Chapter 249
She sat up slightly, her honey-brown eyes widening with conflict. Her naive heart wanted to say yes, but the contract marriage loomed like a shadow—the one-year deal, born from necessity, not love. “Rafael, I… I’m not ready. This is all so fast. And besides, we’re in a contract. It’s not like we’re truly married in that way. Sharing a room… it wouldn’t be proper. I need time p>
His face flickered with hurt, a sharp pang in his eyes that he quickly masked with a sardonic smile. Inside, it stung—the reminder that she still saw barriers where he saw forever. But he was a puppet master at heart; he wouldn’t push. “Fair enough,” he said lightly, though his voice carried a hidden ache. “No pressure. But don’t think you’ve escaped my company entirely p>
That night set the pattern. As Eliana prepared for bed in her sanctuary of soft linens and muted lights, a knock came at her door. Rafael stood there in pajamas—actual pajamas, not his usual suits—holding a pillow like a shield. “Eliana, hear me out. There’s a… uh, draft in my room. Freezing. Mind if I crash here? I’ll sleep on the floor p>
She crossed her arms, trying to look stern, but her lips twitched with amusement. “A draft? In this house? Rafael, you’re ridiculous p>
“Deadly serious,” he insisted, stepping inside with that commanding presence, his athletic build making the room feel smaller. “See? Goosebumps.” He held out his arm, faking a shiver.
Eliana rolled her eyes, but his charm was irresistible—those piercing eyes pleading, his sarcastic grin melting her defenses. “Fine. But on the couch in here. No funny business p>
“Of course not,” he promised, settling on the couch with exaggerated fluffing of his pillow. By morning, though, he’d “accidentally” migrated to the bed’s edge, his arm draped protectively over her.
The next night: “Ghosts,” he claimed, wide-eyed. “Heard creaking. Need backup p>
“Ghosts? Really?” She laughed, but let him in.
Night three: “Insomnia. Your presence is soothing—like a white noise machine p>
By the fourth night, Eliana didn’t even protest when he appeared with popcorn remnants from their movie marathon. “Okay, fine. But stay on your side p>
“You’re powerless against me, admit it,” he teased, pulling her close as they drifted off, his warmth seeping into her, eroding her trust issues bit by bit.
Each day, Rafael accompanied her to university, his sleek black car gliding through traffic. James drove with unnerving steadiness, while Rafael sat in the back with Eliana, holding her hand. “Tell me about your classes today,” he’d say, his voice attentive.
“Nursing ethics—boring but important,” she’d reply, leaning on him. At campus, he’d stay hidden in the tinted windows, his secret disabilities still a facade to the world. “Be safe, love. Jax and the guys will watch over you p>
His men—Oliver, Will, Liam, Kai, Viktor, and Jax, kept posing as her fellow students, their protective antics both funny and endearing. “Princess, got your notes?” Liam would quip, making her giggle.
One evening, after a long day, Rafael surprised her with a bubble bath drawn in her en-suite, candles flickering. “You work too hard,” he said, kneeling by the tub. “Let me wash your hair p>
“Rafael she protested weakly, but sank into the water, his fingers massaging her scalp with care. “This is too much p>
“Never too much for you,” he whispered, his emotional scars evident in the gentleness—a man learning to trust love.
For a week, it was bliss. Rafael’s growth from bitter recluse to devoted partner shone through: surprise picnics in the garden, where they’d feed each other strawberries and share stories of their pasts; late-night dances in the kitchen to old jazz records, his hands on her waist as they swayed; talking softly to the baby and rubbing Eliana’s stomach while the baby kicked softly, even reading aloud from her nursing textbooks, quizzing her with mock seriousness that dissolved into laughter.
“You’ve changed me, Eliana,” he confessed one night, as they lay tangled in her bed after his latest “excuse”—a supposed nightmare. “I never thought I’d feel this… alive p>
“And you’re making me believe in us,” she admitted, her voice emotional, tears pricking her eyes. “But slowly, okay p>
“Slowly,” he agreed, kissing her forehead, though his heart ached for more.
Everything flowed smoothly until the week’s end. That morning, after dropping Eliana at university—Rafael lingering in the car, waving discreetly as she headed off with her “friends”—he and James headed back home. James drove, his kind, loyal demeanor ever-present.
“Rafael, I picked up that white noise player you wanted for Eliana,” James said, glancing in the rearview. “Should help with her sleep—blocks out those city noises p>
“Good thinking,” Rafael replied, smiling faintly. “She’s been tossing and turning. Anything else on the agenda p>
James hesitated, then dove in. “Actually, yes. There’s a tech conference in New York next week. It’s billed as a ’summer camp for the ultra-rich’—casual hikes that turn into billion-dollar mergers, networking galore. Family-friendly, too—even kids are welcome to ’humanize’ the big shots p>
Rafael’s brow furrowed. “Sounds like a circus. Pass p>
“But Rafael, every billionaire you can think of will be there. Your board members are attending with their families, and they’ve been pushing hard for you to go. Since you have a wife now… bringing Eliana could seal some deals. Show the human side of Rafael Vexley p>
Rafael sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. The puppet master in him saw the logic, but his heart rebelled against leaving this bubble. “Missing it isn’t an option, is it p>
“Not really,” James admitted gently. “The board’s insistent p>
“Fine,” Rafael conceded, his voice resigned. “I’ll talk to Eliana about it tonight p>
Meanwhile, on campus, Eliana walked toward her lecture hall, flanked by Rafael’s men in their student disguises. Oliver melted into the crowd like smoke, Will carried a backpack of “tools” disguised as books, Liam scanned postures for threats, Kai moved silently, Viktor lingered behind, and Jax coordinated with a nod.
“Class time, princess,” Liam teased, eliciting a smile from Eliana.
“You guys are the best fake friends ever,” she replied, then her phone buzzing in her pocket.
She pulled it out, expecting a sweet text from Rafael as always. Instead, an unknown number flashed: “I love you more than you know, Eliana. Rafael isn’t who you think he is. I have proof. It’ll be available soon p>
Her heart leaped in fear, pounding like a drum in her chest. The world tilted, her warm brown skin paling as betrayal’s shadow loomed once more. Who was this? And what secrets could shatter her fragile trust?