Loving him is a sin I can't escape

The rain hadn't stopped since morning. It streaked down the windows of Blackwood Tower, turning the skyline of New York City into a blur of grey and silver. Elena stood in Dominic Russo's office again-but this time there was no boardroom audience. Just him. And a contract lying between them like a loaded weapon.

"You've read it," Dominic said calmly. It wasn't a question. Elena's fingers tightened around the papers.

"You want me to pretend to be your fiancée."

"For six months," he corrected.

"In exchange for clearing my father's name."

"Yes."

Her chest burned. "This isn't business."

"No," he agreed quietly. "It isn't."

He rose from behind his desk and walked toward her slowly, like a predator closing distance. Every movement deliberate. Controlled.

"You left me with a scandal," he continued. "Now you help me erase one."

She met his eyes. "You're using me."

His gaze darkened.

"You used me first."

The accusation still cut.

"I never betrayed you," she whispered.

"You walked away."

"You didn't give me a chance to explain."

"You didn't try."

Silence fell. Thick. Heavy. Dangerous. Dominic stopped inches from her.

"Six months," he said quietly." Public engagement. Appearances. Dinners. Media."

"And after?"

"After," he said evenly, "we end it."

Her pulse fluttered at the coldness in his tone.

"You're that confident you won't feel anything?"

A faint smirk touched his lips.

"I don't repeat mistakes."

The words stung more than she expected.

Elena looked down at the contract again.

"You really think pretending to marry me fixes your image?"

"It stabilizes investor confidence," he replied. "And sends a message."

"What message?"

His eyes held hers.

"That I'm not alone."

The honesty in that answer startled her. Before she could respond, the office door opened without warning. A woman stepped inside. Tall. Perfect posture. Diamond earrings that caught the dim light. Blonde. Elegant. Controlled. She stopped when she saw Elena. Then she smiled.

Polite. Calculated.

"Dominic," she said smoothly. "I didn't realize you were busy." Elena felt the shift instantly. Dominic didn't move away from her. In fact-

He stepped closer.

"This isn't a meeting," he said calmly.

The woman's eyes flicked between them.

"Oh?"

Dominic placed a firm hand at Elena's waist.

Possessive.

Intentional.

"This," he said, "is Elena."

A beat of silence.

Then-

"My fiancée."

_

The word hit the room like thunder. Elena's heart skipped-but she didn't pull away. The blonde woman's smile didn't disappear. But it sharpened.

"Fiancée?" she repeated lightly.

"Yes."

"How unexpected."

Her gaze locked onto Elena now. Vivian Laurent.

Elena didn't know her personally-but she knew the name. Old money. Board connections. Family friend. Meaning: chosen. "Congratulations," Vivian said smoothly, extending her hand. Elena took it. The grip was firm. Measured. "You're back," Vivian added softly. Not a question. A statement. Dominic's hand tightened slightly at Elena's waist. "Yes," he said. "She is." Vivian's eyes flickered to the contract on the desk. Understanding dawned instantly. Her smile returned-but thinner.

"Your father won't approve."

Dominic's expression went cold.

"My father doesn't control my life."

Vivian tilted her head.

"No," she agreed softly. "But he still controls the board."

Silence. Heavy. Elena felt it then. This wasn't just about revenge. This was about power. And Vivian was part of it. Vivian stepped closer to Dominic. Close enough that Elena saw the history in her eyes.

"You should be careful," Vivian murmured.

Dominic's jaw flexed. "Careful of what?"

"Of repeating old patterns."

Her gaze slid deliberately to Elena.

"And trusting the wrong woman."

The insult was subtle.

But clear.

Elena's spine straightened.

"I don't need to be trusted," she said calmly. "Just chosen."

Vivian's smile faltered. Just slightly. Dominic looked down at Elena then. And something changed in his expression. Not anger. Not revenge. Something darker. More personal. Vivian stepped back. "I'll inform the board about the engagement," she said smoothly. "I'm sure they'll have... opinions." The door closed behind her. Silence swallowed the room. Dominic removed his hand from Elena's waist slowly.

"You didn't tell me about her," she said.

"She wasn't relevant."

"She looked very relevant."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"She was my father's preferred alliance."

"Marriage alliance?"

"Yes."

The honesty unsettled her.

"And now?"

He stepped closer again.

Close enough that her breath caught.

"Now," he said quietly, "she's a problem."

A chill slid down her spine.

"For you?" she asked.

"For anyone who stands in my way."

The intensity in his voice made her heart race.

"This engagement," she said carefully, "isn't just about image, is it?"

His gaze held hers steadily.

"No."

"Then what is it about?"

A long pause.

Then-

"You."

Her pulse stumbled.

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one that matters."

He reached for the contract and slid it toward her again.

"Sign it."

Her hand hesitated. Because suddenly, this didn't feel like pretending. It felt like stepping into a battlefield. And Vivian's warning echoed in her head. Dominic doesn't do second chances.

Elena picked up the pen. "Six months," she said quietly.Dominic's eyes darkened. "Six months."

She signed. The sound of ink against paper felt louder than thunder. Dominic signed beneath her name. It was official. But as he looked at her-

Not cold. Not triumphant. Something else.

Something possessive. Her phone buzzed suddenly. A notification lit up the screen. Breaking News: Russo Enterprises Announces Engagement. She froze.

Slowly, she looked up at him.

"You said we'd announce it next week."

Dominic didn't look surprised.

"I changed my mind."

"Why?"

His expression hardened.

"Because if the board moves first..."

His jaw tightened.

"They'll destroy you."

Her blood ran cold.

"You mean they already know."

Dominic's silence was answer enough. And for the first time Elena realized she wasn't just pretending to be his fiancée. She was being used as a shield.