Chapter 3 - The Cold Stranger
The cinematic realism of the terrifying tension paralyzed the penthouse.
Tess squeezed her eyes shut, entirely bracing herself for the cold, ruthless billionaire to demand his newly purchased bride obey him. She expected him to be cruel. She expected him to treat her exactly the way her father did—like an object.
"Drink this," a deep, smooth voice commanded softly.
Tess opened her eyes. Roman was standing three feet away, giving her plenty of personal space. He held out a crystal glass of water and a clean, monogrammed handkerchief. His natural micro-expressions didn't radiate malice or arrogance; they radiated a profound, unexpected gentleness.
Tess hesitantly took the glass, her hands shaking so violently the water sloshed over the rim.
"Why are you doing this?" Tess whispered, her voice trembling. "Why would a billionaire buy a wife to settle a corporate debt? You could have just seized my father's assets."
Roman walked over to the massive leather sofa and sat down, unbuttoning his black suit jacket. He looked out at the glittering city skyline for a long, heavy moment before turning his dark, piercing eyes back to the weeping woman in the champagne silk gown.
"I didn't buy a wife, Tess," Roman stated clinically, completely devoid of any romantic or sinister undertones. "I bought a Trojan horse."
Tess frowned, her tears stopping as profound confusion washed over her.
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"Your father thinks he just outsmarted me," Roman continued, his voice dropping to a freezing, lethal frequency. "He thinks he traded you for a clean slate. He has absolutely no idea that I have spent the last three years hunting him down."
👉 Roman stood up and walked toward a hidden wall safe, ready to pull out the weapon that would destroy her father.
