Chapter three

A Dangerous Game

Claire had spent years dreaming of this moment—watching Liam and Ava’s carefully curated world crumble, seeing the shock on their faces, the betrayal in Liam’s eyes, the cracks forming in Ava’s perfectly constructed facade. But even in her wildest fantasies, nothing could have prepared her for the sheer satisfaction coursing through her veins at this very moment.

Her engagement to Adrian Blackwood.

The man Liam could never compete with.

The press erupted like a swarm of hungry vultures.

“Miss Donovan, how long have you and Mr. Blackwood been together?”

“Liam, what do you think about your ex-fiancée moving on with your biggest business rival?”

“Ava, any comments?”

Flashes of cameras illuminated the tension in the air, highlighting the tight set of Liam’s jaw, the way his fingers twitched slightly at his sides. Claire had learned how to read him in the years they were together, and right now? He was barely holding it together.

But it was Ava’s reaction that truly fed Claire’s sense of victory.

For the briefest second, Ava’s mask cracked—her lips parted, her carefully placed expression faltering before she caught herself.

Then, she let out a well-rehearsed laugh, gripping Liam’s arm in a show of possession. “I’m just shocked, really,” she said, shaking her head as if she actually gave a damn. “I mean, Claire, you disappeared for years. And now you suddenly reappear with him?”

Her pointed gaze flicked toward Adrian, an unspoken challenge laced in her words. She wanted Adrian to deny Claire, to give her an opening to tear this engagement apart.

Claire squeezed Adrian’s arm in response, stepping closer in silent defiance. Not that I owe you an explanation, Ava, but my life isn’t any of your business.

Liam’s voice cut through the conversation, low and edged with something dangerous. “You should be careful, Claire. Adrian Blackwood isn’t the kind of man you think he is.”

Claire felt the way Adrian stiffened beside her, his aura shifting from indifferent to something sharper. But he didn’t speak right away. He let the tension build, let Liam’s words hang in the air like a loaded gun.

And then, finally, with a slow exhale, Adrian turned to Liam.

“And you would know that how, Carter?”

The challenge was effortless, yet absolute.

Liam’s expression flickered—just for a moment. A tell. A crack in his confidence.

Gotcha.

Adrian’s lips twitched, amusement flickering in his dark gaze. “I can assure you, Carter, my fiancée is in very good hands.”

Claire resisted the urge to smirk. He was enjoying this as much as she was.

Ava, sensing Liam losing control of the situation, let out another airy laugh. “Well, I suppose congratulations are in order.”

Claire tilted her head, watching Ava carefully. “Oh, trust me, Ava. You’ll want to save those.”

Ava paled.

And just like that, Claire knew she was winning.

Behind Closed Doors

The moment they stepped into the sleek black town car, the tension still thick between them, Claire let out a breath and unclasped her grip from Adrian’s arm. The heat of the cameras, the questions, the eyes on her—it had been exhilarating, but also exhausting.

“Enjoy yourself?” Adrian’s voice was smooth, casual, but there was something knowing in the way he asked.

Claire turned to face him. “Immensely.”

His smirk deepened. “Good.”

She hated that his approval stirred something inside her.

The driver pulled away from the event, the city lights casting shadows across Adrian’s sharp, unreadable features. He was studying her now, the way a man might study an opponent rather than a partner.

“You played your role well,” he admitted after a beat.

Claire exhaled, glancing out the window. “Years of pretending to be the perfect fiancée. I’ve had practice.”

Adrian hummed in response. “Carter didn’t expect that. He’s rattled.”

Claire’s lips curved. “Oh, he’s more than rattled.”

Adrian leaned back, resting his arm along the seat, his dark eyes studying her more intently now. “You enjoyed getting under their skin.”

She met his gaze without hesitation. “Wouldn’t you?”

A slow, knowing smile spread across his face.

“Perhaps we’re more alike than I thought.”

Living in His World

Blackwood Tower.

Claire had seen the towering, glass-encased building from a distance before, but standing inside it, she finally understood the weight it carried. Everything about Adrian’s world exuded power—the polished marble floors, the sleek, minimalist decor, the scent of leather and expensive cologne lingering in the air.

As they entered the penthouse, she barely had time to take in the modern luxury before Adrian turned to her.

“This is where you’ll be staying,” he said, hands casually in his pockets.

Claire raised an eyebrow. “You mean where we’ll be staying.”

He tilted his head, amusement dancing in his gaze. “You assumed I’d be sharing a bed with you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Please. I assumed you’d at least have a guest room.”

Adrian smirked. “I do. But public appearances require convincing chemistry. That includes people seeing us come out of the same suite.”

Claire folded her arms. “And inside the suite?”

His gaze darkened, the air between them shifting. “Inside, you’re safe from me. Unless, of course, you decide otherwise.”

Her breath hitched.

Damn him.

She turned away, pretending to inspect the massive windows that overlooked the city. “Well, that’s reassuring.”

Adrian’s voice remained casual, but firm. “Tomorrow, we make our first public outing as an engaged couple. Be ready by eight.”

Claire exhaled, running a hand through her hair.

She had officially entered Adrian Blackwood’s world.