The sunlight hit the marble floors of the guest suite with a cruel brightness, waking Verina from a fitful, dreamless sleep. For a moment, she forgot where she was. She reached for the familiar, lumpy mattress of her studio apartment, but her fingers met only the cool, thousand-thread-count silk of the Vane estate.
The reality of the contract crashed down on her like a physical weight. She was no longer Verina Vance, the girl working three jobs to keep her father's heart beating. She was a ghost, a signed piece of property.
A sharp knock at the door startled her. Before she could answer, the double doors swung open, and a troupe of five women in identical grey uniforms marched in. They were led by a woman with a sharp bob and even sharper eyes who clutched a tablet like a weapon.
"Good morning, Mrs. Vane," the woman said, her voice devoid of any real warmth. "I am Beatrice, Mr. Vane's head of styling. We have exactly four hours to prepare you for the Founders' Gala. Please, step out of bed. We have much work to do."
Verina pulled the duvet tighter around her chest. "I didn't ask for a styling team. I can dress myself."
Beatrice offered a tight, pitying smile. "Mr. Vane was quite clear. The 'Vance look' is to be erased entirely. He wants you polished, expensive, and unrecognizable. Now, shall we begin with the skin treatment, or must I call Mr. Vane to discuss your cooperation?"
The threat was clear. Silas was watching, even when he wasn't in the room.
For the next three hours, Verina was poked, prodded, and painted. They scrubbed her skin until it glowed, styled her dark hair into a sophisticated, intricate updo, and draped her in a gown that cost more than her father's medical bills for the last five years. It was a deep, midnight blue, so dark it was almost black, clinging to her curves like a second skin.
"The jewelry," Beatrice commanded, snapping her fingers.
A maid stepped forward with a velvet box. Inside lay a necklace of raw diamonds, jagged and beautiful, looking more like a collar than an ornament.
"I won't wear that," Verina said, her voice finally finding its edge. She looked at her reflection, seeing a stranger with cold eyes and painted lips. "I've signed his paper, but I won't be branded like his cattle."
"It's not a brand, Verina. It's an investment."
The deep, resonant voice made the stylists freeze. Silas was standing in the doorway, his eyes raking over Verina with a slow, predatory intensity. He was already dressed in a tuxedo, looking every bit the king of the city.
He waved his hand, dismissing the staff. They vanished in seconds, leaving Verina alone with the man who owned her.
Silas walked toward her, his gaze never leaving hers. He picked up the diamond necklace from the box, the stones catching the light.
"You look breathtaking," he murmured, stopping behind her. He met her eyes in the mirror, his hands moving to her neck. The cold metal of the diamonds touched her skin, and Verina shivered. "But you're missing the finishing touch."
"Is this part of the revenge?" Verina asked, her voice trembling as he fastened the clasp. "Turning me into a doll for your friends to stare at?"
Silas leaned down, his breath warm against her ear, a stark contrast to the ice on her throat. "My friends don't matter, Verina. Only I matter. Tonight, you walk into that gala and you tell the world you chose this. You tell them you love me."
He turned her around, his hands resting heavily on her waist. "Because if they see even a crack in the mask, if they suspect for a second that you're here against your will, I will make sure your father is back in that prison cell by midnight. Do you understand?"
Verina looked up at him, her heart thundering against her ribs. She wanted to slap the smug, beautiful look off his face, but she knew the stakes.
"I understand," she whispered.
"Good girl," Silas murmured, his thumb grazing her lower lip, his eyes dropping to her mouth with a hunger that made her knees weak. "Now, put on your heels. It's time to show the world my new acquisition."
As they walked toward the elevator, Silas grabbed her hand, his fingers interlocking with hers. It looked like a gesture of love, but his grip was like iron. Verina realized then that the gala wasn't just a party, it was the first test. And if she failed, she wouldn't just lose her freedom, she would lose everything.