Chapter 5

Amber remained sitting stiffly in her chair while Dave stood very close behind her. The man’s masculine scent seemed to surround her, making it hard for Amber to breathe.

“You’re trembling,” Dave whispered. His voice was no longer cold like when he spoke to Jeff. It sounded heavy and rough.

Amber tried to stand, but Dave’s hand came down on her shoulder, gently pressing her back into the chair with quiet authority.

“Dave, you don’t have to pretend anymore. Jeff is gone,” Amber said, her voice slightly shaking.

Dave didn’t answer. Instead of stepping away, he walked around the chair and knelt on one knee in front of Amber. This position made their faces level. The small distance between them allowed Amber to see the dark glint in the man’s gray eyes.

“Pretend?” Dave repeated with a low laugh that sounded almost like a growl.

Suddenly, Dave gripped both armrests of Amber’s chair, trapping her between them. His face moved closer, only a few millimeters from Amber’s lips.

“I did it to see how far you would lower yourself for money,” Dave whispered sharply. His eyes dropped to Amber’s slightly parted lips. “And when I saw you unbuttoning your shirt one by one… I realized something, Amber.”

“W-what?”

“I don’t like sharing a show.”

Dave’s hand moved quickly, sliding his fingers into the hair at the back of Amber’s neck and forcing her to lift her face. There was no gentleness this time. This was the “wild” side of Dave he had hidden behind rumors.

“They say you’re gay,” Amber whispered, trying to hold onto the last bit of logic she had. Right now, Dave looked very normal.

“They also say I’m a cold man without feelings,” Dave replied. His breath felt hot against Amber’s skin.

“Remember this well, Amber Pierce. Out there, I’m your protector. But inside this house… I’m your owner. And rumors won’t save you from me.”

Before Amber could process his words, Dave suddenly pulled away. He stood straight again, returning to the rigid, untouchable billionaire. But Amber could see his chest rising and falling quickly, as if he was holding back a powerful explosion inside him.

“Go to your room. And lock the door,” Dave ordered. His voice sounded flat again, but this time it felt more like a warning to himself.

“I can’t guarantee your safety if you keep walking around in that dress in front of me tonight.”

Amber didn’t need to be told twice. She immediately stood up and ran to her room, her heart pounding wildly. She realized one terrifying thing: the rumors about Dave Oliver were the biggest lie in London, and she had just signed a contract to live with a hungry lion.

The next morning, the headlines of every tabloid—from the Daily Mail to high-class business journals—showed only one photo: a blurry silhouette of Dave Oliver guiding Amberlyn Pierce into his car that night.

The official engagement announcement released by Alves Tech’s public relations office became a scandal even bigger than the bankruptcy of the Pierce family.

The public was hungry for details: how could a billionaire rumored to be gay and anti-woman suddenly tie himself to the daughter of a disgraced businessman?

That night would be their first test.

The Royal Charity Gala—an event where every pair of eyes would analyze every inch of their behavior.

“Stop squeezing your fingers, Amber. You’ll ruin your delicate skin,” Dave’s voice broke the silence inside the limousine moving smoothly toward Park Lane.

Amber turned to him, her breathing uneven. Under the glow of London’s streetlights passing through the car window, Dave looked like a cruel god.

The black tuxedo he wore highlighted his broad shoulders and well-built body.

“I’m not used to all this, Dave. The last time I was in front of cameras, they shouted insults at me because of my father’s debts,” Amber whispered.

She was wearing a metallic silver silk dress. It had a bold plunging neckline and a completely open back, revealing Amber’s smooth pale skin.

Dave didn’t answer with words. Instead, he reached out, took Amber’s cold fingers, and held them firmly.

“Tonight, you are no longer the daughter of a failed man. You are Dave Oliver’s fiancée. If they look at you, it’s because they envy you, not because they insult you.”

Dave lifted Amber’s hand to his lips. The kiss didn’t land on the back of her hand, but on the pulse at her wrist.

Dave’s gray eyes looked directly at her—deep and dark.

“Remember your role, Amber. You love me, and I’m completely obsessed with you. Don’t give them any reason to doubt that.”

When the car stopped in front of the luxurious building, the noise of photographers sounded like a swarm of angry bees. Camera flashes blinded the eyes.

“Showtime,” Dave murmured.

The car door opened. Dave stepped out first, standing tall and letting the reporters take his photo for a few seconds before turning and offering his hand to Amber.

When Amber’s silver stilettos touched the red carpet, the noise reached its peak.

Dave immediately wrapped an arm around Amber’s waist, pulling her close until their hips touched. Amber could feel the heat of Dave’s hand on her bare back. The touch didn’t feel like an act. It felt too real, too possessive.

“Mr. Oliver! Is this just a distraction from the Bella scandal?” a reporter shouted.

“Miss Pierce! Is this a contract marriage to pay your father’s debts?” another yelled.

Their steps stopped in the middle of the red carpet. Amber felt her world shaking, embarrassment creeping up her neck.

But Dave stopped completely. He turned Amber so she faced him, blocking the reporters from seeing her face.

“Look at me, Amber,” Dave ordered softly. Only she could hear him in the chaos.

Dave leaned down. Amber thought he would just whisper something, but she was wrong.

Dave cupped her face with both hands and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth.

A soft yet deep and passionate kiss in front of hundreds of cameras.

The world seemed to stop. Amber could smell the scent of bourbon and masculinity from Dave’s body. She felt his tongue briefly brush her lips, sending a sensation that made her knees weak.

“Is that enough to prove that I truly want my fiancée?” Dave asked coldly, his voice echoing strongly as his sharp eyes stared at the now-silent crowd of reporters.