Chapter 2: The Masked Prince
The morning after her wedding, Ava Sinclair woke not to sunlight, but to silence so thick it felt alive.
She sat up slowly in the massive, unfamiliar bed—black silk sheets still untouched on one side. The other side. His side.
Dominic Vale hadn't returned during the night.
Ava had barely slept, haunted by the words she'd overheard: If she finds out what really happened to the last wife, we're all dead.
A chill still clung to her skin. She didn't know who'd spoken. She didn't even know who we was. But the meaning was clear: she had stepped into something far more dangerous than a transactional marriage.
She threw back the covers and swung her legs to the floor. The cold marble bit at her bare feet.
There was no freedom here. Not really. But if she was going to survive, she had to understand the rules—and the man who had built the walls around her.
She walked to the closet and opened it.
Rows of designer clothes—none of which she owned—lined the walls. Every size, color, fabric chosen for her. Ava ran her hand across the labels: Chanel. Dior. Valentino. She should've been impressed.
Instead, she felt like a doll.
Or a weapon.
The estate was quiet as she stepped into the hallway. Too quiet. Staff bustled silently past her with eyes averted, their movements almost rehearsed.
It didn't feel like a home.
It felt like a stage.
Ava spotted a young maid folding linens near the stairwell. "Excuse me," Ava said gently.
The girl flinched and dropped the sheets.
"I didn't mean to startle you," Ava added. "I was just wondering where Dominic—Mr. Vale—is."
The maid glanced nervously down the hall, then whispered, "In the observatory, ma'am. East wing. But he doesn't like to be disturbed."
Ava smiled. "Thanks. And one more thing—what's your name?"
The maid hesitated, then whispered, "Elise."
"Thank you, Elise. Really."
The girl smiled, barely, before hurrying away.
Ava turned toward the east wing, her pulse quickening.
If Dominic didn't want to be disturbed, that meant one thing to Ava.
She was going to disturb him.
The observatory was nothing like she expected.
It wasn't cold or clinical. It was dark wood and warm leather. Books lined the walls, and floor-length windows revealed the rolling hills of forest below. A fire crackled in the hearth despite the early hour.
And there he was.
Dominic Vale.
Standing near a massive telescope, mask still in place.
"You're up early," he said without turning.
"So are you," she replied, stepping inside. "Didn't know tech tycoons were stargazers."
"Even stars hide behind masks, Ava."
She rolled her eyes. "That was poetic. And cryptic. Two things I don't trust."
He turned slowly. "I could say the same about you."
She ignored the jab. "We need to talk."
"No," he said, "you want to talk. There's a difference."
Her jaw clenched. "I heard someone last night. Talking about your last wife. About me being a risk."
He went still.
"And you're not denying it," she added.
He walked toward her, slow and deliberate. "Be careful, Ava. There are things in this house more dangerous than secrets."
She held her ground. "Like you?"
Silence stretched between them. The fire crackled louder.
"I gave you a contract," he said. "Not answers."
"I'm your wife," she snapped. "Even if it's fake. If I'm going to play the part, I deserve to know what happened before me."
His voice dropped. "She broke the rules."
"What rules?"
"She touched the mask."
Ava's breath caught.
He stepped closer, and the firelight caught the sharp edge of the silver mask. "That mask is the only thing keeping us both safe."
"From what?" she whispered.
But he didn't answer. Just turned away, gaze returning to the stars.
Later that day, Elise brought Ava her first official schedule: a gala. Tonight.
Ava stared at the gold-embossed card.
The ValeTech Winter Benefactors Ball.
"It's a formal event," Elise said, setting a black velvet box on the vanity. "Your gown has been tailored. And this… is from Mr. Vale."
Inside the box was a necklace—obsidian and diamond, sharp as a weapon and just as heavy.
Ava's fingers closed around it.
Dominic might control the pieces. But she was learning the game.
And she never played to lose.
The gala was held in the ValeTech ballroom—an architectural marvel of glass, steel, and cold perfection. Reporters gathered like vultures outside as black cars rolled in.
Ava stepped out of the limo first, a vision in black silk and diamonds.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"The new Mrs. Vale!"
"She's real!"
"No way she signed willingly…"
Flashbulbs exploded as Dominic stepped beside her.
Even behind the mask, he was magnetic. Commanding. The prince of shadows.
He offered his arm. "Smile. You're mine tonight."
Her smile was perfect. Sharp. "I was never good at pretending. But I'll try."
Inside, they danced for the cameras. Walked through whispered circles. Power watched them like a hawk.
And Ava played her part flawlessly.
But as she reached for a glass of champagne, a voice slid behind her ear.
"I wouldn't drink that."
She turned.
The man was young. Charming. And entirely too confident.
"Who are you?" she asked.
He smiled. "Call me Damien. Let's just say… I knew the last Mrs. Vale."
Her heart stuttered.
"She thought she was safe too," he added, tone low. "Until she wasn't."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because if you don't get out now, Ava—there won't be anyone left to tell your story."
Back at the estate, Ava confronted Dominic the moment the doors closed.
"Who is Damien?" she demanded.
His shoulders tensed.
"You knew he'd be there. Didn't you?"
"I know everyone who walks within ten feet of you," he said quietly. "And I let him."
"Why?"
"To see what you'd do."
She gaped at him. "You used me as bait?"
"He's dangerous. He's not who he says he is."
"And you are?" she challenged. "You hide behind a mask and secrets and think money buys loyalty."
"I don't need your loyalty, Ava," he growled. "I need your silence."
"And if I don't give it?"
His voice turned to steel. "Then you'll end up like her."
For a moment, the world stopped.
She stared at him, heart thundering. "You killed her."
"No," he said, mask catching the dim light. "But I couldn't save her either."
He turned and walked away.
And Ava realized with terrifying clarity
She had no idea who her husband truly was.