"Marry me," he said, his lips curving into a cruel smirk. "Let me help you destroy them."

I should have walked away. I should have told Axel O'Brien, billionaire and the coldest man I’ve ever met, that I wasn’t desperate enough to make a deal with the devil.

But I was.

On what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, my fiancé didn’t just ruin me; he had the audacity to confess he had loved my sister all along, and now she was carrying his child.

He ended up marrying her instead of me, while I was left alone, broken and humiliated. And the worst part? My family let it happen. They said I was the eldest child and should learn to give in to my younger sister.

They treated me like nothing, expecting me to disappear into the shadows.

But they thought wrong.

Now, I’m standing beside a man far more dangerous than any of them. A man who doesn’t believe in love, only power. His deal is simple: become his wife, and together we’ll make them regret ever betraying me. 

Except what I didn’t know was that Axel had his own twisted reasons for helping me, and I might have been his vengeance all along.

Now I have to save myself from catching real feelings for this husband of mine, who plays the part of a devoted partner a little too well. 

Because revenge was supposed to be simple... until him.

"Ma'am, we need to address this bribery claim head-on," Helena said over breakfast in the hotel suite, her tablet glowing with the morning's headlines. "Cassandra's video is everywhere, and some people are actually buying it."


I nodded, sipping my coffee even though my stomach was churning. 


The headlines screamed accusations: "Eclipse Beauty CEO Bribes Police," "Layla O'Brien's Dark Secret Exposed," "Watson Sister Claims Frame-Up After Miscarriage."


"Our lawyers are on it," I said, setting down my cup with more force than necessary. "But right now, let's focus on today's meeting. We close this deal, and it counters all this noise."


Henry joined us from his adjoining room, looking grim as he scrolled through his phone. "The distributor's team emailed this morning. They want to proceed with the meeting, but we should expect pushback about the scandal."


Chapter 103 - Not My Father