"You don't trust me, do you?"
Kylie stared at Cole Walter across the private lounge of the Park West penthouse. Her arms were crossed, her red coat still on, the tension between them thick enough to slice through a wall. The city skyline glowed behind them, tall towers blinking like a kingdom of secrets.
Cole leaned back on the leather sofa, fingers steepled beneath his chin. "Trust doesn't win wars. Leverage does."
She scoffed. "So this marriage is just a move on your chessboard?"
"It's the smartest one you can make." He stood, slow and deliberate. "You want to sit at the Collins boardroom table? You need more than a sharp mouth and old blood. You need protection, power, and presence."
She walked toward the bar, poured herself a drink with shaky fingers. "And I get all that from you?"
"You get my last name. My financial shield. And a headline story that makes Sebastian Carter choke on his ego."
Kylie turned. "And what do you get out of this... husband for hire deal?"
"The name Collins destroyed my father's business years ago. I want control over what's left of that legacy. I want a seat in the room too. You give me that."
"So, we use each other."
Cole met her eyes. "Exactly."
Her heart pounded. It sounded cold. But that was the truth, wasn't it? There was no love in this deal. No affection. Just strategy. Mutual ambition. Shared enemies.
She sipped the whiskey, letting the burn focus her. "How long would the marriage last?"
"Six months. Enough time to shake up the company and install new control. Then, we divorce. Quietly. Cleanly. It will be like we never met"
"No feelings. No complications."
"No distractions."
Kylie nodded slowly. "And the public?"
"They'll think it's a whirlwind romance. Billionaire heiress falls for cold investor. Perfect story for the press."
She let out a dry laugh. "And after that?"
"You become untouchable. And I get everything I came for."
Silence. Thick. Charged and dangerous.
Kylie walked to the window. She looked down at the city below and all she could think of was how she would rule the world with fire.
"Fine," she said, turning back. "Let's do it."
Cole raised a brow. "You're sure?"
"No," she admitted. "But I stopped living safe and caring a long time ago."
He moved to the table, pulled out a folder. Contracts. Clauses. Confidentiality agreements. She sat beside him, her hand brushing his as she reached for a pen. She ignored the way it made her skin prickle.
"We'll marry next week. A private civil ceremony. I'll assign legal and PR teams to prep your new narrative. While you move in with me here. Publicly."
"Of course," she murmured. "Can't be convincing if the bride and groom don't live together"
He turned to her, serious. "You'll have full freedom to operate. But there are rules."
"Such as?"
"No scandals. No dating other people. You don't speak to the press unless cleared and necessary. You attend all events with me. No disappearing."
She raised a brow. "Anything else, oh great CEO?"
Cole's lips twitched. "Try not to fall in love with me. It complicates things."
Kylie blinked, then burst out laughing. "You're impossible."
He didn't laugh. Just looked at her with those dark eyes that always saw too much.
He gave the paper and said "Sign," softly.
She did.
The next few days were a whirlwind.
Designers came and went. Dresses were tried. A stylist was hired. Paparazzi tipped off with 'anonymous' leaks.
"Heiress Kylie Reynolds ( formerly Jacinta Collins) to wed billionaire investor Cole Walter after secret romance!"
The headlines came fast. Social media exploded.
And behind all of it, Kylie stood silent.
She posed. She smiled. She let herself be photographed with Cole at charity galas, museum auctions, and rooftop champagne nights.
Every time he touched her hand, every time he whispered in her ear, the cameras went wild. And inside, her heart stayed locked in its ice.
Until the night before the wedding.
Kylie stood alone on the balcony of Cole's penthouse. The dress rehearsal had ended. The legal teams had finalized every detail. Her fake diamond ring gleamed like truth on her finger.
Cole stepped beside her, holding two glasses of wine.
She took one without looking. "Do you ever feel like this is all one big performance?"
"That's because it is."
She sipped slowly. "Do you ever get tired of pretending?"
"Pretending is safer than feeling."
Kylie turned to him. "You really believe that?"
Cole met her eyes. "I've believed it my whole life."
She nodded. "Then we're both liars."
They stood in silence, the wind cool on their skin.
Then Cole whispered, "You're not alone, you know. Even if it feels that way."
Kylie swallowed. The words hit deeper than she expected.
"And you?" she asked. "Are you alone too?"
"Always."
The air shifted. Their eyes held. A moment bloomed, fragile and unspoken.
Then she looked away. "I should go to bed."
"Tomorrow, everything changes."
She nodded. "Let's hope it's worth it."