Undercover lessons

The Devil Wears Prada

Chapter One: The Devil Wears Prada

“Trust is for fools, and love is a liability.”
Lena Castillo repeated the mantra under her breath as she stepped into the grand hall of the Castillo estate. Tonight, her family’s wealth was on full display. Crystal chandeliers bathed the room in golden light, illuminating marble floors and a sea of black-tie-clad guests. To the untrained eye, it was a charity gala. To Lena, it was another night of lies and negotiations.

“Lena,” her father’s voice boomed, pulling her from her thoughts. Don Armando Castillo, the feared patriarch of the Castillo empire, stood at the center of the room, flanked by men who traded lives like stocks. His piercing gaze settled on her. “Come, meet our guest.”

Lena adjusted her navy silk gown and plastered on a polite smile as she approached. Years of playing the dutiful daughter made her an expert at masking her disdain.

“Lena, this is Mr. Blackwood. He’ll be teaching at your university.”

Lena froze. The man beside her father wasn’t what she expected. Dr. Adrian Blackwood was younger, sharper, with stormy gray eyes that seemed to see too much. His tailored suit clung to a figure that had known discipline. He didn’t belong in this world of criminal excess, and yet here he was, shaking her father’s hand with the ease of a politician.

“I’m looking forward to teaching students like you,” Adrian said, his voice calm but with an edge that sent a shiver down Lena’s spine.

She extended her hand, and their eyes locked. For a brief moment, she thought she saw something flicker in his gaze—recognition? Suspicion?

“The pleasure is mine,” Lena said, her voice cool.

But as their hands touched, she noticed the faint scar on his wrist—a jagged line that looked like it had been made in desperation. And just like that, the alarm bells in her mind went off.

Later That Night

The gala dragged on, and Lena finally escaped to the terrace, away from the suffocating crowd. She leaned on the railing, the cool night air a welcome relief from the weight of her double life.

“You don’t seem like the type to enjoy these events.”

Lena spun around to see Adrian, his tie loosened, standing in the shadows. He moved closer, his presence unsettling in a way she couldn’t explain.

“And you don’t seem like the type to attend them,” she countered, her guard up.

Adrian smirked. “Observant. But aren’t you curious why I’m here?”

She raised an eyebrow, feigning indifference. “Not particularly.”

“Hmm.” He leaned against the railing beside her, his gaze fixed on the distant city lights. “You remind me of someone I used to know. Someone who hid their secrets behind a perfect mask.”

Lena’s heart skipped. She turned to him, her voice sharper than she intended. “And what makes you think I have secrets?”

Adrian’s eyes flicked to hers, piercing and unrelenting. “Everyone does. Some just hide them better than others.”

For a moment, they stared at each other, the tension crackling like a live wire. Adrian finally broke the silence, stepping back into the shadows.

“I’ll see you in class, Ms. Castillo.”

As he disappeared into the mansion, Lena let out a shaky breath. The way he said her name—it wasn’t just casual. It was calculated, like he already knew too much.

She clenched her fists. If Adrian Blackwood thought he could uncover her secrets, he was in for a rude awakening.

Closing Scene of Chapter One:

As the guests filtered out and the night came to an end, Lena returned to her room. She closed the door and pressed a button on her nightstand, revealing a hidden panel behind her bookshelf. Inside was her true world: blueprints, encrypted files, and weapons.

She sat at her desk, pulling up her family’s security feed. Her father’s office appeared on the screen, where Adrian was shaking hands with Don Castillo again. Lena zoomed in, watching his every movement.

“Who are you, Adrian Blackwood?” she muttered, her fingers hovering over the keys.

And why did he make her feel like the prey for the first time in her life?