The Carter estate loomed on the city's northern hill, sleek and modern, a contrast to the Auroras' classic opulence. Its walls were glass and steel, its corridors silent, like a place where emotions had been locked away long ago.
Harrison, Elena, and Dina were ushered into a marble-floored sitting room by an assistant in a navy suit. Moments later, Raymond Carter entered.
Dina looked up, heart thudding against her ribs. He was even more intimidating in person. Clad in a charcoal three-piece suit with no tie, his dark hair was slicked back. He walked with the kind of calm that came from knowing he had all the power in the room.
"Mr. Aurora," Raymond said coolly, shaking Harrison's hand. He offered a tight nod to Elena and then turned to Dina. For a brief second, his eyes flicked over her, unreadable.
They sat. Silence stretched.
"I'll be blunt," Raymond said, voice low but decisive. "I have no interest in marriage."
Harrison tensed, but Raymond continued.
"However, I understand the value of appearances and alliances. My father believes your family's legacy is worth preserving, for the sake of our joint ventures."
He looked directly at Dina. "One year. We marry. Publicly, we act as husband and wife. Privately, we stay out of each other's way. You maintain your life. I maintain mine. No intimacy. No expectations. Just a contract."
Dina swallowed hard. "What happens after the year?"
"We divorce quietly. You receive a settlement. Your family retains its investors, and we move forward."
Elena opened her mouth to protest, but Harrison squeezed her hand.
Dina met Raymond's gaze. "You don't believe in love?"
His lips twitched in a humorless smile. "I believe in control. And love... complicates things."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Later that night, Dina sat in her room, staring at the ceiling. Her thoughts swirled in chaos. A year of her life, given to a man who saw her as nothing but leverage. But if she refused, her father would lose everything. Her family would fall.
She picked up the pen and signed the contract.
Three weeks later, she stood beside Raymond at a private ceremony, the guests a blur of powerful names and quiet whispers. Her ivory dress shimmered beneath the chandelier, but she felt no warmth. Raymond stood tall beside her, his face a perfect mask.
No smiles.
No kiss.
Just a deal, sealed in silence.
As the priest declared them husband and wife, Raymond leaned in just enough to whisper, "We play our parts. Nothing more."
Dina closed her eyes and whispered back, "I understand."
But her heart did not.
And far in the shadows of fate, love stirred quietly—waiting.