All Chapters of Vows of convenience Hearts in Collision : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

I had never seen Caelum like this.The man who had towered over me in boardrooms, whose words were as sharp as glass, and whose presence dominated every room he walked into, was now… silent.Not cold. Not calculating. Silent.His jaw was tight, eyes shadowed with something I couldn’t quite name as he sat across from me in the dim light of the penthouse study. The storm outside had painted the skyline with streaks of lightning, reflections dancing across the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him. He hadn’t said a word in five minutes.And Caelum Drayke was not a man who tolerated silence.“Are you going to say something,” I asked softly, breaking the tension, “or are you waiting for me to grovel?”His gaze flicked up, those molten steel-gray eyes pinning me in place. “You think this is a game, Saphira?”I forced a cool smile. “You signed me up for this game, darling. Don’t look so surprised when I play.”He leaned forward, forearms resting on his knees. The shadows carved his face into s

I used to think the most dangerous battlefield was the boardroom. Contracts, negotiations, mergers those were the weapons I’d mastered. But tonight, as I stepped into the glittering ballroom of the Drake International Gala, I realized I was utterly unprepared for the war waged in whispers, glances, and champagne flutes.The chandeliers overhead shimmered like a thousand captive stars, their golden glow bathing everything in false warmth. Beneath them, powerful men and beautiful women moved in flawless synchronization, laughter curling like smoke, disguising sharp words and sharper intentions.And here I was, Saphira Vale Drayke by name now, thanks to a piece of paper binding me to the man beside me.Caelum’s presence was magnetic. He stood tall and sleek in his tailored black tuxedo, the crisp lines of his jacket emphasizing shoulders broad enough to bear empires. One hand rested lightly at the small of my back, not enough to restrain, but enough to remind me that I was his—at least i

POV: SaphiraI never thought I’d get used to waking up in a penthouse that scraped the clouds, but here I was, staring out of floor-to-ceiling windows at a skyline that glittered like scattered diamonds.The sheets around me were soft, scented faintly of Caelum’s cologne woodsy, expensive, and maddeningly masculine. I hated how comforting that scent had become.I swung my legs over the bed and forced myself to focus. This wasn’t home. This wasn’t forever. This was a deal.“Breakfast is ready,” a voice drawled from the doorway.I looked up, startled. Caelum leaned against the frame, sleeves rolled, tie loose, every inch the arrogant billionaire I’d sworn to despise.“I didn’t ask for breakfast,” I said coolly, grabbing my silk robe.“I didn’t ask you to marry me either,” he countered smoothly, pushing off the frame and striding inside. “Yet, here we are.”The way he said it calm, controlled, like he owned the ground I walked on sent a shiver down my spine. I hated that my pulse skipped

POV: SaphiraThe SUV’s headlights were blinding, freezing me in place like a deer caught in a hunter’s sights. My fingers clutched the envelope so tightly it crumpled under my grip, the paper cutting into my palm.The window rolled down, revealing Caelum’s face. His ice-blue eyes locked on me, expression unreadable.“Get in the car,” he said, his voice calm, deadly calm.A surge of panic shot through me. Get in? With him? The man who was either saving me or orchestrating my death?I took a shaky step back.“Saphira.” His voice sharpened, a whip crack in the night. “Now.”A second SUV screeched around the corner behind him, tires screaming on the wet asphalt. Figures in black masks leaned out of the windows, guns glinting under the streetlights.Adrenaline flooded my veins. Without thinking, I bolted.“Dammit!” Caelum’s curse was swallowed by the roar of engines as chaos erupted.Bullets tore through the quiet night, sparks flying as they ricocheted off rusted metal. I sprinted toward

POV: SaphiraThe bridge was a trap. I felt it in my bones before Caelum even slowed the SUV.The night air was thick with tension, cold wind whipping through the shattered windows, carrying the acrid scent of gunpowder. The black SUVs that had been chasing us now formed a blockade behind, their headlights blinding, hemming us in like prey caught in a hunter’s snare. Ahead, another SUV sat ominously, engine idling. Its rear window was rolled down just enough for me to see her.The woman.She was gagged, her wrists tied behind her back, and her terrified eyes met mine. The barrel of a pistol pressed into her temple.A chill crawled down my spine, freezing me in place.Caelum slammed the brakes, and the car screeched to a halt. His hands were tight on the steering wheel, muscles tense as if he was coiled to strike. I could feel his fury radiating off him in waves, his icy eyes locked on the car ahead.“Who is she?” I whispered.His jaw flexed. “Collateral.”The phone in my trembling hand