“You already knew that,” he replied coldly. “I told you from the beginning, Sienna. It’s just sex.”

Tears welled in her eyes, making them shimmer under the soft lights. She reached out, gently caressing his face.

“But I love you.”

She looked at him like he was the center of her world—because he was. She had loved Adrian for so long, silently, hopelessly. She had thought he felt the same. After all, they’d been together for so long.

But Adrian showed no emotion. “That’s your problem,” he said carelessly, straightening his collar and stepping away from her. “From the very first night, I told you what this was. You were good at it, so we continued.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black card. Without a flicker of emotion, he stepped closer and slipped it down her shirt, letting it slide into her cleavage.

“Wait for me at this hotel,” he said softly. “I’ll come to you after the party’s over.”

Sienna stared at him, frozen. Her heart shattered in her chest. "You don’t want to marry me?" she whispered, her voice breaking.

He didn’t even blink. “You’re good enough to be kept as my mistress, Sienna. Good enough for sex. But don’t dream of anything more than that.”

And with that, he turned, casually adjusting his hair, and walked out of the room, never once looking back.

Sienna stood frozen. Her body burned, her fingers trembling. She shut her eyes, forcing the tears to stay in.

The noise of the party outside no longer reached the room. Silence took over, heavy and suffocating, like invisible chains wrapping around her chest until she could barely breathe.

But then… she opened her eyes.

Her spine straightened. Her hands curled into fists. Her jaw locked tight. Her face hardened into a calm, cold mask.

She turned slowly, picked up her phone from the table, and dialed a number.

It rang twice before it connected.

“Hi, Theo,” she said, clear, firm, not a single tremor in her voice. “Didn’t you say you wanted to marry me?”

A pause.

“I agree,” she said. “Let’s get married. Tomorrow.”

***

~ Two years later ~

Adrian stood near the grand entrance of the lavish hotel hall, dressed in a fitted dark-brown suit. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, exposing a glimpse of his chiseled chest and muscular neckline. The collar hung open, giving him a dangerous, untamed edge that made heads turn. No tie. No smile. Just him—silent and burning.

Inside, the luxury venue pulsed with energy. The brightest stars of the automobile industry had gathered to celebrate, the chatter buzzing like static against the clinking of glasses and flashes of cameras.

In his hand, Adrian held a whiskey glass, the amber liquid untouched. His grip on it was tight, his knuckles pale with pressure as his eyes locked on the woman who had just stepped into the party.

Sienna.

She floated into the room like a vision, her golden floor-length gown shimmering under the chandelier lights. The dress was backless, revealing the smooth curve of her spine and shoulders. Her arm was looped through the arm of the man beside her—Theo Montgomery, her husband.

Theo looked every bit the dream man. Dressed in a black tuxedo, with a strong jawline, sparkling green eyes, and a smile that had charmed countless hearts. He had been the talk of the dream of countless women before marrying Sienna Donovan, the daughter of a well-known business family in the automobile world.

They were childhood best friends turned husband and wife, a match that seemed pulled straight from a fairy tale. The golden couple of high society.

Their families weren’t as massive as Adrian’s empire, not even close. But still, the Montgomerys and Donovans were powerful enough not to be dismissed. They were still part of the upper circle. Respected. Admired.

Sienna’s smile was bright, her eyes glowing with affection as she leaned into Theo. The media swarmed around them instantly.