The AFH CEO office was quiet. Too quiet.
Morning sunlight hit the glass walls, reflecting the city skyline. Controlled, precise, sterile. The kind of silence that made whispers sound like screams.
Silas walked in the office without knocking. Only he could.
Alexander didn't look up. Not surprised. Not even mildly curious. His attention remained on the screen before him.
A wicked smile tugged at Silas's lips as he dropped a file onto the brown polished desk.
"So," he said casually, leaning against the edge, "the girl with the improvised dress… passed."
Alexander's fingers didn't pause for a second over the keyboard. "She earned it."
Silas smirked, straightening. "So you weren't involved?"
"No," Alexander replied sharperly, still not looking up.
Silas raised a brow. "I don't believe you."
Alexander finally lifted his gaze, sharp and unyielding. "Then don't."
A beat.
"Your… fiancee is coming next week, are you aware?" Silas said, tone neutral, teasing nowhere.
Alexander's expression remained calm. Controlled. "Will you accept the marriage contract?" Silas pressed.
Alexander leaned back in his chair. "I don't accept contracts I haven't read. If the alliance boosts marketing dominance… draft the proposal. I might consider it."
The room felt colder.
Not emotionally. Not physically. Strategically.
"Are you going to marry her?" Silas asked, voice quieter. Curious. Observant.
"Marriage is temporary. Control is permanent," Alexander said, eyes returning to his screen.
Silas laughs softly, knowing better than to argue.
PIPER'S FIRST DAY AT AFH— ORIENTATION
The next morning, Piper Reese entered AFH Headquarters.
Glass walls, polished floors, lights reflecting like diamonds. Her heart raced — but this time, it wasn't fear.
Shoes slightly better glued. Hair freshly done. Outfit still humble but intentional. She moved with purpose.
The other selected models whispered among themselves:
"That's the girl with the improvised dress."
"Bold."
"She still came?"
Piper ignored them. She didn't need approval. She needed opportunity.
At the front desk, a coordinator handed her an orientation folder. "Follow me. Welcome to AFH."
The other models filed behind her. Piper noticed their stares — some curious, some jealous — but she walked without hesitation.
Inside the conference room, the newly selected models sat, buzzing with anticipation and anxiety.
Then a hush fell.
The lights across the room dimmed. A spotlight hit the center stage. Cameras captured every face, every movement.
A name echoed from the speaker system:
"Alexander Cole Fashion House — Orientation Day."
Piper froze for a heartbeat. Then she smiled. This was her battlefield.
The AFH CEO stepped onto the stage — not Alexander Cole, but his representative.
"Congratulations to all of you," he began. "You've been selected as AFH's next models. Today, you'll be oriented. Learn our principles. Learn our hierarchy. And… meet the man behind the empire."
A lot of excitement passed through the room.
Then the representative paused.
"However," he continued, eyes sweeping over all the models, lingering on Piper, "one of you will not continue."
Gasps erupted.
Panic rose like wildfire.
"The reason?" a model whispered.
He smirked. "Because he already knows who is ambitious enough to break his rules."
Piper felt her stomach tighten. Her heartbeat skipped.
Suddenly, the glass wall at the end of the room slid opens.
Alexander Cole enters.
Not in a formal suit. Not in a casual shirt. Perfectly tailored black, every move deliberate. Eyes cold. Presence dominant.
Every model froze. Every breath stopped.
He walked to the center. Silence followed him like a shadow.
His gaze landed on Piper.
She didn't flinch.
He didn't smile.
He observed. Calculated. Like she was both a threat and a curiosity.
Finally, he spoke.
"Piper Reese," his voice cut through the room like a blade, "stand forward."
Her heart skipped.
She responded.
"Do you understand what you're walking into?" he asked, tone neutral, deadly calm.
"Yes," Piper replied, steady.
"Good," he said. His gaze flicked around the room. "Because one of you won't leave here with a contract today. And I already know who it will be."
A hush fell.
The models glanced at each other nervously.
Piper felt the weight of it — not fear, not dread, but exhilaration.
Because this wasn't just survival anymore.
This was war.
And she had just stepped onto the battlefield.