Episode 3
The ballroom sparkled like a dream—golden chandeliers, marble floors, and fountains overflowing with red roses. But for Aria Elwood, it felt like a golden cage. She walked beside Lucien Blackwood, her hand tucked into the crook of his arm, her diamond necklace cold against her skin.
All eyes turned toward them.
Whispers followed.
"Is that the Devil CEO's wife?"
"She's… beautiful."
"Poor girl. She doesn't know what she's married into."
Aria kept her chin up and her smile steady. Her heart was pounding, but she had learned quickly — appearances mattered in Lucien's world.
Lucien leaned in, his breath brushing her ear.
"Smile wider. You're making me look bad."
She obeyed, her cheeks aching with the effort.
A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne. Lucien grabbed two glasses and handed her one.
"Don't drink too much," he said without warmth. "I need you alert."
"I wasn't planning to," she replied softly.
He said nothing, already scanning the crowd for someone. Aria took a slow sip, pretending to be at ease.
Then a tall, red-lipped woman approached — glamorous, dripping in emeralds. Her gaze flicked between Aria and Lucien with amusement.
"Lucien," she purred. "You finally brought your wife out of hiding."
Lucien's jaw tightened. "Celeste."
Celeste extended her hand to Aria with a smile too sharp to be kind. "You must be Aria. I've heard… interesting things."
Aria took her hand politely. "I hope only the good things."
Celeste laughed, a low, mocking sound. "Darling, in this circle, good things are rarely true."
Lucien stepped between them slightly. "Excuse us. Aria needs some air."
He pulled her away before she could speak. Once they were out on the balcony, he turned sharply.
"Stay away from her. Celeste is poisonous."
Aria frowned. "She used to be someone in your life, didn't she?"
Lucien's expression darkened. "She wanted to be."
"And you didn't?"
He stepped closer. "You're here to play my wife, not question my past."
She stared back defiantly. "I just want to know what I'm dealing with."
"You're dealing with me," he said, voice low and dangerous. "Isn't that enough?"
The tension between them hung thick in the air.
Suddenly, Lucien's phone buzzed. He glanced at it and his face hardened.
"I have to handle something. Go back inside and mingle. Stay out of trouble."
He turned and disappeared into the shadows.
Aria stood there for a moment, trying to gather herself. She felt like a puppet on invisible strings, trying not to fall apart in a world built on secrets.
She returned to the ballroom, wandering near the art gallery wall where few people lingered.
A kind-looking older man in a navy suit approached her.
"Not enjoying the party?" he asked with a gentle smile.
Aria offered a polite nod. "It's… a lot."
He chuckled. "They all are. But you carry it well."
"Thank you," she said sincerely. "I'm still learning."
"Ah," he extended his hand, "Jonathan Whitmore. I'm on the Blackwood Enterprises board."
Her eyes widened. "Oh. I'm Aria—"
"I know," he said warmly. "Lucien's new bride. It's good to finally meet you."
They spoke for a few minutes, and for the first time that night, Aria felt somewhat human again.
Until Lucien returned.
He strode toward her, his face blank but his eyes ice cold.
"Aria," he said, voice clipped. "I told you not to wander."
Jonathan raised a brow. "She was just being charming, Lucien. Let her breathe."
Lucien didn't answer. He simply extended a hand. "Come."
Aria excused herself and followed him into the hallway, where no one could see them.
"What the hell were you doing?" he snapped, the mask gone.
"I wasn't doing anything wrong," she said, surprised. "He talked to me—"
"You don't talk to board members without me."
She blinked. "Why not?"
"Because you don't understand the power plays in this world. One slip from your mouth could cost me millions."
"I didn't say anything—"
"But you could have," he hissed. "You're here to be seen, not heard. Don't overstep."
Her chest ached. "Is that all I am to you? A display doll?"
His eyes bored into her. "You are a contract. A solution. Nothing more."
The words sliced through her.
Lucien turned and walked away.
And for the first time since she signed the contract, Aria realized something terrifying:
It wasn't the mansion, or the people, or the rules that would break her.
It was him.
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