CHAPTER 4

ALYANA POV

The clock on the wall of the East Wing suite ticked in the silence, keeping me awake. I stared at the ceiling, thinking about the warmth of Leo’s hand against mine. It felt like a long time ago when we were just two kids dreaming of leaving our small town. Now, I was stuck in a house that felt empty, and he was the brother of the man who had bought me.

I sat up, feeling the silk pajamas offer little against the chill in the room. I needed to get up. I needed space to think.

I crept out of my room, my bare feet quiet on the cold marble floor. I knew the rules—stay in the East Wing—but the library was just across the foyer, and Julian’s study was on the other side of the house. I only needed one book, one thing to focus on so my mind would stop racing.

The library was dim and smelled of old paper. I didn’t turn on the lights. The moonlight through the high windows was enough to make out the shelves.

"I figured you couldn't sleep either."

I nearly jumped, Leo was sitting in a deep armchair in the corner, holding a glass of water. He stood slowly, the moonlight catching his blonde hair.

"You scared me," I whispered, clutching the front of my silk robe. "You shouldn't be here, Leo. Julian said—"

"Julian says a lot of things," Leo said, stepping closer. "He doesn't own the air in this house, Aly. Not yet."

"He owns the contract," I said, my voice trembling. "He paid the debt. If I leave, my father goes to jail, and my sister loses everything. It’s not that simple. I can’t just walk out the door.”

​Leo stopped just a foot away from me. In the dark, the kid I used to know was gone, replaced by someone much harder. "My father and Julian... they think everything is an asset," he said. "But they’re wrong. I’ve been digging into the family accounts for months. There are ways to void that contract, Aly. The legal loopholes alone could bury them if we play this right."

"And then what?" I asked. "Where would I go? My father wouldn't take me back. I’m just a failed transaction to him now."

Leo reached out, his hand steady on my arm. "Come with me. I have a place in London—somewhere the Vances don't own. I can get your sister there, too. We can actually start over this time. No more hiding, Aly. No more pretending.”

I looked into his eyes, and for a second, I was seventeen again, standing on that pier. The promise of a life without fear was so close I could almost taste it. "You’d really risk your position in the company for me? Julian would ruin you."

"Let him try," Leo said, his voice dropping to a low, firm whisper. "He’s a man behind a mask, Aly. He hides because he doesn’t trust anyone. I’m not afraid of him. I can get you out of this. Just say the word."

I opened my mouth to answer, my heart racing. The choice felt impossible. On one side was the cold, silent safety of being Julian’s wife in name only; on the other was stepping into the unknown with a man I hadn’t seen in years

Creak.

The library door opened. The house was so quiet that the sound made us both stop.

A tall figure stood in the doorway. The hallway light behind him threw his silhouette across the floor. Julian didn’t move or speak. He just stood there, the light catching the matte surface of his mask.

"Julian," Leo said, stepping in front of me. He was trying to protect me, but it only made things more tense. "We were just talking."

Julian walked into the room. He didn't even look at Leo. He just stared at me, noticing how I was holding my robe and how close Leo was standing.

"The East Wing ends at the foyer, Alyana," Julian said. He sounded so calm that it actually made me more scared.

"I couldn't sleep," I said, my voice shaky. "I just wanted a book.”

Julian ignored my explanation. He turned toward his brother. The mask hid his expression, but I could see the tension in his jaw.

"Get out, Leo," Julian commanded.

"She’s allowed to have a conversation, Julian," Leo said, standing his ground. "You can't just lock her up.”

Julian took another step forward, stopping right in front of Leo. He was half a head taller, and noticeably broader.

"This is my house," Julian said quietly. "She’s my wife. Every minute you spend with her without my permission brings you closer to losing your trust fund and your position in the company. Don’t test me tonight. I’m not in the mood."

Leo clenched his fists. He looked at me like he was sorry, then looked back at his brother. For a second, I thought he was actually going to punch him. I thought a fight was about to break out right there in the library.

But Leo saw the look in Julian’s eye—the same hard expression I had seen at breakfast. It was the look of someone who had stopped pretending.

"This isn’t over," Leo muttered. He brushed past Julian, his shoulder bumping into him. He didn’t look back as he walked down the hallway.

The door stayed open, letting cool air from the hallway drift inside.

I was alone with him.

Julian didn’t move toward me right away. He stayed where he was, his breathing slow and steady. The silence felt heavier than if he had yelled. I wrapped my arms around myself, aware of how alone I was in the dark library.

"Come here," Julian said.

I didn’t move. I was too scared to take a step.

"I said, come here, Alyana."

I walked toward him, shaking, until I was right in front of him. He smelled whiskey. When he reached out, I moved back quickly, thinking he was going to grab me hard like he did before.

Instead, his gloved hand moved slowly, brushing a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. The touch was light, but his gaze held me in place.

"If I find him near you again," Julian whispered, his face inches from mine, "I won't just send him to his room. Do you understand me?"

I nodded. I couldn't even speak.

"Good," he said. He held my chin, making me look at him. "Go back to bed and stay there. If you want a book, tell Marcus. Don't go looking around in the dark. You might find something you're not ready for."

He let go of me and pointed toward the door. I hurried past him, my heart beating so fast I was sure he could hear it. I didn't stop running until I was back in the East Wing, alone in my room and gasping for breath.