CHAPTER 4, SEALED WITH A SNEER

From the floor-to-ceiling windows of his study, Ethan Gray watched the monitor of his security feed with a fascination he couldn't quite suppress. Outside the towering iron gates, the petite brunette was pacing about like a caged animal. Oh, she was so adorable.

She was, objectively, a masterpiece of contradictions. Even through the grain of the camera, her beauty was undeniable—thick, chocolate-brown hair that tumbled over her shoulders in messy waves, and a frame so slight it seemed like a strong breeze might carry her away. But it was her eyes—those soft wide, expressive chocolate-brown eyes—that seemed to intrigue him the most.

“It’s not an act! Listen to me, Ethan Gray. I was on my way to a clinic to get rid of the baby when your thugs grabbed me.”

She was such a spitfire. Fearless. It was fascinating. But then, earlier, when she had screamed these words at him, she hadn't looked like she was lying. There had been this raw, jagged sincerity in her voice…

But then his cynicism kicked back in. No way. There was no way she didn't know who he was. Every woman in the state knew his face. She’d probably targeted him at that bar, calculated the timing, and played the "innocent virgin" card to perfection.

And yet…

Her soft moans. Her delicate touch. Ethan shook his head hard as flashes of that night started to play in his head again… Who was he kidding? It was all that had been playing in his head since that night…

This woman… Just now, even being so close to her like that, arose him in a way no woman ever had. 

No, he shook his head slowly again. “You just want to get in bed with her again because she did make you feel oh so good but that's it. That's all it is. After doing it maybe three, four more times, you will lose interest… She isn't anything special at all.”

On the screen, Cassandra finally reached out and pressed the buzzer. Ethan felt a surge of triumph. He pressed a button on his remote to unlatch the gate, then turned and headed for the stairs.

“Well, hello there, my cute little Fireball,” Ethan reached the foyer with his lips pulled into a smug, devastatingly handsome smile.

“Don't call me that!” Cassandra snapped. She was standing in the center of the vast marble hall, her eyes glaring daggers at him.

But then Ethan noticed, the brunette in front of him was trembling —her fingers fidgeting as they clutched tightly the hem of her worn denim jacket, her teeth gritting. 

Was she actually upset? About all of this… Or was this the next level of her performance? His gaze darkened.

“I knew you’d be back,” he checked his Patek Philippe watch with a dramatic flair. “And it took you… what? All of forty minutes?”

Cassandra scoffed, tossing her hair back with a defiance that made his pulse jump. “Whatever. Gloat all you want, you sociopath. Are we doing this or not?”

Ethan chuckled, the sound rich and low. “Of course we are, Fireball.”

She nodded, her eyes hardening into flint. “Then let’s get to it. But I have conditions, Ethan. Non-negotiable ones.”

He raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “Of course you do. Let’s go to the library, Fireball. My lawyers are already on standby.”

It was the early hours of the morning, tiny rays of the the morning sunlight casting golden hues on Cassandra's studio apartment. The air felt different, heavy. A suitcase lay open on her floral bedspread, and she was frantically shoving sweaters, pants and dresses into it.

Her friend Nicole sat on the edge of the mattress, a taunting grin playing on her face. “And I guess that's what you get for living under a rock, my dear friend. How do you live in California and not know what Ethan Gray looks like?”

Cassandra shoved a pair of jeans into the bag with more force than necessary. “Well, sue me for being too busy trying to pass Torts and Criminal Law to care about conglomerates, celebrities, socialites and the likes.”

Cassandra shoved a pair of jeans into the bag with more force than necessary. “Well, sue me for being too busy trying to pass Torts and Criminal Law to care about conglomerates, celebrities, socialites and the likes. Or for being too busy living my life to care about how others are living theirs.”

“Living your life you say?” Nicole teased, though her voice held a note of softness… subtle pity.  “Nah, you have not been living, girl… Sad to say but you don't even have a life. But you are right I can't fault you for that. You do have it the hardest than most.”

Cassandra shot her a sharp look. “Oh, thank you for that insightful psychological profile, Nikki. Very helpful.”

Nicole laughed, hopping off the bed to help move a stack of books. “I’m just saying! The first time you decide to have a wild night out, you accidentally sleep with the most eligible, most ruthless, and—let’s be honest—most gorgeous bachelor in the country. And now? Now you’re even marrying the man.”

“It’s a pretend marriage,” Cassandra corrected, rolling her eyes so hard it hurt. She paused, holding a folded cardigan as her voice softened. “There is a contract, Nikki. One year. That’s it.”

“Yeah, yeah… tell that to the rest of the women in this city.”

Cassandra rolled her eyes hard. Still Nicole went on. “Every woman from here to San Francisco would kill to be in your shoes. And girl, you will be living all of our fantasies. Oh, I am so jealous of all the things that's going to go down between you and him in there.”

“Nothing is going to go down, Nikki! Get your mind out of the gutter!” Cassandra felt her cheeks flush a deep crimson.

“Oh, please. You’ve seen him. Those eyes? That jawline? You’re telling me you’re going to be roommates with a Greek god and just… play Scrabble?”

Cassandra shook her head, turning back to her wardrobe. “It’s a massive house. I probably won’t even see much of him unless we have to go for some public event. The contract is clear: we don’t get involved in each other's private lives. And honestly, I want nothing to do with a man who thinks he can buy people like furniture.”

Nicole’s expression softened, and she stepped forward, placing a hand on Cassandra’s arm. “Hey. This is a blessing in disguise, Cassie. Think about your mom.”

Cassandra let out a long, shuddering sigh. “I know. I just paid the surgery deposit with the check of the advance payment he gave me. But at what cost?” She looked down at her flat stomach, her hand instinctively resting over it. “This baby… it’s just a trophy for him. A way to win a company. I’m using my own child to save my mother, Nikki. Doesn't that make me a terrible person? What kind of life would I be subjecting my child to for my own selfish reasons?”

“No,” Nicole said firmly, turning Cassandra to face her. “You are just a daughter who loves her mother. And come on, this child will be a Gray. It will have a good life definitely. Stop being so hard on yourself.”

Cassandra sniffed, wiping a stray tear before it could fall. “Yeah. Whatever.” She zipped the suitcase shut with a definitive click. 

“There’s a party tonight. The Vanguard Emerald Gala. Ethan says he’s announcing our engagement and the… the pregnancy there.”

Nicole gasped, her eyes lighting up. “The Vanguard Gala? That’s the highest of high-end, Cassie! That’s the inner circle of the Gray Dynasty.”

Cassandra just drew a sharp, shaky breath, looking around her small, safe apartment for the last time. 

“Well, I’m definitely not looking forward to it...”