"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.

Webb arrived at the penthouse at 10 AM with a folder and a grim expression.


Julian had called him the night before, told him about the forged document, asked him to analyze it officially. Webb had spent the night running forensic analysis on the financial records. Had traced the account access. Had documented the fraud.


Now he needed to tell them what he'd found.


Iris sat on the couch when Webb entered. She looked like she hadn't slept. Julian stood by the window, looking like someone who'd been processing danger all night.


"The financial records show clear indicators of fraud," Webb said without preamble. "Someone accessed your account using authentication credentials that shouldn't have been available. The payment was authorized using a signature that doesn't match your verified samples. The withdrawal occurred during a period when your account was inactive."


Chapter 31 - THOMAS WEBB'S WARNING