wood, today w

ey exchanged jokes and laughed, reveling in the pro

you clean them all out," Alex ch

erate people make things easier," Sean replied with

terrupting their conversation. It was O

a?" Sean answered

aid, her voice sounding breathless. "B

rd any hiccups today. It was your job to keep h

eople he liked because they were easily manipulated with money but hated because they were so incompet

l a sense of anticipation at the prospect of sealing the deal with Nora. He was surprised to find she wasn't bad-looking at all. When h

yes but that was understandable. He was going to have a lot of fun wi

nt stride, Sean entered the venue, his mind already calculating the next steps in his gran

t for dominance, and Nora Sterling would soon learn

*

the altar where Sean stood waiting. Soft music swelled from the instrumental

y smirk that sent a shiver down her spine. With his muscular build and commanding presence, he

flickered with hidden motives, betraying the true nature of the man stan

is allure. And the black suit he wore... It clung to his body like a second skin

y a darkness that chilled her to the bone and Nora knew all too well that he intended to keep her te

thrust on her. Olivia had slowly but surely run her family business empire into the ground, squandering the wealth and prestige that had been painstakingly built up over genera

n she loathed. The one who would soon become her husband a

ew no bounds and was nothing more than a snake in

st stepped forward an

they both nodded and

to exchange vows that held no meaning for either of them, she wondered if sh

the previous night. She was still embarrassed and mortified. At the woman, she had become during her night with a stranger. How she pushed herself on him, begging him to take

l man she'd ever seen with the coldest e

k of her mind, focusing instead on the present moment and the vows she was about

is t

per. His voice sliced through her thoughts like a knife, causing her

fingered the golden-rose

murmurs of the congregation. Nora's heart raced as she struggled to come up with a plausib

rm and unyielding. Nora winced as his fingers dug into her skin, eyes flashing wi

ed her hands away from his grasp, shootin

ple with growing curiosity. Sensing the tension in the air, the priest cle

sure are tense

dded, clutching her bouquet tightly, willing herself to

ows, Mr

a smooth and confident mask, "I vow to honor and cherish you, to

do you take Sean to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for

mbled over her response. "I... I do," she managed to whisper, h

hers for reassurance. "Repeat after me, Nora," he urged

vows that felt like a mockery of the sacred institution of marria

you oka

rwhelmed and...full of joy to b

. Whatever reasons rich people married for, love

u man and wife, you

and forceful kiss. The cheers of the guests washed over them like a tidal

ss. This was a de