The ink was barely dry on the contract when Silas snapped the folder shut, the sound echoing through the silent office like a gunshot. Verina felt a part of her soul wither away with that sound. She had sold herself to a monster, and the monster was currently looking at her as if she were a prize he had finally hunted down.
"Standalone, Verina," Silas commanded, his voice low and dangerous.
She obeyed, her legs feeling like lead. She clutched the edge of the mahogany desk to keep from falling. Silas stood up, moving around the desk with the grace of a predator. He didn't stop until he was in her personal space, the heat radiating from his body making her skin prickle.
"You look like you're going to a funeral," he murmured, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of her dark hair behind her ear. His fingers were cold, a sharp contrast to the burning heat in his gaze. "But this is a celebration. You just saved your father's life. Don't you think that's worth a smile?"
"You didn't give me a choice," Verina whispered, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. "This isn't a marriage, Silas. It's a ransom."
Silas's hand moved from her hair to the back of her neck, his grip firm but not quite painful. He leaned down, his lips ghosting over her temple. "Every marriage is a transaction, love. Yours just happens to have a higher price tag than most. Three hundred million dollars is a lot of money for one woman, even a Vance."
He pulled her closer, forcing her chest against his. Verina could feel the steady, rhythmic beat of his heart. It was calm, while hers was racing at a frantic pace.
"Tonight, you stay here," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The penthouse is your new home. My staff has already moved your things from that pathetic apartment. You won't be needing anything from your old life anymore."
"You went into my home?" Verina gasped, pushing against his shoulders. "You had no right!"
"I have every right," Silas countered, his eyes darkening with a sudden, sharp intensity. "Read the fine print, Verina. You belong to me now. Your time, your body, and your secrets. If I want to walk into your home, I will. If I want to know what you're thinking, I'll find out. You are the Vane bride now, and you will act the part."
He let go of her neck and walked toward the massive glass windows, looking out at the city he conquered every day. "The guest suite is through the double doors at the end of the hall. Don't think about running. The elevators are locked, and the security team has orders to keep you inside."
Verina looked at the doors, then back at his broad shoulders. She felt the walls closing in. "What happens tomorrow?"
Silas turned, a small, cruel smirk playing on his lips. "Tomorrow, the world finds out Silas Vane has finally found his match. We have a gala to attend, and you are going to show everyone that you are the happiest woman in the city. If you fail, if you show even a hint of misery, the debt bond goes back into effect immediately."
He walked toward her one last time, stopping just close enough to make her breath hitch.
"Go to bed, Verina. Dream of the life you used to have, because by morning, it will be gone forever."
Verina didn't wait for him to say another word. She turned and fled toward the hall, the sound of her own frantic breathing filling her ears. She found the suite, a room filled with white roses and expensive silk, but it felt like a prison cell.
She collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. She had saved her father, but as she listened to the click of Silas's door closing down the hall, she realized she had walked straight into a trap that had been set for her years ago.