BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Sienna stood in front of the large floor-to-ceiling windows of Damien’s penthouse, gazing out at the sprawling city below. The lights glittered in the distance, but to her, it all felt so far away. The vast expanse of the skyline mirrored the chasm growing between her and Damien—an invisible gulf that was slowly widening the more she learned about the life he led.

Damien had been unusually quiet since they left the boardroom, and Sienna had noticed the change in his demeanor. He was no longer the confident, assertive man who had effortlessly dominated the room. Instead, he was more withdrawn, almost contemplative, as though he were waiting for something.

But what?

Sienna turned from the window and found him sitting on the couch, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, as if he were analyzing every move she made. The tension in the room was palpable, like a simmering pot that was just on the verge of boiling over.

She took a step forward, trying to break the silence. “Damien, about earlier…” she began, but her words trailed off. She didn’t even know where to start. There was so much to unpack, so much she had yet to understand about their arrangement, about the rules that governed his world.

He cut her off with a raised hand, his voice steady but firm. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll talk about it in time. But right now, there are more important things to discuss.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

Damien’s gaze intensified. He leaned back into the couch, his fingers tapping idly against the armrest. “We need to set some ground rules, Sienna. You and I. If we’re going to do this, there can be no misunderstanding about what’s expected.”

Her heart raced. “Expected? What are you talking about?”

He met her eyes, his expression unreadable. “Boundaries. Expectations. I won’t tolerate any confusion between us. I’m not some average man who can be easily pushed around or manipulated. I expect you to be on the same page.”

The words hung in the air like a challenge, and Sienna found herself uncertain of how to respond. There was a certain power in his voice that made her feel small, as though her opinions didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

“Boundaries,” she repeated, her voice soft. “I don’t know what you mean. We’re just engaged. Aren’t we?”

Damien’s lips curled into a half-smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Engaged, yes. But that doesn’t mean we’re equals in every sense of the word. I have a life, a business, and a reputation to uphold. You, on the other hand, have chosen to be a part of this world. You’re not here to simply play the part of a fiancée. You have a role to play, Sienna.”

Her stomach twisted at his words. She’d known this would be difficult, but hearing it so bluntly made it all the more real. This wasn’t just a marriage of convenience. This was business. A contract. And in Damien’s world, contracts were not to be broken.

She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to maintain some sense of control. “And what exactly is my role?”

Damien leaned forward, his gaze locked on hers. “To be seen. To be a symbol. To play the part of the perfect fiancée. You’ll stand by me, attend events, and make the right impression. Your job is to make people believe in us, in this relationship. Your presence is meant to elevate my status, just as mine will elevate yours.”

Sienna felt a sharp pang in her chest. “Is that all?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Damien’s expression softened, but only slightly. “That’s part of it. But there’s more, Sienna. Much more.” He stood up, moving toward her with slow, deliberate steps. “You’ll learn how to navigate the intricacies of my world—the power plays, the manipulation, the strategy behind every move. But you need to understand one thing above all else.”

Sienna swallowed, her pulse quickening. “What’s that?”

He stopped just in front of her, their faces mere inches apart. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, and it made her breath catch in her throat. He looked down at her, his voice dropping to a low, almost dangerous whisper. “You need to trust me. Because once you enter this world, there’s no turning back.”

She blinked, his words hitting her like a punch to the gut. “Trust you?” she repeated, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.

“Yes,” he said, his tone unwavering. “If you want this to work, if you want us to work, you’ll need to trust me. Not just with your body, but with your future, with your choices. I’m the one who will guide you through this world. I’ll make sure you get everything you want—and more. But only if you trust me to do so.”

Sienna stared at him, her mind racing. What was she getting herself into? This was no ordinary relationship. This was a high-stakes game, and she wasn’t sure she even knew the rules.

But there was something in his eyes that made her hesitate. Something that drew her in despite her reservations. It was the same pull she had felt since their first meeting—the dangerous allure, the promise of something more, something she couldn’t quite understand.

“Do you trust me, Sienna?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to give him the answer he was looking for, to embrace this new life with him. But something held her back. Something deep inside her told her not to give in so easily.

But as she looked into his eyes, she realized something. Maybe trust wasn’t just about giving herself over to him. Maybe it was about finding the strength to trust herself first. To stand firm in her own decisions, even as she stepped into the unknown.

She took a deep breath, her voice steady but firm. “I trust myself,” she said.

Damien’s eyes flashed with something unreadable. It was almost a challenge. “Good,” he replied. “Because in my world, trust is everything. And if you want to survive, you’ll need to learn how to trust the game.”

Sienna didn’t know if she was ready for what was coming. But she knew one thing for sure—she was already too deep in this to back out now.