Elena Navarro froze in the dim hallway of Xander's penthouse, her heart slamming against her ribs. Xander stood in his doorway, shirt half-unbuttoned, dark eyes pinning her like a spotlight. "Where were you?" he asked again, his voice low and sharp, like he already knew she was hiding something. The envelope from Julian burned in her pocket, stuffed with a photo and a paper that tied her dad to some shady deal. She'd snuck out to meet Julian by the garden fountain, chasing his warning about the marriage, and now she was caught, barely an hour into her new life as Mrs. Whitmore.
"I… needed air," she said, forcing her voice to stay steady. Her fingers tightened around the envelope, hidden in her jacket. She'd been in fancy places like this before—her family's old mansion, with its marble floors and city views—but back then, she was a kid, not a wife dodging questions. Her dad's bad choices had taken that life away, and now they'd landed her here, lying to a man she didn't even know.
Xander stepped closer, his bare feet silent on the floor. The penthouse was all sleek lines and money, just like the homes she remembered from her family's rich days, but it felt like a cage tonight. His eyes narrowed, searching her face. "Air," he repeated, not buying it. "At midnight? In the garden?"
Her stomach twisted. Had he seen her with Julian? She lifted her chin, channeling the girl who used to charm her dad's business friends at parties. "It was a long day, Xander. I didn't think I needed permission to step outside."
His jaw tightened, and for a second, she thought he'd push harder. But then he sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "This isn't about permission," he said, quieter now. "We're married, Elena. People watch us. They talk. You can't just… wander off."
The word *married* hit like a stone. She wanted to snap that this was her dad's fault, not hers—Marcus and his gambling, his deals that fell apart, leaving her to fix it all. But Xander's tone wasn't cold like before. There was something else, a crack in his wall, like he was trying to figure her out. It threw her off, made her notice the way his shirt hung open, showing a sliver of his chest. Her face got hot, and she looked away, angry at herself for even noticing.
"I get it," she said, stepping back. "I'll play the part. Happy now?"
He didn't answer right away, just watched her, his eyes dark and unreadable. "I'm not trying to fight," he said finally. "But we have to be careful. My family… they expect things. So does yours."
Her dad's face flashed in her mind—pale at the wedding, whispering with Victoria Whitmore, Xander's mom. Then Julian's words: *Your dad's tied to it, and so's Xander.* The envelope felt heavier, like it could pull her under. "What do they expect?" she asked, her voice sharp. "What's this marriage really about, Xander?"
He stiffened, like she'd hit a nerve. For a moment, she thought he'd tell her something real. But then his face closed up, the wall back in place. "It's about business," he said. "You know that. Your family gets a lifeline, mine gets a merger. That's the deal."
She stared at him, her heart racing. He sounded so sure, but Julian's warning rang louder. *There's a deal behind it, something dirty.* She'd grown up watching her dad make promises he couldn't keep, smiling while everything fell apart. Xander's words felt like that, too clean, too easy. "Is that all?" she asked, stepping closer, her voice low. "Because I'm not stupid, Xander. If there's more, I deserve to know."
His eyes flickered, and for a second, she saw something—guilt, maybe, or surprise. He opened his mouth, then closed it, like he was choosing his words. "Go to bed, Elena," he said instead, turning away. "We'll talk tomorrow."
She stood there, her breath shaky, as his door clicked shut. The penthouse was quiet, but her mind screamed. He was hiding something, just like her dad always did. She'd spent years cleaning up Marcus's messes, protecting Sofia, losing her mom to his chaos. She wouldn't let this marriage be another mess she couldn't control.
In her room, she locked the door and pulled out the envelope. Her hands shook as she spread the contents on the bed. The photo showed a contract with the Whitmore logo, words like "land acquisition" and "rezoning" jumping out. The paper listed payments in millions linked to a company her dad used to run. Her stomach churned. She knew her dad was weak, always chasing money, but this? It looked like he'd sold her to cover his tracks.
Julian's face flashed in her mind—his dark eyes, his hand on her wrist, the way he'd said, I see you, Elena. Her heart skipped, and she hated it. He was Xander's brother, trouble she couldn't afford. But his words felt truer than Xander's, and his touch had lit something in her, something she hadn't felt in years. She pushed the thought away, focusing on the papers. Whatever this deal was, it wasn't just about saving her family. It was bigger, darker, and her dad was in deep.
She needed to talk to him. Marcus had dodged her at the wedding, but he couldn't hide forever. She grabbed her phone, typing a quick text: We need to talk. Now. Her thumb hovered over send, but a noise stopped her from a soft knock at her door.
"Elena?" It was Xander, his voice muffled but closer than she expected.
Her heart jumped. She shoved the papers under the pillow, her pulse racing. "What?" she called, trying to sound calm.
The door opened, and he stood there, still in his open shirt, looking less like a billionaire and more like a man who hadn't slept in days. His eyes flicked around the room, like he was checking for something. "I didn't mean to… snap," he said, almost awkward. "This isn't easy for me either."
She stared, caught off guard. Was he actually apologizing? She'd seen her dad fake remorse too many times to trust it, but Xander's face was different—tired, human. "Then why do it?" she asked, standing. "Why marry a stranger? What's in it for you?"
He hesitated, and the air got thick, like they were teetering on something real. "It's complicated," he said finally, his voice low. "But I'm not your enemy, Elena. I hope you'll see that."
Her throat tightened. She wanted to believe him, but Julian's warning, the papers, her dad's lies all screamed otherwise. Before she could answer, her phone buzzed on the bed. She glanced at it, and her blood ran cold. A text from an unknown number: Stay out of it, or Sofia pays.
Elena's hands shook. Sofia, her little sister, the one she'd do anything for. She looked up at Xander, his eyes still on her, and suddenly she wasn't sure who to trust. Was he part of this, or just another pawn like her?
"Who's that?" he asked, stepping closer, his voice sharp again.
She clutched the phone, her heart pounding. Someone knew she'd met Julian. Someone was watching.