to anticipate when sh

house, which seemed too good to be true. There was

she didn't belong, like she was stepping

lionaire's world, after all. It was the same world

in she was prepared for

e as he sat at his desk and stared at the laptop

had the air of a man who had everything under

his... distance. Like

vival, yes. But it was also about proving to herself that she could

he uttered

?" With a slight smile on his lips

. "You are posing as my fiancée, Elena." "Nothing more, n

ttle more sharply than she intended. "This is a r

interrupted, his tone sharp. "Y

he didn't want to face. She was desperate. But she wasn't only in need of

uine, was it? It

try to regain her balance and said, "Yo

ked at her after r

you a contract, whic

iercing like steel. Nothing mo

now, even though his wo

uest your cash or your-" When she looked

flicker. Elena briefly pon

e replaced by that rec

na," he whispered, his voice ba

ed thousa

ng. Your debts. Your fami

mber was tempting. To

erything? The m

crossed her arms. "Damien, I'm not a helpl

, his eyes lighti

like you do

wasn't in a position to turn him down.

thrust into Damien's world, a place where noth

ings, galas, and

followed. Whispered conver

ning in a sea of flashing

ame throughout it a

She was just the accessory. The fiancée. The perfect

r impressio

as unable to ignore

believed she wasn't looking. When they were

ination? Or was ther

ime she believed that perhaps-just possibly-he was

eal. It isn

etween reality and illusion became increas

enthouse one evening following an incid

come back yet. A book by the couch caught her att

the classic

needed something to cling to in a nonsensical wo

pen, as she turned

e hadn't seen him before. He froze when his eyes met hers. His

are you

in her chest, she answer

looked away. "For a little while, I thou

ever be able to persuad

tood up, saying, "No." "But t