Alex woke to sunlight.
It cut across the bedroom in sharp lines through the tall glass windows.
For a moment he didn't remember where he was.
Then the ceiling came into focus.
Too smooth.
Too expensive.
Too quiet.
"Right," he muttered.
"The billionaire."
He sat up slowly.
The room was silent except for distant traffic far below.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Alex frowned.
He rarely received messages this early.
He picked it up.
Thirty-two notifications.
Alex blinked.
"Great."
He opened the first one.
A news alert.
NEW DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT LAURENT'S MYSTERY HUSBAND
Alex sighed and dropped the phone back on the bed.
"Of course."
He rubbed his face and stood.
The floor was warm.
The room smelled faintly of clean linen and the city morning.
Alex pulled on a shirt and walked into the living room.
Adrian was already awake.
Of course he was.
He stood near the kitchen counter reading something on his tablet while drinking coffee.
His posture was perfect.
Calm.
Untouchable.
Alex leaned against the doorway.
"You ever sleep?"
Adrian didn't look up.
"Yes."
"When?"
"Earlier."
Alex walked into the kitchen.
The coffee machine hummed quietly.
He poured himself a cup.
"You see the news?"
"Yes."
Alex took a sip.
"Your enemy is busy."
"Yes."
Alex leaned against the counter.
"They're saying I'm connected to money laundering now."
"Yes."
Alex blinked.
"That escalated."
Adrian placed the tablet on the counter and turned it toward him.
Alex looked down.
Several headlines filled the screen.
LAURENT'S NEW HUSBAND LINKED TO SHADOW FINANCE NETWORK
WHO REALLY IS ALEX CARTER?
Alex sighed.
"I was a broke graphic designer two weeks ago."
Adrian took another sip of coffee.
"Yes."
Alex rubbed the back of his neck.
"This is surreal."
Adrian studied him.
"You're calm."
Alex shrugged.
"Panicking won't help."
"No."
Alex sat on one of the stools.
"So what's the move?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Then he said,
"Victor wants pressure."
Alex nodded slowly.
"And?"
Adrian leaned against the counter.
"So we remove the pressure."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"How?"
Adrian looked at him.
"We give the market something stronger than rumor."
Alex frowned.
"That sounds dangerous."
"It is."
Alex drank his coffee.
"That's becoming a theme."
The elevator chimed.
Alex glanced toward it.
"Please tell me that's breakfast and not another corporate assassin."
Adrian didn't answer.
The doors opened.
Elena Vargas stepped out.
She carried a folder and her tablet.
"Good morning."
Alex lifted his cup.
"Morning."
Elena walked toward them.
Her eyes moved quickly between the two men.
"You've both seen the news."
"Yes," Adrian said.
Alex nodded.
"Hard to miss."
Elena placed the folder on the counter.
"There's more."
Alex groaned.
"Of course there is."
Elena opened the folder.
Inside were printed photos.
Alex leaned closer.
They showed his old apartment building.
Men standing outside.
Cameras.
Reporters.
Alex exhaled slowly.
"They found it."
"Yes," Elena said.
Alex looked at Adrian.
"You told me security would stop that."
"They can't stop reporters."
Alex rubbed his eyes.
"This is getting ridiculous."
Elena spoke calmly.
"Victor is pushing the narrative aggressively."
Alex sighed.
"What narrative?"
"That you're a liability."
Alex laughed quietly.
"That's harsh."
Elena didn't smile.
"It's effective."
Alex looked at Adrian.
"You're very calm about this."
"Yes."
Alex shook his head.
"I'm starting to understand how people go insane around you."
Adrian ignored that.
"Elena."
She nodded.
"Yes."
"Prepare the announcement."
Alex blinked.
"Announcement?"
Elena looked at him.
"We accelerate phase two."
Alex stared at both of them.
"Phase two?"
Adrian finally looked directly at him.
"The company retreat."
Alex frowned.
"That sounds relaxing."
"It isn't."
Elena added,
"Every major shareholder will attend."
Alex leaned back.
"That sounds worse."
Adrian continued calmly.
"You'll be there."
Alex stared.
"I will?"
"Yes."
Alex rubbed his face.
"Fantastic."
Elena closed the folder.
"This changes the narrative."
Alex frowned.
"How?"
Adrian answered.
"Visibility."
Alex looked at him.
"That's your solution?"
"Yes."
"Public exposure?"
"Yes."
Alex laughed softly.
"You're insane."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex looked toward the window.
The city stretched endlessly below.
Somewhere out there Victor Moreau was probably watching this unfold.
Alex sighed.
"You know something?"
Adrian waited.
"I thought marrying a billionaire would make my life easier."
"Yes."
Alex gestured toward the headlines on the tablet.
"That was clearly incorrect."
Elena almost smiled.
Alex stood and walked toward the window.
Traffic moved slowly below.
Morning sunlight reflected off the glass towers around them.
"This city is brutal," he said quietly.
"Yes," Adrian replied.
Alex turned.
"And now I'm part of its favorite story."
"Yes."
Alex crossed his arms.
"Well."
He looked at Adrian.
"If we're going to play this game…"
Adrian waited.
Alex smiled faintly.
"Let's win."
Elena studied him carefully.
"You're adapting quickly."
Alex shrugged.
"I hate bullies."
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"Victor is more than a bully."
Alex nodded.
"I know."
He looked toward the skyline again.
"But he still made the same mistake."
Adrian asked quietly,
"What mistake?"
Alex glanced back at him.
"He thinks I'm scared."
The room went silent.
Adrian watched him.
Elena did too.
Alex finished his coffee and set the cup down.
"Fear makes people predictable," he said.
Adrian nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Alex smiled.
"I'm not predictable."
Elena closed the folder and picked up her tablet.
"I'll prepare the announcement."
She walked back toward the elevator.
Before the doors closed, she looked at Alex.
"One warning."
Alex tilted his head.
"What?"
"The retreat will be… intense."
Alex shrugged.
"I survived dinner with Victor."
Elena nodded.
"That was the easy part."
The elevator doors closed.
Silence returned.
Alex leaned against the window again.
"You know something?"
Adrian waited.
"This fake marriage…"
"Yes."
"…is turning into a very real problem."
Adrian looked at the skyline.
"Yes."
Alex crossed his arms.
"Good."
Adrian glanced at him.
"Good?"
Alex nodded.
"I was getting bored."
For the first time that morning—
Adrian almost smiled.
Almost.
Outside, the city continued moving.
But somewhere inside the towers of Laurent International, the next move in the war had already begun.