Chapter 4

The next evening, I arrived at the Apex Club fifteen minutes early.

It was the most exclusive private club in the city, heavily secured and reserved only for the ultra-wealthy.

A host led me to the penthouse suite, respectfully opening the door.

The main lights were off, save for a dim spotlight over the bar.

A man sat with his back to me, holding a cigar between his long fingers. Smoke swirled around him.

He wore a black silk shirt with the top two buttons undone, revealing hints of a toned chest.

His shoulders were broad, his waist narrow, standing tall like a dark monument.

Just his silhouette radiated a powerful, dangerous aura that warned people to stay away.

Hearing my footsteps, he slowly turned around.

My breath caught.

Rumors said Dominic Blackwood was a thirty-year-old cold-blooded, unstable madman.

But no one mentioned he had the face of a fallen angel.

Sharp brows, a high nose bridge, and thin lips that naturally curved into a cold, mocking smirk.

His gaze was incredibly predatory, as if he could strip away all my armor and read my deepest secrets.

"Miss Sterling. Punctual," he said, his voice deep, smooth, and resonant like a cello.

Suppressing my shock, I sat across from him.

"Your time is valuable, Mr. Blackwood. I wouldn't dare keep you waiting."

He let out a low chuckle, stubbing out his cigar in the ashtray, and slid a document toward me.

"I assume you know I don't do charity."

"What do you gain from marrying me, and what are you willing to sacrifice? Have you thought it through?"

His eyes were sharp, evaluating me like a high-stakes deal.

I didn't look at the paper. Instead, I looked straight into his dark eyes. "I know you need a suitable wife to appease your family and the media to shut them up."

"And I need a powerful ally to break free from the Sterlings and the Vances, and to take back everything that belongs to my mother."

"We both get what we want, and we don't interfere with each other. In public, I will play the perfect Mrs. Blackwood. In private, I won't interfere with your life."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Dominic just stared at me, his eyes unreadable.

Just when I thought he was going to refuse, he stood up, walked over, and leaned down close to me.

The scent of expensive tobacco and crisp sandalwood enveloped me.

He raised his hand, his thumb gently tracing my cheek. His touch was intimate, but his eyes were ice-cold.

"Do you know what people call me out there?"

"They call me a psycho."

He leaned into my ear, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Aren't you afraid a psycho will swallow you whole?"

I forced my body not to stiffen, meeting his gaze with a sharp smile.

"Well, I've lived twenty-two years and never met a real psycho. I'd love to see it."

"Besides, a person with nothing to lose fears nothing. Mr. Blackwood, I have nothing left to lose."

He stared at me for a few seconds, then straightened up and laughed.

The low, rumbling laugh echoed in the quiet room, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Interesting."

He picked up a pen and signed his name at the bottom of the contract.

"Tomorrow morning, 9:00 AM. We're going to City Hall."