Chapter 4

Amelia

The private elevator opened right into Lucian’s penthouse.

It was pure wealth and isolation—soaring ceilings, marble floors, and glass overlooking the city line.

Everything was black, charcoal, and glass. Cold. Impeccable. Empty of any warmth.

A housekeeper in a sharp uniform stepped forward and gave a quick bow. "Welcome, Mrs Rhodes. I am Mrs NaNa. Mr Rhodes is in his study, but he asked me to take you to your room first."

I gripped my suitcase tighter. "Thank you."

She led me down a quiet hallway to a master suite bigger than my entire apartment. King-sized bed, black and gold sheets, a private balcony, and a walk-in closet.

"Mr Rhodes' private wing is through those connecting doors," Mrs NaNa said softly. "He prefers quiet after nine."

"I understand," I said.

The second she shut the door, I hurried into the bathroom and locked it behind me. My phone was buzzing frantically in my purse.

My heart hit my throat when I saw Maya’s caller ID.

"Maya!" I whispered into the receiver, pressing my back against the wall. "Is everything okay? Is Theo alright?"

"He’s fine, Amy, he’s fine," Maya said, though she sounded stressed. "He just cried when he woke up and realised you were gone. I gave him his favourite dinosaur, but he insisted on packing his little backpack to 'help Mommy work.'"

A hard knot formed in my throat, staving off tears. "Tell him I love him, Maya. Tell him I’ll call him tonight when—"

A quiet knock on the bedroom door made my heart stop.

"Amelia."

Lucian’s voice came right through the wood.

"I have to go!" I hissed into the phone, hanging up instantly and shoving it back into my coat pocket.

I wiped my face, straightened my blazer, and opened the bathroom door.

Lucian stood in the middle of the room, his jacket off, his white shirt unbuttoned at the neck with his sleeves rolled up. He held a small velvet box in his hand.

"We have a press conference on Monday morning to announce our marriage," he said, his dark eyes taking in my face. "You'll need to wear this."

He snapped the box open, revealing an emerald diamond ring that caught the light.

"It belongs to the Rhodes Family house," he said, stepping closer. "Put it on."

My hand shook as I reached out. He didn't give me the box; instead, his long fingers wrapped around my hand. His touch was warm and firm, sending a sudden jolt straight up my arm.

He slid the ring onto my finger. The metal was freezing, but the heat of his thumb against my palm made my breath catch.

He didn't let go right away. His eyes dropped to my hand, then slowly tracked up to my face, narrowing as he noticed my wet eyelashes.

"You've been crying," he said softly.

“Just... adjusting," I lied, slipping my hand out of his grip. "It’s a big change."

Lucian watched me for a long second before turning toward my open suitcase on the bench.

"Your things are minimal," he said coldly. "Mrs NaNa will take you shopping tomorrow for a proper wardrobe."

He reached down to move my black coat off the bench—and froze.

Something had fallen out of my coat pocket when I ran out of the bathroom.

It sat right on the black leather of my suitcase, brightly colored and completely out of place in the minimalist room.

A small, toy race car. Red, with scuffed paint on the wheels.

My blood turned to ice. My heart stopped.

Lucian reached down, picking up the tiny toy car. He held it up to the light, his brow furrowing as his eyes hit the toy.

He turned around slowly, staring at me with a dangerous intensity that froze the air in my lungs.

"What's this, Amelia?"

—

Lucian

The toy car felt weightless in my hand.

It was a cheap, plastic child's toy, scuffed at the bumper, with bright red paint peeling near the doors.

In a penthouse worth thirty million dollars, surrounded by imported marble and custom art, this tiny red toy car looked completely wrong.

I looked up at Amelia.

She had gone dead white. The little bit of colour she had left vanished completely, leaving her looking like she was about to faint. Her lips were parted, her chest moving fast as if she couldn't breathe.

"I asked you a question," I said, my voice dropping as I took a step toward her. "What is this?"

"It’s... it’s nothing," she choked out, her hand going straight to the silver charm at her throat. "It’s just... a charm. A good luck charm."

"A good luck charm," I repeated, my eyes narrowing.

I rolled the little wheels between my thumb and forefinger. "A toy car?"

She swallowed hard, her knuckles turning white against her blazer. "My... my nephew. My sister's son gave it to me before I moved. I keep it for good luck."

The lie was quick and smooth.

Except for one thing.

Amelia Thorne’s file was sitting on my desk downstairs. She had an older sister, but public records showed her sister was unmarried and had no children listed anywhere.

I stared down at her trembling frame. The sheer panic in her eyes wasn't the embarrassment of keeping a sentimental trinket.

It was pure terror. The terror of a woman guarding a secret.

A sharp curiosity flared in my chest—a quiet urge to strip away every defence she had built until I found whatever she was hiding.

I took another step, closing the distance between us until I was looming over her, the faint scent of rain coming off her skin.

"Your background check was thorough, Amelia," I said softly, my voice carrying a quiet warning as I held the toy out. "I don't like surprises in my house. And I especially don't like lies."

She reached out, her small hand shaking as her fingers brushed mine to take the toy car. The touch sent another unexpected spark straight through my blood, making my jaw tighten.

"It’s not a lie," she whispered, looking up into my eyes with a sudden, burning fire. "It’s just something personal. Am I allowed to have personal things in this marriage, Mr Rhodes?"

I stared down at her for three long seconds. The sheer steel in her voice, despite her shaking hands, made something dangerous stir in my chest.

"Keep the car, Amelia," I said cold and low, stepping back toward the connecting doors. "But remember the contract. Full transparency regarding anything that impacts my name."

I reached for the door handle, pausing before opening it.

"We leave for the press conference at eight on Monday," I added without looking back. "Don't be late."

I stepped into my wing and shut the door, the lock clicking into place.

I walked over to my desk, picked up my phone, and dialled Marcus.

"Yes, Mr Rhodes?"

I looked out the window at the city lights, remembering the pure panic in Amelia’s eyes when I held that toy car.

"Marcus," I commanded coldly. "Re-open Amelia Thorne's background file. I want a complete sweep of her life over the last five years. Every medical record, every apartment lease, every off-the-books transaction."

I paused, my eyes narrowing in the glass.

"Find out what she’s hiding."