Valerie squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back a wave of sudden dizziness. She had to remind herself why she was standing in this lavish dressing room, breathing in the scent of expensive roses and expensive lies. Just forty-eight hours ago, Chloe had been targeted in a brutal, engineered car accident. Right now, her fragile sister was hooked to life support machines in a hidden wing of Dr. Evans’ private clinic, fighting simply to breathe.
If the public found out about the accident, Chloe’s vital medical trust fund would be frozen by their tyrannical family patriarch, Orion Thorne. The only way to unlock the money to keep Chloe alive was to fulfill the marriage contract. The family needed a bride for the city’s most ruthless tycoon, and Chloe could not walk down the aisle. So, Valerie had stepped out of the shadows. She had spent her entire life protecting her sister, and she was not going to stop now. She would become the substitute bride.
A sharp knock on the wooden door shattered her thoughts.
Valerie snapped her eyes open, instantly smoothing down the front of the heavy silk dress. She forced her shoulders to drop, trying to mimic Chloe’s habitually timid, fragile posture.
The door swung open, and a tall man in a flawlessly tailored black suit stepped into the room. It was Daniel Morgan, the hyper-observant head of security for the Thorne family. His dark eyes immediately locked onto Valerie, scanning her from head to toe with a precision that made her skin crawl.
"The ceremony is about to begin, Miss Prescott," Daniel said, his voice flat and professional. He took a single step closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her face. "You seem different today. Usually, you are trembling before a major public event. Your posture is remarkably straight."
Valerie felt her heart hammer against her ribs, but she kept her expression perfectly blank. She had to use simple, gentle tones. She couldn't let her natural, sharp wit show.
"I am just trying to be brave, Daniel," Valerie murmured, softening her voice until it carried the exact breathless, hesitant quality that Chloe always had. "It is a big day. I do not want to embarrass Adrian or his grandfather."
Daniel stared at her for two more agonizing seconds before finally nodding. "Very well. Follow me."
Valerie took a deep breath, lifted the heavy train of the gown, and stepped out of the room. Every step down the grand, arched corridor felt like walking toward a beautifully decorated trap.
When the massive double doors of the church finally swung open, the sheer scale of the event hit her. Hundreds of high-society guests filled the pews, their eyes burning into her. Flashbulbs from hidden media cameras blinked in the dim light. Up at the very front row sat Orion Thorne, his old-money, aristocratic face completely expressionless as he watched his grand business alliance come to life.
But Valerie barely noticed the crowd. Her eyes were locked entirely on the man standing at the altar.
Adrian Thorne.
The cold, calculating CEO of Thorne Enterprises stood tall and imposing in a black tuxedo. His sharp jawline was set in a tense line, and his dark eyes were completely void of warmth. He looked less like a groom and more like a predator waiting for his prey. He did not want this marriage; he only agreed to it to satisfy his grandfather's strict will and protect his corporate empire.
Valerie walked down the long aisle, her feet moving automatically. When she finally reached the altar, Adrian stepped forward. His large hand was ice-cold as he took hers. The touch sent a physical shiver down her spine. He didn't look at her with love. He looked right through her.
The priest began to speak, his voice echoing through the grand church, but Valerie could barely hear the traditional words. All she could focus on was the intense, suffocating presence of the man standing next to her. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Adrian spoke his vows with a calm, detached authority. When it was her turn, she repeated the words in Chloe's soft whisper, her fingers trembling slightly as she signed the official marriage contract on the golden podium. It was done. She was legally bound to a stranger.
Adrian took the heavy diamond wedding band from the velvet box. He grabbed Valerie's left hand, his grip surprisingly firm, and slowly slid the ring onto her finger. The weight of the metal felt like handcuffs.
As the priest smiled and opened his mouth to pronounce them husband and wife, Adrian suddenly leaned down. His face was just inches from hers, his sharp breath brushing against her cheek. Valerie expected a brief, fake kiss for the cameras.
Instead, Adrian’s lips hovered just a millimeter away from her ear. His voice was a dangerous, low murmur that chilled her to the bone.
"You play the part beautifully," Adrian whispered, his eyes glittering with a terrifying, hidden intelligence. "But my wife always wore a vanilla perfume. Then Why do you smell like fresh flowers, Valerie?"