of course, Mr. Smith," she murmured, the obedience in her voice hiding everything she couldn't say.

Paulina Moore-the one his heart had chased for so long-had finally come back.

She had spent her time overseas buried in medical research, earning accomplishments people whispered about in awe, and she had only just returned to the country this week.

Now that Paulina had come home, her role as the disposable stand-in was nearing its end.

A strained smile tugged at her lips as she finally murmured, "So... when are you planning to cut things off between us?"

"Cut things off between us?" Caiden arched a brow as if she had told a joke, then caught her chin between his fingers, tilting her face up with practiced ease. His gaze drifted over her like a well-worn habit. "Do you honestly think you can walk away from your first man?"

Irene had fallen into his world at eighteen-an inexperienced girl shaped to suit his every preference, trained to bend wherever he pushed.

Paulina, now a freshly returned medical PhD stepping into a top biotech firm, would be swallowed by her work the moment she settled in. She wouldn't have the time to cater to him.

That meant Irene still held her only remaining value.

Heat crawled up Irene's cheeks beneath his lingering stare, yet she forced herself to meet his eyes. Her voice shook, but every word carried a painful resolve. "You may have been my first, but you won't be my last. I refuse to play the side chick. I'll marry someone who actually values me and build a life that's mine."

Caiden barely reacted. With a slow, dismissive motion, he slipped a bank card from his wallet and held it out as if settling a bill. "You don't get to decide whether we're done."

He let the moment stretch, then tipped his chin with a mocking lift of his brow. "And tell me-would your family even allow that?"

The jab struck like ice, locking Irene where she stood.

Instead of reaching for the bank card, she shoved the door open and stumbled out, her chest tight with humiliation.

As she stepped into the night air, old wounds surged up without mercy.

Years ago, her father, Tobias Dixon, and her second brother, Neil Dixon, had sunk the family into crushing gambling debts. Her eldest brother, Levi Dixon, still needed expensive tuition overseas.

Only her third brother, Sean Dixon, brought in any income-working as Caiden's secretary.

To keep the family afloat, Sean had led her into Caiden's hands during a business dinner, offering her up like a bargaining chip.

That night ended up being Irene's first time having sex, and every inch of her shook with terror, humiliation, and aching shame.

And yet Caiden had shown her a softness she never saw coming.

Irene had once yearned for affection so intensely that, even with Caiden breathing Paulina's name against her neck all night, she still let herself fall for him like a fool.

Only later did she discover the truth-that it wasn't her he wanted, just the shadow she cast. She happened to resemble Paulina, and she had chosen the same field of study, which made her an easy stand-in.

Back then, she was younger than Paulina but gifted enough to finish her coursework in two frantic years.

But right before graduation, Caiden's controlling hand closed around her future. He made her give up on her medical career dreams. She didn't even complete her degree because of it.

He pushed her into the role of his private nutritionist, and kept her tucked away as his secret lover.

She understood he only coveted her body, but she still held onto that tiny wish that Paulina would stay gone forever-so she could remain at his side.

Now, as she watched the truth unfold in front of her, that fragile hope finally crumbled to dust.

...

In the Smith family's villa, Irene kept her head down in the kitchen, working in silence as she put a dish together.

A moment's distraction sent boiling water splashing over her fingers, and a sharp gasp escaped her before she could bite it back. Caiden gave her a mild scolding. "Be more careful next time."

His gaze flicked to her hand before he headed toward the fridge to grab some ice.

For one foolish heartbeat, warmth stirred in her chest-maybe he planned to tend to her injury himself.

That hope died the second Paulina entered the living room, moving with effortless grace.

Her perfectly set curls, pristine makeup, and confident composure filled the space in a way that made Irene instinctively shrink.

Caiden redirected instantly, veering away from Irene without hesitation to greet Paulina.

He didn't spare Irene so much as a backward glance.

Irene stared at her puffy, reddened hand and let out a shaky laugh, tears clinging to her lashes as she wiped them away with the back of her wrist.

At the dinner table, Paulina admired the carefully arranged dishes with a soft, glowing smile. "Caiden, you really put thought into all this. These are exactly what I like."

The words sliced through Irene's chest, sharp enough to steal her breath.

Each plate-every familiar flavor-had also been Caiden's favorites. Only now did she realize even his tastes matched Paulina's.

Everything she had believed she understood about him had been shaped by Paulina's shadow, woven through every moment. They had been bound together long before tonight, even while Paulina lived oceans away.

How the hell had she been so blind?

Across the table, Marlee Smith, Caiden's mother, was usually impossible to please. Yet, she beamed at Paulina with rare warmth. "Paulina, you're back for good this time, aren't you? If you're staying, we can finally start making plans for your wedding with Caiden."

Paulina dipped her head with practiced modesty, stealing a soft look at Caiden. "Marlee, I've been gone for years. How would I know if Caiden hasn't already found someone important? I'd hate to get in the way of whatever makes him happy."

Her voice carried a gentle tease, and her gaze slid toward Irene with deliberate sweetness.

Marlee let out a thin, derisive laugh. "Just because she's sitting at this table doesn't mean our family would ever acknowledge someone from such a low background."

Then her entire expression brightened as she reached for Paulina's hand. "A woman like you-a brilliant PhD with real accomplishments-that's the kind of person worthy of Caiden."

Caiden leaned in to pour Paulina a glass of wine, his tone warm and certain as he murmured tenderly, "Paulina, from the very beginning right up to this moment, you're the only person I've ever had in my heart. Don't pay attention to any of that nonsense."

Paulina brought the rim to her lips, taking a timid sip without offering a single rebuttal.

Irene grasped instantly why she had been summoned tonight. This wasn't about cooking Paulina's dinner.

Caiden wanted Paulina to see the distance between them-proof that Irene meant nothing to him, not now and certainly not in the future.

The realization sliced straight through her chest.

She forced down the rising ache, mumbled a flimsy excuse, and rushed out before her voice could crack.

The sting from her burned hand throbbed with every step, anchoring her to the awful clarity of the moment. With tears blurring her vision, she unlocked a number she had buried long ago and typed with trembling fingers. "Mr. Shaw, does that contractual marriage deal still work? I'm ready to accept it now."