~ LENA ~

The world came to a standstill.

For a second, I was no longer Kimberly Hayes. No longer wrapped in silk and lies. I was just Lena Martinez again-stripped bare by those eyes, exposed, and confronted by danger.

"What?" I whispered, barely hearing the sound of my own voice.

Nathan didn't respond. He didn't move. He just stood in front of me, towering above me like a man carved from stone. His eyes had an intensity in them that made my skin pickle.

It wasn't anger on his face, I realized. It was scrutiny. He looked like a man re-examining something he thought he knew by heart but suddenly didn't.

"Who are you?" he asked again, tilting his head slightly. His gaze didn't leave my face.

"I-" My throat grew tight. I forced myself to swallow, to remain calm. "W-what do you mean, Nate?"

Suddenly, and to my surprise, the tension eased. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his shoulders relaxed. That seriousness fading away from his eyes, replaced by something lighter. Amusement.

"The Kim I know hates cooking. You'd rather go hungry than step your foot into the kitchen. We both know that."

I laughed, a small shaky sound, while my mind searched for a lie to melt away his suspicion.

Kimberly hated cooking. On the contrary, I loved it. Physically we were identical, but beyond that there was very little we had in common.

"Well...people changed," I said quietly.

"Really?" He didn't look convinced. As though he didn't believe a woman like Kimberly could ever change.

"Yes. I..." I was shocked at how easily the lie came to me. "I've been doing something lowkey for a while now. It's...kind of a secret."

That immediately got his interest.

"I've been taking cooking classes," I continued, watching his surprised face. "With the wedding coming up... I just thought..." I shrugged lightly. "I want to be the perfect wife for you."

Silence followed.

Nathan stared at me. A glint of something I couldn't read crossed his face. His expression softened completely. Before I could say anything else, he pulled me into his arms.

The kiss was different this time. It was slow and full of something frighteningly sincere.

"I love you," he whispered.

I paused, speechless. I knew I was supposed to say the words back. Kimberly would have said them back without hesitation. But guilt and fear wrapped around my throat, making it hard to breathe.

"I love you too."

I managed to say the words, and he smiled at me, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

"Come," I said quickly, pulling him towards the couch where I'd dropped his jacket. I needed to put some distance between us before my composure cracked. "Sit down. Rest while I quickly put something together."

He didn't argue. He looked tired as he slumped into the chair, stretching his long legs out.

Leaning back, he watched me hurry towards the kitchen with that same puzzled and amused look on his face.

The kitchen had always been my refuge, my safe space. And right now it was the only part of the house I could conveniently hide away from Nathan without raising any more suspicions in his mind.

How was I going to do it? I wondered, sagging against the counter the minute I was alone. How was I going to survive six months of this? Six months of being close to Nathan all the time. Having his arms around my body, his lips on mine, his touch...

After the wedding, there would be no more hiding. No more distance to retreat into when things felt too real.

The kiss replayed in my mind without permission. I remembered the passion, the urgency. The way my body had responded, melting into him. I had forgotten everything in that moment, including who I really was. That terrified me.

How was I supposed to remain sane?

I pressed my palms into the cool marble of the counter, closing my eyes briefly as I fought the panic rising inside me.

Then Sofia's face came to me.

Earlier on, I'd spoken to my mother. She'd happily told me of how Sofia was getting better day by day. The doctors were pleased at her rate of recovery.

Sofia had sounded much better on the phone. Her voice was stronger than it had been in weeks. My little sister was finally going to be okay.

The thought brought tears to my eyes, and gratitude. It eased the panic a bit. While this wasn't going to be easy, it was definitely worth the sacrifice.

Six months wasn't a lifetime. I consoled myself with that thought. Six months could pass like six days if I focused, if I held on tightly to the reason why I was here.

You can do this, Lena.

I drew in a deep breath, reached for the apron hanging on a hook and tied it around my waist. Then I crossed to the refrigerator and opened it.

Julian's voice echoed in my head, listing facts the way he'd done earlier. Nathan's likes, his favorite meals...

Steak.

The refrigerator was fully stocked. I brought out a cut of ribeye, fresh herbs, butter, garlic... Carefully, I washed, chopped and seasoned. I enjoyed cooking. I always had. It came as naturally to me as breathing.

The rhythmic sound of the knife against the chopping board calmed me. For a while, everything was normal and peaceful until I felt that unmistakable prickle at the back of my neck. You know that feeling that made you aware you were being watched?

I froze, then whipped around.

Nathan was standing by the doorway, staring at me.

~ NATHAN ~

I stood in the kitchen doorway for longer than I meant to. Kim hadn't noticed me. She was completely absorbed in what she was doing. So focused that she hadn't heard my footsteps at all.

I'd only come to check on her because curiosity wouldn't let me sit still. I told myself it was only going to be for a minute.

But the moment I saw her, I was rooted to the spot.

The sight of Kim wearing an apron was...unexpected, pleasant. Shocking.

She stood by the counter, seasoning meat with an ease that caught me off guard. She chopped the herbs with practiced precision, looking so relaxed, so at peace, like she belonged there.

She was actually cooking.

The realization hit me in a way that left me utterly stunned. Because the truth was, Kimberly Hayes hated kitchens. She avoided them the way some people avoided bad memories.

She'd once told me that cooking felt like a waste of time and energy when there were chefs and restaurants available for that. I'd simply laughed it off, accepting it as just another part of who she was.

But this... This was something else.

This Kim looked relaxed soiling her hands in the kitchen. She looked confident. At home. Almost...happy.

I leaned against the doorframe now, folding my arms as I studied her more closely. She was still oblivious to my presence, and I found myself strangely grateful for those stolen minutes.

She'd mentioned she was taking cooking classes. A faint smile curved my mouth at the thought. Whoever had inspired this transformation deserved a medal. Because I loved what I was seeing. Not because I expected it of her-I never had-but because it showed real effort on her part. A willingness to meet me halfway in ways I hadn't known I needed.

I'd always loved a homely woman. But I'd fallen in love with Kim knowing she was far from that. Rather, she was ambitious, career-driven, fiercely independent-qualities I admired deeply.

Her career as a beauty and lifestyle influencer meant everything to her, and I respected that. Respected her independent nature, the reason why she hadn't immediately jumped at the idea of moving into this house-one of Blackwood properties. She'd been perfectly content with remaining in her old place, which was smaller-but in my opinion not good enough for the woman I love.

Now here she was, in the kitchen, cooking for me.

Something about that made my heart swell with pride, with love and desire as my gaze drifted over her, tracing the familiar curves of her body. The gentle sway of her hips as she shifted her weight to one leg. The soft roundness of her backside. The fullness of her breasts beneath the fabric of her dress.

Every inch of her stirred something deep and primal in me. Heat curled low in my stomach. I inhaled slowly, reminding myself to behave.

That was when she sensed me.

She turned sharply, knife still in hand, eyes wide with surprise.

I smiled, pushed away from the doorframe and walked over to her. Gently, I took the knife from her fingers and set it aside.

"H-how long have you been standing there?" She looked uncomfortable.

"Long enough to..." I murmured, sliding a hand around her waist and pulling her up against my chest, "realize just how much I've been missing this view."

My gaze dipped deliberately, and she knew exactly what I meant. Her body pressed into mine, soft and warm, and I hardened instantly.

"As much as what you're cooking already looks delicious..." I whispered, kissing her lips, "I think I'd rather...have you for lunch."

I felt her body stiffen instantly.

"Nate-"

I didn't let her finish. I kissed her, slowly, deeply, letting her taste the heat I'd been holding back for a long time now.

"I've missed you," I said quietly.

"I've missed you too, but-" She gasped as she felt my arousal. Her hands came up instinctively as she tried to pull away from my wandering hands and demanding mouth. "I-I don't think the food would...forgive us if I...abandon it at this point."

It took all the effort in me to let her go when all I wanted to do was to peel her out of that dress.

"Relax, love," I said lightly, masking my disappointment. "I'm just teasing. I haven't forgotten our agreement-no sex until the wedding night."

Sometimes it still surprised me that a woman like Kimberly was still a virgin at twenty-five. She didn't strike me as old-fashioned. If she hadn't told me herself, I would never have believed it.

But it explained her boundaries, explained why she was so firm about waiting. Why she never gave in, no matter how heated things got between us. And it only made me respect her more.

Relief washed over her face now. Her shoulders eased, tension draining from her body as though she'd been holding her breath.

For a split second, her reaction made me pause as I wondered. Was it just me, or was she unusually tense today?

Before I could examine the thought, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my lips.

"Thank you for understanding, Nathie-bear."

Nathie-bear.

That little nickname she reserved just for me had a way of unravelling me. Or maybe it was the way she said it now, in that husky voice very close to my mouth.

I caught her shoulders as she tried to move away, holding her there a moment longer.

Leaning in, my lips brushed her ear as my voice dropped to a murmur.

"For now...I'll behave. But on our wedding night, every inch of you will be mine to explore. And I won't hold back."

She blushed, her body tensing again beneath my hands. I felt it, the instinctive reaction she tried to hide. And instead of questioning it, I found myself enjoying it.

The nervousness, the way she trembled and shied away from meeting my gaze. It only made me more eager.

Seven days. I smiled to myself, counting. Just seven days to the wedding.

The wait would be worth it.