Chapter 3 Welcome to the Cage of Glass

I thought saying "yes" was the hard part. I was wrong. The hard part is realizing that the moment you step into Liam's Blackwood world, you stop belonging to yourself.

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The man in the suit didn't flinch as I opened the apartment door. He was tall, lean, and intimidatingly sharp in his black suit and earpiece, as if he'd walked out of a secret agent movie.

"Miss Patel," he said with a curt nod. "I'm here to escort you to Mr. Blackwood's residence. Your belongings will be packed and delivered separately."

My pulse quickened. "Now?"

"Yes," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Mr. Blackwood's orders."

Chloe's eyes were wide as saucers. "zoey ... what the hell is going on?"

I forced a shaky smile I didn't feel. "I... told you. I agreed to the contract. I'm moving in tonight."

She grabbed my arm. "Zoey, this is crazy. You barely know him! You can't just"

"Chloe," I whispered, glancing at the man in the doorway, "I don't have a choice."

Her eyes softened, worry etching deep lines into her face. "Then at least promise me you'll call. Every day. And if he so much as makes you cry"

"I'll survive," I said with a weak laugh, hugging her tightly before stepping into the hall.

The black luxury SUV waiting at the curb felt like a hearse for my old life. I slid into the leather seat, my fingers fidgeting in my lap as the city lights blurred past the tinted windows.

---

When the car pulled up to Blackwood Tower again, I was prepared for the sleek glass doors and the cold luxury but not for the media ambush waiting outside.

Flashes exploded like fireworks. Paparazzi shouted my name how did they even know who I was?

"Zoey! Over here!"

"Is it true you're Liam Blackwood's secret bride?"

"Are you replacing Cassandra Voss?"

My throat went dry. I shrank into the leather seat, heart pounding. The driver pressed a button, and the black privacy glass rose between us and the frenzy.

"Keep your head down," the suited man said. "Don't engage. Mr. Blackwood will handle the press."

Handle the press? I wasn't sure anyone could handle that tidal wave.

By the time we reached the private elevator, I was shaking. I felt like I'd been tossed into a storm I wasn't prepared to survive.

---

The penthouse at night was even more intimidating than before. The city glittered beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, and everything smelled faintly of leather and expensive cologne.

Liam was waiting in the living room, lounging in a dark silk shirt with the top buttons undone, his hair slightly mussed. He looked like temptation wrapped in danger.

"You're late," he said without looking up from the tablet in his hands.

I bristled. "I didn't realize I was on a curfew already."

His eyes finally met mine, cool and assessing. "In my world, timing is everything."

I dropped my gaze to the floor, suddenly hyperaware of how out of place I looked standing there in my scuffed flats and wrinkled skirt.

"Follow me," he said, standing and walking down a hallway that gleamed with polished marble.

I trailed behind him, my footsteps echoing softly, until he opened a double door into a bedroom that looked like a luxury hotel suite.

"This is your room," he said.

Relief flooded me I had half-feared he'd expect me to share his bed immediately. The room was huge, with a king-sized bed draped in white linens, a balcony overlooking the city, and a walk-in closet that looked larger than my entire apartment.

"It's... beautiful," I said, stepping inside slowly.

"Harper will have your clothes and essentials delivered," he said. "Until then, stay here. Do not go out on the balcony until I tell you it's safe. Paparazzi have telephoto lenses."

I blinked. "Wait they can see this high up?"

His jaw tightened. "They always find a way."

He lingered in the doorway for a moment, his eyes sweeping over me, unreadable. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we start your media training."

"Media training?" I echoed.

He smirked. "You're my wife now, Zoey. The world is watching. You need to learn how to survive it."

---

Sleep didn't come easy.

Even wrapped in silk sheets, I felt caged. The penthouse was quiet eerily so but the city outside roared like a living thing. I tossed and turned, images of flashing cameras and Cassandra's venomous eyes haunting me.

Around 3 a.m., I gave up and slipped out to the living room.

The skyline was breathtaking, a river of lights stretching endlessly. And there, standing by the glass wall with a drink in his hand, was Liam Blackwood.

He wasn't wearing a suit now. Just a black T-shirt and lounge pants, barefoot, looking almost human. His hair was slightly damp, as if he'd just showered, and for the first time, he seemed... vulnerable.

I hesitated. "Couldn't sleep?"

He didn't turn. "You get used to it."

"To what?"

"The city watching you," he said, his reflection in the glass faint and ghostly. "Always watching. Judging. Waiting for you to make a mistake."

A chill ran through me. "That sounds... lonely."

"It is." His voice was quiet, almost to himself.

Something inside me softened, but before I could respond, his phone buzzed on the counter. He glanced at it and swore under his breath.

"Problem?" I asked cautiously.

"Paparazzi," he muttered, scrolling through an alert. "Someone leaked your move-in. They've been camped outside since midnight."

My stomach twisted. "So that shouting earlier... they already know who I am?"

He finally turned, those steel-gray eyes locking on mine. "They know enough. And they'll want blood."

I hugged my arms around myself. "I didn't think it would be this bad."

"It will get worse," he said bluntly. "But if you listen to me, I can protect you."

Before I could reply, a sharp bang echoed from the balcony side of the penthouse.

I jumped, my heart leaping into my throat. "What was that?"

Liam moved fast, striding toward the glass doors. I followed a few steps behind, pulse racing.

Outside, beyond the balcony rail, I caught a flash of movement a drone hovering in the night sky, a red light blinking.

"Are they... recording us?" I whispered.

His jaw tightened. "Yes."

The drone tilted, as if taunting us, before zipping away into the night.

Liam turned to me, his expression dark. "Welcome to my world, Zoey. And understand this " He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous rumble. "Once they smell a story, they will never stop. Not until they destroy one of us."

---

My blood ran cold as I realized... I wasn't just in a fake marriage. I was walking into a battlefield with no way out