The Kawasaki purred beneath her, its engine a steady growl that echoed in the early morning streets of Manhattan. Akisuki leaned into the curve of the road, her lips curling into a smirk beneath the helmet.

The chill of the wind nipped at her cheeks, but it was a welcome distraction from the chaos that had settled in her mind since last night.

A year-long marriage for thirty million dollars.

The proposition felt like a cruel joke, yet she had said yes. What choice did she have? Freedom always came at a price, and this was hers.

She reached the Carter International parking garage, weaving past the sleek luxury cars with ease, her engine roaring like a rebel in a room full of aristocrats. She spotted her usual space in the far corner, pulling in and cutting the engine.

The silence that followed was deafening. She removed her helmet, shaking her hair loose as the familiar scent of motor oil and concrete filled her senses.

But it wasn’t just the scent of the garage that greeted her.

"Quite the entrance," a deep voice drawled from the shadows.

Akisuki turned, her gaze locking on Vincent Carter. He stood by his Aston Martin, his tailored suit impeccable, his hands casually in his pockets. The faint smirk on his lips was almost infuriating.

"Not used to women arriving on two wheels, sir?" she shot back, placing her helmet on the bike and straightening her suit jacket.

Vincent stepped closer, his eyes appraising her as if she were one of his high-stakes investments. "Not in this crowd, no. You’re making quite the statement."

Akisuki crossed her arms, leaning casually against the bike. "Let them stare. I’m not here to blend in."

"That much is clear." his tone was calm, but there was an edge to his words that sent a shiver down her spine.

Akisuki blushed a bit, nodding in acknowledgement. It made her feel something, maybe a little self-conscious suddenly, especially under Vincent's gaze.

She was always busy and subservient, not really paying attention to her appearance much, especially what shoes she wore — a pair sneakers instead of high heels to pair up with her business suit.

It was true, she looked beautiful in everything, but still. She could look more beautiful if she paid attention to her appearance a bit more.

Vincent noticed the slight blush on her cheeks as she nodded in response, and he couldn't help but find it endearing. She seemed somewhat self-conscious, which was unusual given her always put-together appearance. It was refreshing to see a different side of her.

As the elevator came down, she stepped aside, wanting Vincent to enter first, like the polite Japanese girl that she was. He noticed her attempt to step aside to let him enter first. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips at her politeness.

"Come on, you first, sweetheart," he gestured with a nod of his head, refusing to go in first without her.

Akisuki's heart fluttered at the small gesture. She smiled and nodded, stepping inside the elevator and holding her biker's helmet and handbag to herself, straightening her suit jacket a bit yet again.

They ended up in the same elevator, the silence between them charged with unspoken thoughts. Vincent stood close — closer than necessary — and Akisuki could feel his eyes on her, studying her every move.

Akisuki kept looking forward. She could feel Vincent's lazy yet intense gaze piercing her through her soul. She looked down at her Apple watch for the time before she looked forward again.

She sighed, her hand running through her silken raven hair. She was like Rapunzel, but with raven-black hair. Her hair was long and luxurious, reaching down to her knees. Her ivory skin porcelain-like and flawless, her lips rosy. A pair of rimless glasses was perched on her nose, her mismatched eyes relaxed.

No wonder the other women of the company were so envious of her appearance and that hourglass body.

"Have you had second thoughts yet?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She arched an eyebrow, refusing to look at him. "Second thoughts about thirty million dollars? Not likely."

Vincent chuckled, low and smooth. "You surprise me, Akisuki Rei. Most people would’ve been panicking by now. You’re either incredibly brave or incredibly foolish."

"I prefer determined," she replied sharply.

"Determined to what?" he stepped closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "To outrun whatever’s chasing you?"

Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t flinch. "You’re awfully presumptuous for someone who’s about to be my husband."

"That’s part of my charm," he replied, his smirk widening.

The elevator pinged, signifying that it had arrived on their designated floor. Vincent, being the gentleman he was, allowed his secretary to step out first. Akisuki scoffed with a little chuckle, walking out of the elevator with Vincent in tow, on their way to go to their individual work spaces — Vincent to his office and Akisuki to the elegant desk in front of his office.

All the men's eyes were glued onto her, as it has always been this way.

Although her back was turned, they couldn't help but study the way she walked. Every step she took was so graceful and beautiful, like water flowing down a river, except with much more purpose.

Her blue and green eyes seemed to glow in the sun's rays that peeked through the large windows of the corridors, which resembled the northern lights. It was like looking at the most beautiful woman in the entire planet, no, in the entire universe.

Akisuki set her helmet and handbag on the desk and perched herself on the rolling chair, turning on her PC before pulling out a few files and her iPad from her handbag. Vincent's striking grey eyes lingered on her graceful and elegant form, the way her hands moved. There was something so different about her — much different than the women he often came across.

He pushed the glass door of his office and stepped in, the door closing by itself, a faint little smile curving on his lips as he sat down on the leather chair, crossing his legs.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of routine. Akisuki buried herself in work, her fingers flying across the keyboard, entering some data, her dual-toned eyes sifting through her iPad as she scheduled meetings, answered calls, and dealt with demanding clients.

It was the kind of monotony she welcomed — an escape from the storm brewing in her personal life.

But even in the chaos of the office, she could feel Vincent’s presence. He was in and out of meetings, his commanding voice echoing down the halls, his sharp gaze catching hers whenever their paths crossed.

It didn’t help that the office was abuzz with whispers.

"Did you see the way Mr. Carter looked at her in the parking lot?" one colleague murmured.

"They’ve been acting strange lately," another added. "Do you think there’s something going on?"

Akisuki ignored them, focusing instead on the stack of documents on her desk. But their words lingered in her mind, a reminder of the thin line she was walking.

During her lunch break, Akisuki retreated to a quiet corner of the building, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. She scrolled through her messages, pausing at one from her mother. It was weeks old, but she couldn’t bring herself to open it.

The weight of her secret pressed down on her. Her royal lineage, her family’s expectations — they were worlds apart from the life she had built here. If they ever found out about the marriage contract, about her plans… she didn’t want to think about it, but she knew she had to think about it begrudgingly.

"Stealing a moment to yourself?"

She jumped at the sound of Vincent’s voice, quickly locking her phone. He stood a few feet away, holding two coffee cups.

"I thought you could use a break," he said, holding one out to her.

She hesitated before taking it, her fingers brushing against his. "Thanks. But don’t think this makes up for your constant hovering."

Vincent chuckled, taking a sip of his own coffee. "Consider it a gesture of goodwill. We are partners now, after all."

"Partners," she echoed, the word tasting bitter on her tongue.

"You’ll get used to it," he said, his tone softer than before, not bothering about the judgemental eyes around themselves — the women tearing Akisuki apart with just their gazes.

Akisuki sipped on her coffee, her body language tensed under the gazes she was getting. However, she noticed it was bittersweet and milky. She looked down at her cup — cream coffee. She smiled faintly before she gave Vincent a sidelong glance, silently appreciating his thoughtfulness.

Vincent smirked, returning her sidelong gaze of his own as he sipped on his double espresso.

"How'd you know?" she asked softly, tilting her head as she looked up at him.

"I can read minds, sweetheart," he smirked wolfishly. She scoffed and rolled her eyes non-offensively.

"Of course. The great mind-reader Vincent Carter," she said sarcastically and chuckled softly. Vincent eyed him, his grey orbs filled with mirth and amusement.

The busy, bustling day bled to quiet nightfall. Akisuki closed her iPad and turned off the PC after refreshing it a few times. She sighed, running her hand through her luxurious raven hair, not quite noticing the two carbon grey eyes intently watching her subtle movements.

She gathered her things, ready to leave the chaos of the office behind. Her fingers itched to grip the handlebars of her Kawasaki and let the wind erase the tension coiled in her chest. She tucked the last of her files into her bag, her thoughts already drifting to the blissful roar of her bike’s engine.

But as she reached for her pen — the sleek, silver pen she always kept by her side — it slipped from her grasp. It clattered to the floor, the sound cutting through the quiet hum of the office. Before she could move, a hand swept down to retrieve it.

Vincent.

His movements were unhurried, deliberate, as if he had all the time in the world. He straightened, holding the pen between his fingers like it was a piece of rare art. His thumb brushed over the engraved letters, his eyes narrowing slightly as he read them aloud, his voice like velvet laced with curiosity:

"Rei Kenji."

Akisuki’s heart skipped a beat.

She reached for the pen, but Vincent didn’t hand it over immediately. Instead, he tilted his head, studying her with a sharpness that made her feel like a puzzle he was determined to solve.

"Interesting name," he remarked, his tone casual, but his gaze anything but.

"It was a gift," she said quickly, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her. She snatched the pen from his hand, stuffing it into her bag.

"A gift," Vincent echoed, his lips curving into a faint, knowing smile. He didn’t press further, but the look in his eyes told her he wasn’t done with this thread.

Akisuki turned away, her pulse racing. She hated how he could unsettle her with just a look, how his curiosity felt like a spotlight burning through her carefully constructed walls.

She hurried toward the elevator, refusing to glance back, even though she could feel his eyes following her.

Back in his office, Vincent leaned against his desk, the city skyline sprawling behind him. His phone rested in his hand, but he wasn’t looking at it.

He was replaying the moment in the parking garage, the way Akisuki had walked into the office that morning like she belonged to a different world. And then, the pen.

Rei Kenji.

He wasn’t a man who ignored details. The name struck a chord — familiar, but not immediately clear. It wasn’t her last name, that much he knew. So why was it engraved on something as personal as a pen?

Curiosity turned to resolve as he dialed a number. The line buzzed once before a voice answered on the other end.

"I need you to dig into someone for me," Vincent said, his voice low but firm. "Her name is Akisuki Rei, my secretary. Start with the name Kenji. I want everything — family, history, connections."

The person on the other end hesitated. "Kenji, as in–"

"Yes," Vincent interrupted, his tone sharp. "Keep it quiet. No mistakes."

He hung up without waiting for a reply, his gaze drifting to the city lights outside. If there was more to Akisuki than she was letting on, he would find it.

And if she was hiding something... well, she’d chosen to marry him. Secrets in a marriage didn’t stay hidden for long.