• ° • ° • °

I woke up to the sight of a grey, unfamiliar ceiling, stretching across a spacious, king-sized bed. The room around me was all too clinical with its grey-black-white-gold accents, and I immediately remembered where I was. We were in a penthouse-Lucas's penthouse, to be exact. The place was massive, but it felt more like an extension of his office. Who in their right mind builds a penthouse on top of their office? Lucas, apparently. His workaholic tendencies never failed to surprise me.

It wasn't just the sheer size that amazed me; the high-level security made it clear that only a few people could enter this space-Lucas, his assistant, and now, me. I hadn't seen any other women around, which made me wonder how his previous partners handled this odd arrangement. It must have been stifling. The idea of being stuck in his work domain 24/7 was suffocating enough.

I decided that today I wouldn't leave the penthouse. Instead, I would explore this strange place, starting with the coffee cup next to my bed. A note was attached:

"You're expecting someone at 10. There's a company dinner at 7 to celebrate our engagement. You'll be attending."

I groaned, stretching as my muscles protested from stiffness. Robotically, I downed the coffee, scorching my throat in the process. Moving to the wardrobe, I was surprised to find it already stocked with clothes, far more than just the off-white silk pajamas I had been wearing. After browsing through the options, I chose a royal blue, full-sleeved crop top paired with a white khaki skirt. The clothes were impeccable, but they lacked personality. Just like Lucas.

As I opened a small drawer, I found the necklace from yesterday, the one he had chosen for me. Closing it, I shrugged. No time for sentimentality today.

Stepping out of the room, I was met by two guards and a woman who was standing quietly outside. She was in her 30s, with hazel green eyes and a ring on her finger-clearly married. Good. The last thing I needed was to deal with some single woman intruding on my space. She bowed and greeted me, "Good morning."

"Is there something I can do around here? Besides staring at the city?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You could use the swimming pool to freshen up, ma'am. Everything you need has already been prepared," she replied kindly, with a smile.

That worked for me. I wasn't in the mood for more grey walls and stifling silence.

"And what's your name?" I asked as I followed her through the corridor, the guards trailing behind us.

"Mina. It's my pleasure to serve you, ma'am."

The pool room was overwhelming. It wasn't just a pool-it was like an aquatic stadium, complete with translucent changing rooms. It was ridiculous even for a nepo-baby like me. But I wasn't complaining. Mina showed me a selection of swimsuits, all in different colors and styles but of the same size. Yesterday's conversation about measurements came to mind, and as unsettling as it was that Lucas knew them so well, I appreciated that everything was prepared for me.

I chose a black, cut-out one-piece swimsuit that caught my eye and was handed a white bathrobe. Mina discreetly left, leaving me to change. I placed my fresh clothes in a nearby changing room and hung up my pajamas. After checking the pool's temperature, I dove in, feeling the water's lavender fragrance calm my nerves. Water had always helped me think clearly, its clarity reflecting my thoughts. I submerged myself repeatedly, feeling the tension in my body and mind dissipate with each dive.

After what felt like an hour of swimming, I heard approaching footsteps.

"I thought no one was going to disturb me," I said with a smirk as Lucas entered.

"It's my house. I can go wherever I want. I did say you were expecting someone," he said, tilting his head.

I swam underwater toward him, surfacing directly in front of him. He stepped back, allowing me room to exit the pool. As I stood up, I noticed his eyes widening at the sight of me in the swimsuit. I raised an eyebrow, amused.

"If you're done checking me out, maybe you should get out so I can change," I said dryly.

He cleared his throat and nodded, telling me he would wait outside. I quickly dried off and changed into my chosen outfit. The fluffy slippers were a nice touch, providing comfort as I walked toward the exit. Ignoring Lucas, I turned to Mina. "Where are the cosmetics?"

She led me to the powder room, Lucas trailing behind with the guards. I slammed the door in his face, irritated at how closely he was monitoring everything. I was already running late, so I opted for minimal makeup-just some foundation, a touch of serum, mascara, and lip tint that matched my cerise hair strands. Five minutes later, I was ready.

Lucas seemed surprised to see me so soon, but without a word, he grabbed my hand and pulled me through the house. We entered a room I hadn't been in before, the door opening with his fingerprint scan. But I barely noticed him anymore.

There, leaning against the balcony, was a familiar figure.

"Selena?" I gasped, my heart skipping a beat.

• ° • ° • °