Chapter 22 ~ Franklin ~ I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of my grandfather’s private study, staring out at the jagged Manhattan skyline. “He’s here, sir,” one of my grandfather’s bodyguards announced as he stepped into the room. “Let him in,” my grandfather commanded. The bodyguard nodded obediently and vanished.

Chapter 21 ~ Octavia ~ I didn’t go back to the party. I couldn’t. Every time I closed my eyes, the ghost of that image played on the back of my eyelids like a grotesque film reel: Franklin and Bella, caught in a state of indecent, feverish passion. It wasn’t

Chapter 20 ~ Franklin ~ It was my grandfather’s seventy-fifth birthday, hosted at his expansive vacation estate in The Hamptons. The air was thick with the scent of sea salt and expensive perfume. Outside, the paparazzi were thick as flies, their flashes illuminating Octavia and me as we performed the

Chapter 19 ~ Octavia ~ The silence of the Flemington estate had begun to echo in my bones, so I decided to visit my parents. It had been weeks since we had looked each other in the eye—not since the hollow spectacle of the wedding. We sat in their familiar

Chapter 18 ~ Octavia ~ The gold band and the heavy diamond on my finger had started to feel like a fallacy. They were marks of ownership that offered no protection—only a steady, cold weight. It was a Tuesday morning when Franklin cornered me in the breakfast nook. The sunlight

Chapter 17 ~ Octavia ~ The deed was done. I had married a man I barely knew. A man who ran hot and cold, oscillating between clinical professionalism and sharp irritation. I had sacrificed my freedom to save my family’s legacy, and I could only hope my parents and Frederick

Chapter 16 ~ Franklin ~ In the brief window before the wedding, the performance became our reality. Octavia and I were seen everywhere. We played the part of the devoted couple at fancy restaurants, cinemas, and even at a Lakers game at Madison Square Garden, where our “kiss” on the

Chapter 15 ~ Octavia ~ He waited. Everyone did. I took a steadying breath and found my voice. “What I mean is that the environment is adaptive. It doesn’t just mirror reality; it responds to the user. Our AI integration means the virtual space shifts based on the biometric data

Chapter 14 ~ Octavia ~ The hallway was cool and quiet as we followed Miranda, each step echoing softly on the polished floor. The conference room door stood just ahead, and with every inch we gained, my pulse quickened. Miranda glanced back at us; her smile was calm, but her

Chapter 13 ~ Octavia ~ Since the moment I saw that photo, a toxic mixture of sadness and anger had taken root in my chest. I kept telling myself I had no right to feel this way. I have no emotional attachment to Franklin; we are strangers bound by a

Chapter 12 ~ Franklin ~ The following morning, Octavia and I were seated in the large dining hall. The silence between us was a suffocating weight that even the aromatic scent of expensive coffee couldn’t cut through. I kept my eyes fixed on the tablet in front of me, scrolling

Chapter 11 ~ Franklin ~ I intentionally chose not to pick Octavia up. It didn’t feel right, and frankly, I didn’t want to. While I was legally and strategically obligated to marry her, I wasn’t about to play the part of the doting fiancé behind closed doors. I left that

Chapter 10 ~ Octavia ~ It was Saturday morning — moving day. I had texted my address to Franklin earlier, and he’d replied with a curt message saying I would be picked up shortly. I didn’t know if “shortly” meant him arriving in person or sending a subordinate. As I

Chapter 9 ~ Octavia ~ “You called for me, Mrs. Lawson?” I asked, stepping into her office and closing the door behind me. “Yes.” She leaned back in her leather swivel chair, eyeing me with a mix of professional curiosity and newfound respect. “First of all, congratulations on your engagement

Chapter 8 ~ Octavia ~ “I beg your pardon?” I frowned, my voice dropping an octave. “You heard me,” Bella replied, her expression a mirror of my own disdain. “Okay, I’m going to pretend you didn’t just call me a whore,” I said, my heart hammering against my ribs. “But

Chapter 7 ~ Octavia ~ I looked from the black binder to Franklin, still struggling to reconcile this reality with the man I’d met days ago. It felt like a waking nightmare. As I stared at the leather-bound trap, a bitter realization settled in: Franklin’s “romantic” voice on the phone

Chapter 6 ~ Octavia ~ After the call, I texted Franklin my office address, my mind racing with questions. How had he gotten my private number? And why, of all things, did he want to take me to lunch? I tried to suppress the nervous energy bubbling inside me; I

Chapter 5 ~ Octavia ~ I’d avoided my parents’ calls all through the night. Twenty-three missed calls from Mom. Fifteen from Dad. Countless text messages that I couldn’t bring myself to read. I knew what they’d say…how could I be so selfish? How could I throw away this opportunity? Didn’t

Chapter 4 ~ Octavia ~ The inauguration was a blur. I stood beside Franklin on that stage, his hand barely touching the small of my back, just enough for the cameras but not enough to feel real. The applause was deafening. The smiles were blinding. Everyone congratulated us like we

Chapter 3 ~ Octavia ~ Before Franklin could even open his mouth to address them, his grandfather spoke up firmly. “They’ll get married in three months p> “Huh?” I snapped, then my mother tugged me, gesturing me to keep quiet. What does he mean by three months? Mr. Harrington shook