Our arrival in Zurich was as cold and efficient as Adrian himself, we were immediately rushed through a back entrance of the Grand Hotel, dodging the aggressive camera flashes of the waiting press, and the whole chaotic scene felt less like a glamorous trip and more like a high-security military operation, so my nerves were instantly frayed. Adrian walked ahead of me, a figure of demanding authority and sharp, intimidating silence, only giving clipped instructions to his security team and the bowing hotel staff, who looked terrified to even breathe in his imposing presence, which only made me feel more small and exposed. We reached the penthouse floor, which had been cleared entirely for our arrival, but instead of walking straight to our rooms, Adrian was met by an apologetic, sweating hotel manager, who looked like he was about to burst into tears.
The manager started rambling, stuttering an immediate excuse about an unforeseen issue with the security requirements and a major, regrettable booking error, which I instantly knew was probably a lie, and the awful, immediate conclusion was clear when the manager gestured helplessly toward the single door. "Mr. Richard, due to an unavoidable security mandate combined with a technical error, we could only secure one available suite on this floor that meets your strict requirements, sir," the poor man stammered out, looking ready to face the firing squad. Adrian's face instantly darkened, his eyes turning to chips of glacial ice, and the air around him became so incredibly heavy and cold that I honestly thought the manager might simply faint from the sheer tension, but before Adrian could unleash his full fury, he looked at me, and his jaw tightened with reluctant calculation.
He clearly saw the necessity of maintaining the perfect, united facade for the public, which meant avoiding a highly visible scene in the lobby, and he simply gave a short, sharp nod, dismissing the manager with a cold flick of his hand. "Fine, it is adequate for one night, but ensure every security parameter is triple-checked, and do not make this mistake again, or you will find a new profession," Adrian commanded, his voice deadly low and promising absolute disaster, before he turned and simply pushed the heavy suite door open, leaving me no choice but to follow him into the luxurious, confining space.
The suite was breathtaking, a sprawling display of white marble, dark chrome, and panoramic views of the entire glittering city, but my eyes immediately locked onto the bedroom, which featured a single, massive four-poster bed that dominated the entire room, and my breath hitched painfully in my throat. This was no simple shared suite with two bedrooms, this was forced proximity in its most extreme form, and the sudden, terrifying realization that we would be sharing this space, and that bed, for the entire night sent a jolt of panic and a completely unwelcome wave of physical heat washing over my skin, which was a deeply confusing reaction.
Adrian, completely ignoring the massive bed, went straight into the adjoining office nook, already pulling out his tablet and spreading complex files across the desk, making it clear that business was his only priority, and he finally spoke to me without even looking up. "We have an early start for the first meeting, so handle your things quickly, and ensure you remain out of sight for the next few hours, because I have calls to make, and your presence is only required when the cameras are on," he stated, his voice flat and impersonal, treating me like a necessary, expensive piece of furniture he had to reluctantly tolerate. I managed a quiet, simple nod, feeling an overwhelming urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of his command, because in a suite with a single bed, being "out of sight" was literally impossible, but I retreated to the massive marble bathroom, needing the time to try and regain my scattered composure.
I spent nearly forty minutes in the bathroom, using the expensive, unnecessary luxury of the deep tub to try and calm my frantic heartbeat, but the forced realization that Adrian was just on the other side of the thin, closed door kept my senses intensely heightened, making me acutely aware of every single tiny sound he made. Finally, knowing I couldn't hide in there all night, I wrapped myself tightly in a thick, terrycloth robe and opened the door, stepping back into the bedroom, only to instantly freeze in my tracks, because Adrian had just emerged from the small, second shower room near the luggage, completely catching me off guard.
He wasn't fully naked, but he was only wrapped in a single, dark gray towel that was barely secured low on his narrow hips, and the sight of him—the sheer, raw power of his sculpted chest, the wet, dark hair clinging to his broad shoulders, and the sharp lines of his deeply muscled body was a sudden, dizzying shock that made me instantly suck in a fast, sharp breath. He looked rough, wild, and incredibly potent, a powerful force of nature completely unlike the perfectly tailored, cold businessman I usually saw, and the purely sexual tension in the small space became instantly thick and overwhelming, making my palms sweat and my heart pound painfully against my ribs. I knew I couldn't stare, I couldn't show any sign that I was seeing him for the first time as a man, so I quickly averted my gaze, rushing past him toward the luggage rack, pretending to frantically search for an imaginary missing item, trying to act like a wet, powerful, and half-naked billionaire was the most common thing in the world.
"Bathroom is free now," he said simply, his voice low and utterly devoid of emotion, confirming he hadn't noticed my complete internal meltdown, and he walked past me, the faint, clean scent of expensive soap and pure male power trailing behind him, making my skin prickle with desperate awareness.
Later, the lights were finally dimmed, Adrian had settled into his side of the huge bed, completely facing away from me, and I slid cautiously onto my side of the mattress, the crisp, cool linen feeling impossibly huge, yet also terrifyingly small. The massive bed felt more like a tiny life raft on a dangerous, empty ocean, and every single part of me was wired, unable to relax, because the small distance between us felt like a fragile, inadequate boundary, a line that shouldn't be crossed, but one that my body desperately wanted to trespass. I could feel the intense, overwhelming heat radiating off his body, the steady, rhythmic sound of his deep breathing filling the quiet room, and the primal awareness of him lying so close was a physical torture, making me ache with a terrifying curiosity that had nothing to do with Sophia or my family's crumbling reputation.
I finally drifted off to a fitful, shallow sleep, only to wake up again hours later, right in the deep, quiet darkness of the pre-dawn, instantly alert and completely unable to move. I stayed rigid for a long, quiet moment, simply listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing, which was the only sound in the huge suite, and then, slowly, carefully, I turned my head on the pillow, allowing myself a single, forbidden glance at the man lying beside me, knowing this was the one moment he couldn't see my true reaction.
Adrian was deeply asleep, his usually tight, controlled expression completely smoothed out, and without the hard shield of his focus and his icy stare, he looked surprisingly vulnerable and gentle, like a boy instead of the relentless tycoon who controlled global finance, and the sight was profoundly disturbing to my carefully constructed defenses. His muscular arm was thrown loosely over the sheets, and the shadow of his thick, dark eyelashes rested softly against his cheek, making him look devastatingly sexy in the low light, and the unexpected sight of that unguarded moment made a sharp, painful pang shoot through my own chest, which was a frightening and completely inappropriate feeling. This cold, powerful man who was my captor and the key to my freedom, was also unexpectedly beautiful and gentle when he was truly unaware, and I stared at the man who was both my husband and my enemy, knowing that this dangerous, magnetic connection was the biggest threat to my secret, because the genuine attraction was making my fake role feel intensely, terrifyingly real.