Chapter 9: Boundaries Behind Closed Doors

The mansion felt both quiet and intimidating. Every corner was decorated with expensive abstract paintings and porcelain vases arranged with perfect symmetry, reflecting the personality of its owner—perfectionistic and rigid. Hellena continued walking along the second-floor corridor lined with thick burgundy velvet carpeting, causing their footsteps to make no sound at all.

Kael stopped in front of a double door made of solid teak wood adorned with minimalist geometric carvings. He pushed it open and stepped inside first, leaving Hellena standing motionless at the threshold.

When Hellena finally entered, her eyes widened as she took in the entire room.

The master bedroom was unbelievably spacious—perhaps even larger than the entire boarding house she rented. A king-size bed covered in dark gray silk sheets dominated the center of the room. On the left side stood a large glass door leading directly to a private balcony overlooking the backyard garden and swimming pool.

Hellena turned toward Kael, unable to hide the question written all over her face.

"Mr. Kael... are we going to share one room?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly with anxiety.

Kael removed his gray suit jacket, draped it over the back of a leather office chair in the corner, and loosened his tie.

"Yes. Starting today, you will sleep in this room with me," he answered calmly without looking at her.

"But... the contract never mentioned that we had to stay in the same room," Hellena protested softly, trying to remind him of the professional boundaries between them. "Isn't this marriage being kept secret from the public? This mansion is secure. No media would be spying on us here."

Kael paused in the middle of loosening his tie before turning to face her. He walked closer, narrowing the distance between them until Hellena had to tilt her head up just to meet his eyes.

"For the sake of authenticity, Hellena," he said, his voice low and absolute. "My mother has full access to this house. She could send her trusted people, her personal nurse, or even come here herself without warning to check on us. If they find even the slightest evidence that we sleep separately, this charade will collapse instantly."

Hellena fell silent.

Kael's explanation was perfectly logical, exactly what she would expect from a businessman who calculated even the smallest risks in every plan.

She let out a short sigh, realizing she had no strong position from which to refuse.

"I understand, Mr. Kael. I understand the situation."

"Good," Kael replied shortly, his eyes lingering on her face for a moment before he turned and headed toward the walk-in closet to change.

Hellena stared at the enormous bed in the center of the room, her emotions tangled together.

Sleeping in the same bed as a stranger—who also happened to be her boss—was far beyond her comfort zone. On top of that, because of her curvy figure, she felt she would be an inconvenience if they had to share the same bed.

When Kael emerged from the walk-in closet wearing a casual black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, Hellena immediately voiced her decision.

"I'll sleep on the floor, Mr. Kael," Hellena said firmly, pointing toward the carpeted area beside the long sofa.

Kael stopped walking, one eyebrow lifting slightly.

"On the floor?"

"Yes," Hellena replied quickly, trying to sound confident. "My body is quite large, Sir. If I sleep in the same bed as you, I'm worried I might move around too much and disturb your rest. Besides, the floor is covered with thick carpeting, so I don't think it will be too cold."

Kael stared at her intently, his eyes sweeping over her figure from head to toe with an unreadable expression. His face remained as cold as ice, yet there was a slight twitch in his jaw, indicating that he was thinking.

"Suit yourself," Kael finally replied in a cold, indifferent tone. "Do whatever makes you comfortable, as long as you don't ruin this charade in front of other people."

He then walked to his desk, opened his laptop, and immediately buried himself in digital documents, ignoring Hellena's presence entirely as though she were merely part of the room's decoration.

Hellena let out a long sigh of relief.

She walked over to the sofa, placed her bag beside it, and sat down on the edge while massaging her throbbing ankle. As she stared at Kael's broad back, she thought to herself:

One year. I only need to survive in this unfamiliar mansion for one year. After that, I'll be free.

Yet for some reason, her instincts told her that the nights she would spend in this room would never be as simple as she hoped.