lifeistoolong

On the day of a wedding meant to unite two powerful families, Elena Voss stands in as a substitute bride, bound by desperation and a contract she can’t refuse. But when the real bride crashes the ceremony, chaos erupts, leaving Elena humiliated and running from the life she never wanted.

Liam Astor, the cold and calculating heir to a billion-dollar empire, finds himself torn between duty, loyalty, and an inexplicable pull toward the woman who was never meant to be his bride.

As secrets unravel and hidden motives come to light, their worlds collide in an emotional storm of betrayal, passion, and redemption.

In a tale of love and power, where every choice comes at a cost, can two hearts find solace in a world built on lies?

Vows of Deception

The drive to Damien's estate was silent, but the air between them crackled with tension.

Elise kept her gaze fixed on the passing cityscape, watching as familiar streets faded into unfamiliar roads. She wasn't sure what unnerved her more—the cryptic warning she had received last night or the man sitting beside her, exuding an aura of control so absolute it made her skin prickle.

His attention was fixed on his phone, fingers gliding over the screen with effortless precision. He didn't spare her a glance, as if she were merely another business deal he had secured, something to be managed and handled.

That should have made her feel relieved.

Instead, an unsettling weight settled in her stomach.

What exactly was she stepping into?

Her thoughts spiraled until the car finally slowed, the hum of the engine quieting as they arrived at a set of towering iron gates.

Beyond the gates stretched a property so massive it could have been its own world. The mansion loomed in the distance, an architectural masterpiece of glass and stone, its presence as cold and commanding as the man beside her.

The gates swung open without hesitation, and the car moved forward.

The words sent a shiver down her spine.

Elise barely had time to process the sheer magnitude of the estate before a staff of neatly dressed attendants greeted them at the entrance.

Damien stepped out first, buttoning his suit jacket with practiced ease.

She inhaled sharply before following, gripping the handle of her suitcase like a lifeline.

The moment her feet touched the marble floors, she felt it—the weight of belonging to him.

Every person in this house would see her as his possession, his trophy, his wife in name but not in heart.

A woman in her early forties approached, her expression poised and unreadable.

"Mrs. Lancaster," she greeted with a small nod. "I am Victoria, the estate manager. If you require anything, please let me know."

The title felt foreign. Not hers. Not real.

Elise forced a polite nod. "Thank you."

Victoria turned to Damien. "The room has been prepared, sir."

Elise's fingers tightened around the suitcase handle.

"The room?" she echoed, a small sliver of hope curling in her chest.

Would they be in separate rooms? Separate wings of this massive house?

"Our room," he corrected smoothly.

Of course, he wouldn't make this easy.

Elise forced herself to keep her expression neutral, but Damien saw through her. He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so only she could hear.

"Did you think I'd let my wife sleep anywhere but beside me?"

"This marriage is for appearances," she hissed under her breath. "Don't play games with me."

"I don't play games," Damien replied, his tone dangerously soft. "I make the rules."

A muscle in Elise's jaw tightened, but she didn't argue.

Not when she still didn't know what she was truly up against.

And certainly not when a warning lingered in her mind.

Be careful. He's more dangerous than you think.

Chapter 19 – The Rules of the Game