n't wea

t Chen, Damien's personal assistant, was a petite Asian woman in her early forties with a sharp black bob and sharper eyes. She'd been waiting in

ight p.m., and she'd spent the day packing her life, moving her m

typing on her phone. "Mr. Blackwood is announcing your engagem

nig

jor publication looking like-" Margot caught herself, bu

ned. "Fine. Send

ce was enormous,probably five thousand square feet decorated in sleek minimalism that screamed money so old it didn't need to prove anything. White walls, dark hardwood floors, modern f

down a hallway past several closed doors. "This is Mr. Blackwood's private wing." She

ate lives. Exactly as

nia king bed with white linens, a sitting area with a view of the park, a walk-in closet currently empty except

aid. "Dinner will be served at nine in the dini

re i

ackwood's world revolved so entirely around his empire that

al. This was happening. In less than twenty-four hours, the world would

had been settled into a private room at Mount Sinai. The oncologist had alre

o sign of the life growing inside her. "We're going to be okay," she whi

ven talking to the baby. N

fifties who looked at Ivy the way a sculptor might look at particularly challenging marbl

gazines she'd flipped through in waiting rooms. Day wear, evening wear, cocktail dresses, and business casual. Shoes that cost more than she'

riage. As if Damien would ever look a

t of electricity. She shoved the memory away. That was her exhausted brain playing tricks.

ter sleeves. "Sophisticated. Appropriate. It says 'worthy of a Blackwood' without trying too hard." She held up nude Lou

say in my own e

sted showing up naked. "Mr. Blackwoo

s was expected, predetermined, a scrip

able that could seat twelve currently set for two at one end. Damien sat at the head, still in his suit from that mo

Damien glanced up, his eyes sweeping over her with th

-a middle-aged woman in a black uniform-immediately appeared with the first course. S

bowl, her breathing, the faint classical music playing from hidden speakers. D

row?" Ivy finally asked, her v

, unified front. I'll make a brief statement announcing our engagement. You'll smile, say nothing, and look app

tioned a

on't deviate from the script. Don't answe

m not an idiot, Mr. Blackwood. I

is very different from playing one in front of the entire world. Tomorrow, you become a public figure. Every word you say, every expression on your face, every outfit you wear will be analyzed and judged.

uietly. "I know what it's like to h

s expression-curiosity, maybe,

lecture me about playing parts, Mr. Blackw

. Then Damien nodded once, almost respectfully. "Fair enough." He returned to his t

htened when he read something displeasing, the elegant brutality of his hands, the sheer physical presence he commanded even

as dessert arrived,something chocolate and architec

in pr

ook up. "We won't be spending enou

to eat the dessert, which tasted like ash in her mouth despite

o finish. Margot will brief you on tomorrow's s

aration? No discuss

ce. We've been seeing each other privately, keeping the relationship quiet until we were certain. The baby was a surprise but a welcome one. We're d

wing. Ivy sat alone in the cavernous dining room, surrounded by abstract art and unc

nically, sh

e floor-to-ceiling windows and the glittering expanse of Manhattan below. The city never truly s

sleep e

breath caught. Without the armor of his suit, he was somehow more devastating-lean muscle and hard edges, a body

to disturb yo

indows, and Ivy saw the tumbler of amber liquid in his hand. Scot

words slipped out befo

s suddenly aware that she wore only the silk nightgown Lydia had insisted she needed-cream

n't

ing out at the conquered city. "I've been preparing for this my entire life. P

vy said quietly. "N

controlled facade-surprise, maybe, or recognition. "Who says there

t belie

y n

e for so long, sometimes I forget who I was before. But she'

mien took a long drink, his throat working, and Ivy found

was a machine in a suit. She said it was like loving a ghost;I was there, physica

l words, carefully hidden but there no

edding, actually. She sent a text. 'I can't marry someone who doesn't know how to feel.' Then she was photograph

y breathed.

to feel, not the way normal people do. I know strategy and transacti

this arrangement? A mar

rp relief-beautiful and brutal. "I won't be betrayed again. I won't trust someone enou

darkness, the air between them charged with something neither acknowledged. Nothing clean abo

did you really run five years ago?

ruth. But something about the darkness, the late hour, th

man, respected. We seemed perfect together." She laughed bitterly. "When the scandal broke, when the evidence of my father's embezzlement became public, Reese's family held a press conference. They denounced my entire family

ng," Damien

g daughter of a criminal, desperately clinging to my social-climbing relationship. Columbia withdrew my scholarship

owly. "Serena Winters. Reese

d sounded familiar, but she'd been too overwhelmed by

amien's expression had gone cold, calculating. "Small world,

e know?

nsiders beneath her." His voice held contempt. "But if she finds out, she'll use it. She's been tr

This is going to

expensive and masculine, cedar and smoke. "Listen to me, Ivy. Tomorrow, we present a united front. We sell the fairy tale. Poor girl meets ruthless CEO, he fal

past and discover I'm not a poor girl a

the window frame beside her, effectively caging her against the glass. "We say you rebuilt yourself through determination and hard work. That y

e if it was fear or something far more dangerous. This close, she could see flecks of blue in

t about this,"

t she might have imagined it. Then he pushed away, putting distance between them, a

racing heart and the uncomfortable realization that maybe, just maybe, t

, but something else underneath, something hungry-suggested that keeping em

onference w

questions over each other. She wore the ivory dress Lydia had chosen, her hair styled in loose waves, minimal makeup that made her look fresh and n

ric. He wore a navy suit that made his eyes look more blue than gray, and he faced the

, I met an extraordinary woman at the Children's Hospital charity gala. Ivy Monroe captured my attention immediately not because of her beauty

woman in love would. His fingers tightened almost impe

ntil we were certain this was real. Ivy has shown me what truly matters in life not just building empires, but

rity. Ivy wondered if anything he said was ever e

Ivy had never seen on his face before, warm and genuine-looking, completely manufactured. "W

ed. Questions f

e engaged to one of New Yor

a response to your grandm

the we

ong is the

ena Winters th

ed in a private ceremony two weeks from today. As for the rest-my personal life is exactl

ut through: "Miss Monroe, what was it like working as a housekeeper?

er waist, but she could feel the energy shift in

o support my mother through her cancer treatment. I'm not ashamed of honest work." She looked directly at the reporter. "I'm proud of the woman I've become t

g, reporters shouting follow-ups. But Damien was already moving, his hand firm on her

d on the chaos. Damien r

oice was low, dangerous. "I tol

e Morrisons. Ignoring it would have made it look shameful. A

corrected coldly. "You follow th

own temper rising. "A real wife wouldn't just smile mutely while report

. Damien's jaw was tight, his eyes furious, but there was something else

risk," he

es

d have b

it di

n strode out, pulling his phone from his pock

sponses?" D

'Billionaire falls for honest working woman' is playing well. Several think pieces already being drafted abou

overage. Let me know if anything problematic surface

e. "You should rest. Tomorrow we meet with the wedding planner. The following day,

et my mother?" Ivy

"Besides, the optics are good-devoted fiancé, caring abou

move calculated. Ivy wondered if he'd ev

vy said. "My mother isn't stupi

Damien's voice was flat. "Tha

r sides. "Right. Of course. Silly of me to think you mi

said coldly. "We have a job to

e of the penthouse. She looked down at the massive diamon

now. This was the

d to survive it for