The limousine ride home was silent. Elena stared out the window, her mind spinning with Rafael's bombshell. Her mother—murdered, not killed in an accident. And somehow connected to Rafael's father.
"Half-sister's best friend?" she finally whispered, turning to face him. "What are you talking about?"
Rafael loosened his bow tie with a sigh. "My half-sister, Sophia. She and your mother were close friends in college. That's how your mother met my father."
Elena's hands trembled in her lap. "And Vivian murdered her? How can you be sure?"
"I have proof." Rafael's jaw tightened. "Documents, testimonies. I've been building a case for years."
When they reached the penthouse, Elena kicked off her heels and paced the living room. Rafael poured two glasses of whiskey, handing one to her.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded, taking the glass.
"Would you have believed me?" He removed his jacket, tossing it onto the couch. "A stranger claiming your stepmother is a murderer?"
Elena downed the whiskey in one gulp, welcoming the burn. "So this marriage—your hatred of the Carters—it's all about my mother?"
"Not entirely." Rafael studied her face. "But it's where it started."
Elena collapsed onto the sofa, suddenly exhausted. "Tell me everything."
Rafael sat beside her, keeping distance between them. "Your mother discovered my father was embezzling funds. Instead of exposing him, she tried to help him make things right. But Vivian found out."
"And killed her?" Elena's voice cracked.
"Staged it as an accident." Rafael's eyes darkened. "My father knew the truth, but Vivian had evidence of his crimes. She blackmailed him into silence. When he finally decided to confess everything, he died in his sleep. Heart attack, they said."
Elena felt tears building. "You think Vivian killed him too."
"I know she did." Rafael's hand found hers, warm and steady. "I'm sorry, Elena. I should have told you sooner."
Elena pulled her hand away, confused by the comfort his touch brought. "Who else knows about this?"
"My sister Sophia. And possibly Noah Bennett."
"Noah?" Elena sat up straighter.
"He worked for my father briefly. He might have seen something." Rafael refilled their glasses. "But I need solid proof before taking Vivian down."
Elena wiped away a tear. "I thought my father loved my mother."
"Maybe he did," Rafael said gently. "People can love each other and still keep secrets."
Elena looked up at him, seeing genuine concern in his eyes. "Like us?"
Something shifted in Rafael's expression. He reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek. "We're not exactly the same."
The touch lingered, his thumb tracing her jawline. Elena's heart raced. This wasn't part of their plan. These feelings weren't supposed to be real.
"I need air," she whispered, standing abruptly.
Elena walked to the terrace, the night air cool against her flushed skin. Rafael followed, keeping a respectful distance.
"My mother used to say the stars were windows to heaven," Elena said softly, looking up at the night sky. "I'd talk to her through them after she died."
"What did you tell her?" Rafael asked.
"Everything. My dreams, my fears." Elena smiled sadly. "How much I missed her."
Rafael moved closer. "My mother left when I was ten. I used to watch the door every night, thinking she'd come back."
"Did she?"
"No." His voice hardened. "She chose freedom over family."
Elena turned to face him. "Is that why you avoid real relationships? Fear of abandonment?"
Rafael's expression softened. "You're analyzing me now, Mrs. Sinclair?"
"Just trying to understand the man I supposedly love." Elena surprised herself with the honesty in her voice.
The moonlight illuminated his face as he studied her. "And what about you? Why did Selena Carter trust no one?"
Elena froze. "I'm not—"
"I know who you are." Rafael's voice was low. "I've known since before I approached you with this marriage deal."
The world seemed to tilt beneath Elena's feet. "How?"
"Your eyes." Rafael stepped closer. "They're unforgettable. And the scar on your wrist—the one you hide with bracelets. I saw Selena Carter with that same scar at a charity event years ago."
Elena's hand went to her wrist automatically. "If you knew, why play along?"
"Because our goals aligned." Rafael's eyes held hers. "And because I wanted to see if you trusted me enough to tell me yourself."
"Trust," Elena laughed bitterly. "Rich coming from someone who's been lying too."
"Fair point." Rafael nodded. "We're quite the pair, aren't we?"
Despite everything, Elena felt a smile tugging at her lips. "A fake marriage between two people with trust issues. What could go wrong?"
Rafael chuckled, the sound warming something inside her. "When you put it that way..."
He moved closer, and Elena didn't back away. The air between them crackled with tension.
"Why didn't you expose me?" she whispered.
"The same reason you're not running away now." His hand cupped her face. "Some secrets are worth keeping."
Elena knew she should pull away. Their arrangement was business, not pleasure. But as Rafael's lips brushed against hers, soft and questioning, she found herself responding.
The kiss deepened, unleashing feelings Elena had been fighting since they met. Her hands slid up his chest to his shoulders, pulling him closer.
Rafael broke the kiss first, his breathing ragged. "This complicates things."
"Everything about us is complicated," Elena whispered.
From inside the penthouse, Elena's phone chimed with a text. Reluctantly, she pulled away to check it.
Her blood ran cold as she read the message: "Ask your husband about Project Phoenix. He didn't just know your mother—he helped plan her accident."
Elena looked up at Rafael, his face still soft from their kiss. Could it be true? Had he orchestrated everything, including their marriage, as part of a deeper revenge?
"What's wrong?" Rafael asked, noticing her expression.
Elena forced a smile, tucking the phone away. "Nothing. Just work."
As Rafael pulled her back into his arms, Elena's mind raced. If he was lying about his connection to her mother's death, what else was he hiding?
And more importantly—was she falling in love with the man who might have helped kill her mother?