Gilded Cage: The CEO's Unwilling Bride

The water was luke-warm.

It hit them gently. Adrien stood under the spray, fully clothed, holding her against his chest.

She gasped, her eyes flying open. The shock forced air into her lungs.

"Breathe," Adrien ordered, his voice rough. "Stay with me."

She was shivering, her teeth chattering, but the chill in her bones was deep. She instinctively pressed closer to him, seeking the only source of warmth.

"Cold," she moaned, burying her face in his wet shirt.

Adrien stiffened. Her body was soft, yielding, and despite the tepid water, the heat between them was undeniable.

"Clarice," he warned. "Don't."

She didn't know what she was doing. The alcohol and the terror had stripped away her inhibitions. She reached up, her fingers tangling in his wet hair. She pulled his face down.

"Adrien," she whispered.

He broke.

He crushed his mouth to hers. This wasn't the confused, drunken assault of the blackout. This was deliberate. Possessive. He kissed her like he wanted to devour her.

She wrapped her legs around his waist. The water pounded around them, steam rising from their skin despite the cool setting.

His hands were everywhere. On her hips, her back, her hair.

The bathroom door slammed open.

"Adrien!"

They froze.

Adrien spun around, shielding her with his body. He grabbed a towel from the rack and draped it over her in one motion.

Victoria Sargent stood in the doorway. She was leaning on her cane, her silver hair perfectly coiffed, her face a mask of disgust. Alfred stood behind her, looking at the floor.

"Grandmother," Adrien said, wiping water from his eyes. His voice was steel. "Get out."

"Have you lost your mind?" Victoria pointed her cane at them. "In the house? With the ward? Like animals?"

"She's not a child," Adrien snapped.

"She is a liability!" Victoria yelled. "And now she is a scandal. If the Board sees this..."

She looked at her, shivering in the towel, her neck bruised, her eyes wild.

"Clean this up," Victoria hissed. "Living room. Ten minutes. Or I call the shareholders."

She turned and marched out.

Adrien turned off the water. The silence was deafening.

He looked at her. There was no lust in his eyes now. Only a grim calculation.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, pulling the towel tighter. She felt sick.

"Get dressed," he said, turning away. "We have a war to fight."