n's

divorce papers on my desk, my anger simm

om a strong regional power into t

business empire into new markets, and established our

enged my aut

pparently

, announced as he entered. One look at my thund

crushed three competing CEOs who'd at

said, each word clipped w

slightly. "Mrs. Bla

alk away from," I growled, taking the co

ing, perfectly drafted, requiring only m

rs of her desperate attempts to please me, three years

ph

name still brought

ge sweetheart and almost-fiancée before that

h marriage - a perfect blend of love and business, until

ne into my heart again. Instead, I channeled a

business strategies became my only companions. The boardro

own as the 'Ice King' of Wall Street, the CEO who never smile

ysterious woman I met by chance,

coincidentally, she turned out to be a perfe

oncerned about our family's reputation in business c

prises, I needed a suitable wife to maintain ou

id. 'The merger with the Hart Group fell through after

epted her. Sophie's ghost lingered betwe

this is just a negotiation tactic? Mrs. Bl

her little games. She thinks by threatening to le

mon asked, his ton

nderstand her place. As my wife, her ro

e papers. She wanted nothing from me-no alimony

away from everything I'd bui

rds, restrict her access to any Blackwood assets. Let's see how seri

urvived a k

my jaw at t

raw, though I refuse

t defying me has conseq

my orders, my phone vibrate

t day, suggesting we have dinner afterward

th her golden waves and amber eyes th

hree years ago, she'd attached herself to me like a b

be Sophie-but she was a connection

why Serena seemed s

mantic between Ivy a

gularly... all because she was Sophie's sister. It was my way

ick no. I wasn't in the moo

one rang-it was

"I just heard from my sources that Serena ha

a tantrum, Grandmothe

e repeated, her

ke up, you weren't by her side. And your respons

don't need rela

a what you're risking? The marriage contract is bi

it the moment I met her. And a husband ought to recognize a

tung more than I

rch of our family business for for

d stepped in to guide me, teaching me everything ab

y."But I didn't ask for this contract. It was shoved d

f the perfect husband without asking

g my head. "What do you want me

ied coldly. "Sophie is gone, Ryan

t, you've had a living, breathing wife w

ld respond,

hone, feeling a smug satisfacti

had put Grandmothe

n tactic, proof that she wasn't

wasn't. How

love with me-had been

her way of getting my attention

ive her the

ng her mistake and begging for forgivene

one rang a

oice was shak

m being attacked online-someone's ac

ng I used your influence to blacklist

e of my nose. "Slow down, Ivy