"We were meant to be strangers. Just one evening. No names. No repercussions.
Elara Sinclair lost her job at her family's hotel business, witnessed her dying grandmother's fortune being stolen by the people she trusted most, and caught her fiancé in bed with her stepsister in one cruel evening. She runs to the airport in a desperate attempt to get away, but a storm cancels her flight.
She meets him there.

The stranger gives her one ideal night—no identities, no past, just two people pretending the world doesn't exist—because he is tall, incredibly attractive, and obviously fleeing his own issues. They make a vow to never see each other again after tonight, converse until morning, and divulge secrets they've never told anyone.

However, fate has a perverse sense of humor.
Three weeks later, Elara learns two things: she is expecting a child, and the man she met at the airport is Damien Cross, the merciless billionaire CEO who recently bought her family's business and is now her boss. Even worse, he is her ex-fiance's family's sworn enemy and is unaware that the enigmatic woman he can't stop thinking about is in front of him.

When Damien learns the truth, he presents her with an irresistible offer: a fictitious engagement with strict guidelines—no ties, no feelings, and most definitely no falling in love—in order to eliminate both of their adversaries.
However, their shared evening produced more than simply a child. It forged a bond that neither of them can deny, and as their revenge scheme develops into something genuine, Elara must choose whether to believe the guy who began as a lovely lie or whether their forbidden love will turn into another agonizing farewell.

One flight was canceled. One baby in secret. One lover who is an adversary. And a pledge that was supposed to be broken.

Detective Webb called Iris on a Tuesday afternoon while she was still at the hotel.


"I need to ask you some additional questions," he said without preamble. "About Daniel's criminal associations."


Iris set down the cup of coffee she'd been holding. "Criminal associations?"


"We're deepening the investigation into why DeVos ordered his death. We need to understand Daniel's role in the organization more completely. Were you aware of his involvement in money laundering operations?"


"No," Iris said immediately. "I wasn't aware of anything like that."


"Daniel never mentioned offshore accounts? Never discussed financial movements or international transfers?"


"He kept his business completely separate from his personal life. I barely knew what he did for work. He said it was complicated and boring and I wouldn't understand it."


Chapter 25 - THE INVESTIGATION EXPANDS