POISONOUS SMILES

CHAPTER TWO: POISONOUS SMILES

SERENA'S POV

My thumb hovered over my phone as the call ended, but Caspian’s sharp voice cut through the doorway before I could decide what to do next.

“Serena. Now.”

I tossed the phone on the bed, my heart racing, and quickly threw on the emerald green gown he’d chosen for me. The fabric clung to my curves like a second skin, expensive and suffocating. I pinned my hair up, slapped on a smile that felt like a mask, and met him in the foyer.

The ride to the charity gala was silent, and thick with tension. His hand rested possessively on my thigh the entire time, his thumb stroking absentmindedly as if marking territory. Every touch sent unwelcome heat through me, reminding me of how he’d fucked me senseless just hours ago. I hated how my body still ached for more even while my mind screamed for him to go to hell.

Flashes of light exploded the moment we stepped out of the black car. I plastered on the perfect wife smile, leaning into Caspian’s side like the devoted partner the world expected. His arm wrapped around my waist.

“Mrs. Laurent! Over here!”

A reporter shoved a microphone forward, her eyes gleaming with malice. “Is it true you’re cheating on your husband? Sources say you were seen leaving a hotel with another man last week. Care to comment?”

The question hit like a slap. My stomach twisted. Before I could open my mouth to deny it, because of course it was another lie. Caspian’s voice cut through the crowd like steel.

“I can assure you that’s not going to happen,” he said smoothly, his grey eyes cold as he pulled me tighter against him. “My wife knows exactly who she belongs to. Don’t you, darling?”

The cameras ate it up. I forced a nod, my cheeks burning with humiliation and something hotter I refused to name. His fingers dug into my waist in warning. We moved inside the grand hall before anyone could ask another question.

The opulent ballroom glittered with crystal chandeliers and designer gowns. Laughter and clinking glasses filled the air. Only three months ago, I had been one of the staff here. Kissing asses, fixing centerpieces, and praying for tips big enough to cover Lucas’s medication. Now I was on the other side, a shiny trophy on the arm of the most powerful man in the room. The irony tasted bitter.

Caspian led me to our reserved table near the stage, his hand never leaving the small of my back. He leaned down, brushing a tender kiss against my cheek. His lips lingered just long enough for the cameras to catch it, but his words were pure ice.

“I need to speak with the organizers about the merger announcements. Behave yourself, Serena.”

Then he was gone, disappearing into the crowd of suits, leaving me alone at the table with a glass of champagne I didn’t dare drink too fast.

I sat there, forcing small smiles at passing guests, but my mind kept drifting back to that phone call from Lucas’s doctor I had received right before we left the mansion. Dr. Ramirez had sounded urgent. Lucas’s condition was deteriorating faster than expected. He needed the experimental procedure moved up immediately, or the waitlist could mean months. Maybe too late.

I needed to ask Caspian to pull strings. Make a call. Donate whatever it took to get my brother to the top of the list. But I already knew the price. With him, nothing was free. He’d want something in return.

For Lucas, I reminded myself. I’d crawl if I had to. I’m willing to pay whatever he demands.

A sharp, familiar laugh cut through my thoughts.

“Well, well, well. Isn’t it the great Mrs. Laurent?”

Vivian Moretti sauntered over in a blood-red dress that screamed look at me, her perfect blonde waves cascading down her back. She was everything I wasn’t. Polished, wealthy by birth, and obsessed with the man who now wore my ring. Her smile was all venom wrapped in sugar.

I straightened in my seat, refusing to shrink. “Vivian. Always a pleasure.”

She slid into the chair beside me without invitation, crossing her long legs. Her eyes raked over me with open disdain. “Cute dress. Though it’s a little… obvious, don’t you think? Trying so hard to look like you belong here.” She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. “Tell me, how does it feel knowing the entire room is whispering about you? The little event planner who spread her legs and trapped a billionaire into marriage.”

My fingers tightened around the stem of my champagne flute. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Vivian.”

She laughed again, loud enough for nearby guests to glance our way. “Jealous? Of you? Please. Everyone knows Caspian will tire of his little charity project soon. He needs a real wife. Someone who understands his world. Not some gold-digging whore who got lucky with a scandal.”

The words stung, but I refused to let her see it. Instead, I smiled sweetly, channeling every ounce of rebellion that kept me going. “Funny. He seemed pretty satisfied this morning when I had him pinned under me in our bed. Moaning my name, actually.”

Vivian’s perfectly Botoxed face twitched. For a second, anger flashed in her eyes before she masked it with another laugh. “Keep telling yourself that. We all know about the photos. The real ones.”

My blood ran cold. How does she know? Vivian was involved? Or just fishing?

Before I could press her, Caspian returned. His presence was immediate. Tall and commanding, the air shifting around him. He placed a possessive hand on my shoulder, grey eyes flicking between us.

“Vivian,” he said coolly. “I didn’t realize you were here.”

She stood gracefully, flashing him a dazzling smile that made my stomach turn. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, darling. Congratulations on the marriage, by the way. Such a… practical arrangement.”

Caspian’s fingers tightened on my shoulder. “If you’ll excuse us.”

As she walked away, Caspian took the seat she vacated and lead towards me. “How are you?”

“I swallowed. The favor I needed to ask burning on my tongue. Lucas’s pale face flashed in my mind. I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Caspian… I need to talk to you about something important. It’s about Lucas. The doctor called right before we left. He needs that experimental procedure moved up immediately. I was thinking—”

He cut me off with a low, dangerous chuckle. “Come with me.” He said, pulling me to my feet.

He dragged me to the balcony of the hall and backed me up towards the railing.

His thumb brushed the underside of my breast through the fabric, sending unwanted sparks through me. God, I hated how easily he could turn my body against me.

“I’ll consider it,” he murmured, lips ghosting my neck. “But everything has a price. Tonight, after this gala, you’re going to show me exactly how grateful you can be. On your knees. Begging nicely.”

My breath hitched. Part of me wanted to slap him. Another part remembered how good it felt when he lost control. But Lucas’s life was on the line.

“Fine,” I whispered, voice shaking with anger and something hotter. “But this doesn’t mean I like you.”

His smirk was pure sin. “We both know that’s a lie.”

As he pulled me back toward the room, my phone vibrated in my clutch. “I'll be right out.” I told him as I stayed behind.

Another message from her.

A: We need to talk.

Me: Stop contacting me. There is nothing to talk about.

A: What if he finds out you're lying to him?