Bound By The Ruthless Tycoon's Contract

The private lounge was starkly bright compared to the ballroom. It was a space meant for quiet conversations and quick breaks, but right now, it felt like a holding cell.

Blair sat on the edge of a leather sofa, her back straight, her hands folded neatly in her lap. On the glass coffee table in front of her sat two glasses of water. No alcohol. This wasn't a celebration.

She had sent Paige away. This was going to be a private conversation.

The heavy door clicked open. Alexis Ashley stumbled in, still riding the high of the flashbulbs and the champagne. His expensive tuxedo was slightly disheveled; his bow tie hung loose around his neck. The faint, cloying scent of Kiana's perfume clung to his collar, right next to a smudge of crimson lipstick.

Blair's eyes locked onto the lipstick stain for half a second. Her nose wrinkled slightly, as if she had just smelled rotting garbage, before her face reset to neutral.

"Blair?" Alexis flashed his million-dollar smile, the one that made teenage girls scream. "You wanted to see me?"

Blair didn't speak. She simply lifted her chin, a micro-movement, gesturing toward the armchair opposite her.

Alexis's smile faltered slightly under the silence. He sat down, crossing his legs, trying to project confidence that was rapidly evaporating. "Look, about those photos... I'm sorry. I didn't think we'd get caught."

Blair finally spoke, her voice smooth and completely devoid of emotion. "Are you sorry you got caught, or are you sorry I found out?"

Alexis's mouth snapped shut. He shifted in his seat. "Blair, come on. Let me explain. Kiana and I... it's about business."

"Business?" Blair repeated the word, letting it hang in the air like a bad joke.

"Yeah," Alexis said, leaning forward, trying to sell the lie. "Kiana's family connections-she can get me top-tier fashion campaigns, luxury endorsements. Being linked with her maximizes my commercial value. It's good for the company in the long run!"

He was wrapping his own greed in a corporate bow. It was a trick she had taught him, but he was using it against her.

Blair looked at him. She didn't see a movie star. She saw a bad actor delivering a terrible performance.

"So," Blair said slowly, "you're telling me I should thank you?"

Alexis missed the sarcasm entirely. He thought the door was open. "No, no, of course not. I just want you to understand. I still care about you, Blair."

The words hit the air and instantly curdled. Blair felt a sudden, violent churning in her stomach. It was a visceral, physical disgust. She stood up, the movement sharp and sudden.

She walked over until she was standing directly over him, forcing him to look up at her.

"Alexis, do you think I spent three years building you into an Oscar winner so you could go suck up to another woman and tell me it's good for the company?"

Her voice was quiet, but each word was razor-sharp, slicing through his bravado.

Alexis flinched, his mouth opening and closing. He looked away, his eyes darting to the floor. "Kiana is a good person," he mumbled defensively. "She's innocent in all this. I just... I hope you won't make things hard for her."

Blair let out a laugh. It was a harsh, grating sound, completely devoid of humor.

"Make things hard for her?" She bent down, bringing her face inches from his. The smell of Kiana's perfume made her stomach turn again. "You use the fame I gave you to be her stepping stone, and now you're begging me to spare her feelings?"

She paused, letting the silence stretch. "Do you even know who she is?"

Alexis blinked, confused. "A Glover. A socialite."

"She is my sister," Blair said, enunciating each syllable with brutal clarity.

Alexis froze. The color drained from his face. His mouth fell open, but no sound came out. She had always kept her connection to the main Glover family a closely guarded secret, a toxic asset she never claimed. Kiana, in her social circles, often went by her mother's maiden name, 'Vance', to appear more exotic. It was a perfect, mutually beneficial separation.

He was utterly blindsided. Kiana had never mentioned being related to Blair. Not once.

Blair straightened up, looking down at him with absolute contempt. The power dynamic in the room had shifted permanently. She was the judge; he was the convicted.

"So, Alexis," she said, her voice dropping to a lethal whisper, "do you still think she's innocent? Do you still think you're doing this for the company?"