Heather sat quietly at the long polished table, the Ledger of Inheritance open in front of her. The thick book gleamed under the warm office lights, as if mocking the weight of what it held inside.
Everything about the room was cold, professional, and unnervingly quiet—like a trap carefully laid out.
Caius’s family members were gathered around, some whispering, some smiling too broadly. Gerald’s father sat near the window, his expression was that of pride and content.
Even Adonis stood among them, but his face told a different story. He wasn’t smiling, his jaw was tight, and his eyes kept drifting toward her like he wished he could stop her.
He had already tried. He told her not to sign it—that it wasn’t worth it. But he didn’t understand that Heather didn’t have a choice.
A councilman placed a feathered pen in front of her, the ink bottle beside it still uncapped. Her fingers brushed the pen, but before she could sign, Howard, the head of the council and Caius’s uncle, cleared his throat.
"I must read the terms out loud, for record’s sake," he said in a deep, formal voice. "By signing this, you acknowledge your standing as the legal spouse of Caius Thorne, and accept the responsibilities and inheritance that come with the name."
Heather barely nodded. She just wanted to be done with it.
Howard’s eyes locked onto hers. "Are you Caius’s wife?"
Heather glanced at Caius, then back at the man. She gave a small nod. "I am Heather... Thorne."
Howard’s voice didn’t change in tone, but something in it cut through her. "Are you sure about that?"
The way he repeated it—it was slow, deliberate. Like he already knew the answer and was giving her one last chance to back out.
"If you’re not," he continued, "and you sign this document, that would be considered a criminal act. Fraud. Theft. And per our laws, not only will everything be stripped away, you could face time in federal custody for attempting to obtain power and property under false claims."
Heather’s throat tightened, and for a moment, it felt like the walls of the room were closing in around her. She swallowed hard, trying to breathe evenly as her gaze drifted toward Caius.
"Now," Howard stepped closer. "Are you the legal wife of Caius Thorne, my nephew?"
"I-I..." Her voice faltered, barely a whisper. "I-I..."
She couldn’t find the words. She didn’t know what to say. If she admitted they weren’t married, Caius might retaliate by exposing her true identity to the press—he had the proof, and she knew he would use it. But if she lied and they discovered the truth, she could go to prison.
It felt like a trap either way. Whether she protected her identity or her freedom, she stood to lose something.
Maybe the real question was: which consequence was worse? Losing her career and being attacked by the public? Or spending years in prison for fraud?
"Howard," Gerald interrupted, clearly growing uncomfortable. "What’s with the questioning?"
"I just want to be certain," Howard replied smoothly.
"You don’t have the right to put her on the spot ."
"I only asked a simple question. Is that a crime now?" Howard’s voice grew sharper. "If she’s uncomfortable answering it, then it suggests one thing."
"No," Gerald said firmly, trying to shut it down.
Howard’s eyes narrowed. "It means Adonis was telling the truth."
A few of the council members around the table began nodding, murmuring to each other. The room had shifted, doubt was beginning to settle into their minds.
Heather’s heart pounded. What was Adonis right about?
"Can we be excused for a moment?" Caius asked.
Heather didn’t wait to see if anyone answered. She just followed him out, needing to escape the pressure of that room.
The hallway outside was quiet, the muffled voices of the council fading behind them. Heather stopped and turned to face him. Her voice shook, but there was a determined steadiness in her eyes.
"They don’t," Caius said quickly. "Howard’s just trying to rattle you. Probably because of what Adonis said."
Heather narrowed her eyes. "What did Adonis say?"
"He went to the council yesterday," Caius replied. "He told them we’re not married."
Why would Adonis do that? Then she remembered—he had been upset when she said she would sign. He’d told her it wasn’t fair for people who didn’t deserve power to be handed it.
She might’ve agreed with that, once. But agreeing didn’t change the fact that she still had to sign.
Caius let out a sharp breath. "He’s always been bitter about not being chosen. It’s no secret. Adonis has been sour about the family’s wealth since we were kids."
Heather turned her body to face him fully. "Maybe he wouldn’t be that way if he hadn’t been denied what he believed was his."
"What are you talking about?" Caius’s voice rose. "He was never denied anything. He never deserved anything."
Heather tilted her head slightly, watching him. "For someone who thinks he’s above all this drama, you’re sounding very defensive."
Caius looked like he wanted to argue more, but something held him back. His lips tightened, and he looked away for a second.
"You shouldn’t take anything he says seriously," he muttered. "Adonis is manipulative. He’s always been good at twisting things to fit his narrative."
"Am I now?" Adonis stood at the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded.
Caius turned sharply. "What did you tell the council members?"
"I told them the truth," Adonis said casually. He nodded toward Heather. "That you and her are faking it. That you’re not really married, and you’re only pretending so she can get access to the inheritance."
Caius’s jaw clenched, but Adonis didn’t stop.
"At first, no one believed me—especially Gerald," he continued. "But someone did listen. Someone who shares the same goal I do: making sure neither of you benefit from something you don’t deserve."
"Howard... Even with that we couldn’t prove anything, not until we found another person with the same goal."
Caius moved closer. "What did you do?"
Adonis’s smirk deepened. "Oh, Lauren."
The door to the hallway opened. Heather’s stomach dropped as Lauren stepped into the hallway, she brushed past them, using her hips to create a passage.
She walked confidently to Adonis’s side and stood beside him, her eyes locked onto Heather’s like she was looking at something dirty.
Lauren didn’t speak right away, but the satisfaction on her face said everything.
Heather took a small step back. Of all the people Adonis could bring in, Lauren was the last she expected.