Caspian's expression betrayed genuine disbelief. “He cares deeply for his mother.”

“Well,” she began, her tone cutting, “he certainly didn’t show it the day he lost it after getting in trouble at the firm and Dad cut off his paycheck. That day, he called Mom a spineless woman who couldn’t hang onto her husband and failed her family. He ranted about how, if she were a real woman, a real mother, she’d have driven the ‘homewrecking whore’ away and made sure their family was properly supported. He was completely unhinged.”

“That doesn’t sound like him,” Caspian shot back, his face tightening.

“Believe what you want,” she replied, shrugging. “For context, this was two years ago. He wasn’t some emotionally confused teenager—he was a grown man acting like he was owed the world. Dad fired him after it came out he'd coerced one of the admin assistants he had sex with on his desk. She had proof, of course. Dad paid her off with a hefty settlement to keep the scandal out of the spotlight. These days, his trust fund allowance is his sole income. The only reason he still gets it? He shows up for brunch once a month. Sure, he normally acts sweet toward Mom, but that day? He was drunk, cruel, and completely shattered her heart.”

“You’re lying.”

“Don’t really care if you believe me.” She leaned against the doorway casually. “Now, move out of my way. I need to go back downstairs and keep Mom company.”

“Why?” Caspian’s brows furrowed.

“So I can shield her from Orion,” she explained bluntly. “When he’s busy directing his attacks at me, he leaves her alone.”

He didn’t step aside, his frown deepening. “No. You stay right here. You owe me fifty million.”

A laugh erupted from her before she could stop it. “What a joke. No, I don’t.”

“You’re certain?” he countered, his voice darkening.

“Let me save you the trouble of thinking,” she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “No. I don’t owe you anything. What I could do is sue you for years of emotional distress caused by your incessant torment growing up. You bullied me relentlessly for years, Caspian. From the moment you walked through our door to the time you left at twenty-four, there wasn’t a visit where you didn’t make my life hell. You’re exactly like Orion—entitled and cruel. So, don’t act like you’re owed a damn thing.”

“You’re really saying I ruined your childhood by bullying you?” His tone was measured, defensive.

Her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t ruin my childhood. I had a happy one, but that was only because you weren’t always here. It was every other weekend, and not every visit included you. But let’s not sugarcoat things—when you were around, you were every bit as monstrous as your best friend downstairs. Now, as an adult, I’ll be damned if I don’t take every opportunity to pay you back on behalf of the terrified little girl I used to be.” She tapped her chest for emphasis. “If that means I hit you financially, emotionally, or otherwise, so be it. I won’t stop.”

Her triumph was short-lived when she realized he was slowly closing the space between them, forcing her backward. She hadn’t noticed before, but now it struck her how much larger he was than her, his towering frame eclipsing her petite stature. By the time her shoulder blades brushed against the wall by her bathroom, he had caged her in effortlessly with his arms on either side of her head.

“Fifty million dollars,” he repeated, his voice low and dangerous.

“Pocket change for you,” she quipped, refusing to flinch. “I’ve seen the numbers on your net worth.”

“My company,” he emphasized, “won't survive the PR nightmare you've created without losses.”

“My actions?” she scoffed. “I wasn’t the one who invited the livestreamer. In fact, I didn’t know about the video until Ambrose texted Sabine. Apparently, the guy recognized you from a photo he posted while dining at the restaurant where you were. He works at the hospital, you know.”

“I do,” Caspian snapped. His hazel eyes darkened as his jaw clenched. “He thought it would be funny to escalate things by calling the police on me. I’ll deal with him. But you? You’re the one who got this ball rolling.”

Up close, she couldn’t help but notice the details of his features—the hints of gold in his hazel eyes, the way his neatly groomed brows framed them, or the barely there lines at the corners. Caspian Harrington might have been insufferable, but he was undeniably attractive.

“Here’s the deal, Lark,” he began, resting an elbow against the wall above her, leaning closer. “My company’s stocks are tanking. Deals are falling through. And while I can’t undo the damage completely, my PR team has suggested a strategy. We pretend this whole thing is part of a long-distance relationship we’ve kept secret for years. We go on a few public dates, play it up, and control the damage. Play along, and we can limit the fallout.”

“You’re kidding,” she sneered. “Public appearances? Together? Absolutely not.”

“Not suggesting we sleep together,” he countered, though his voice was laced with disdain. “But if you don’t cooperate, I promise I’ll make your life miserable. Or,” he added with a smirk, “we’ll go to a BDSM club and prove your little story true.”

“Not happening!” she barked out a laugh. “The idea of taking you somewhere like that is laughable. I’d probably get banned thanks to your inability to follow rules.”

“Your membership?” He arched a brow.

“Move,” she demanded, staying firm. “Mom’s probably wondering where I’ve been anyway. She’s likely desperate for a moment away from Orion.”

He didn’t budge. “No.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Caspian, this macho act doesn’t work anymore. You’re bigger than me, sure, but this is my house. You don’t get to intimidate me here.”

His lips curved into an amused sneer as he leaned closer. “Let me spell it out for you. Either you agree to this setup—three dates to show the media we’re in a consensual, alternative relationship—or I’ll see you in court. My lawyers are already prepared.”

She feigned amusement, a mocking smirk spreading over her face. “Go ahead and try. I’ve been in therapy since I was five because of you and the others. My childhood trauma is well documented. I could file a countersuit so fast your head would spin.”

His glare hardened, tension rising. “I haven’t even seen you in years.”

“Then go back to Toronto,” she shot back. “This city isn’t big enough for both of us.”

Before she could react, his strong hands gripped her by the armpits. He lifted her effortlessly, pinning her flush against the wall. Their faces were level now, his hazel eyes boring into hers, frustration coiled in every muscle of his body.

“You’re going to cooperate, Lark,” he ground out through clenched teeth. “Or else.”

Despite herself, she felt her breath hitch. Beneath his fury, she noticed the raw strength in his grip, the taut muscle right beneath his shirt sleeves. To her horror, her treacherous mind couldn’t help but marvel at his sheer physicality. For one maddening second, she wondered what those hands might feel like elsewhere, before quickly refocusing herself.

But her survival instincts kicked in. At this height, her knee made direct contact with his groin, following a quick punch to his throat. His grip on her vanished as he staggered back, choking and clutching himself in pain.

She scrambled for the door, unlocking it with record speed. Adrenaline pushed her forward, but her mind caught on one haunting detail. Despite the pain he should’ve been in, one fact stood out.

Caspian had been hard as a damn rock.

And she had absolutely no idea what to make of it.