Lily Harper never thought that one night would ruin her life. After leaving a high-profile event with Liam Montgomery who is a cold, ruthless billionaire-scandal bursts, branding him as his secret lover. To protect his empire and reputation, Liam forces Lily into a contract engagement that he cannot refuse. Stuck in the world of luxury and lies, Lily fights to clean her name by facing Lyam's snowy walls and sharp words. But when they navigate the web of deception, the spark starts flying. When the burial secrets come to light, whatever they have created, they are in danger, Lily must decide: walk away or fight for a love that she ever expected.
view moreLily stared at the flash drive resting on the polished wooden desk like it was a live wire. Every instinct in her body told her to pick it up, slot it into her laptop, and uncover the secrets it held but fear held her frozen. Not the kind of fear that made you run, but the kind that paralyzed. The kind that whispered, Once you know, there’s no going back.Beside her, Liam was as still as a statue, eyes fixed on Seraphina Lane. His grip on the gun hadn’t eased, though his trigger finger had relaxed. He was waiting for something anything to justify trusting this woman. And so was Lily.“You said my mother gave that to you?” Lily asked, voice low and trembling. “Why you? Who are you?”Seraphina met her gaze with the quiet calm of someone who had lived too many lives. “I was your mother’s closest friend. We met long before she married into your father’s empire. She trusted me with things she couldn’t entrust to anyone else—not even your father.”“She never mentioned you,” Lily said quietl
The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the estate, casting golden streaks across the marble floors. But for Lily, there was no warmth in its glow. Sleep had eluded her once again. Her thoughts spun like a carousel Sandra’s veiled threats, Cartwright’s shadowy games, and Uncle Daniel’s betrayal.She stood by the window in the library, arms wrapped around herself, her silk robe billowing lightly with the breeze. Everything had changed so fast. Just weeks ago, she was preparing to become Liam Carlyle’s bride. Now, she was preparing for war.A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.“Come in,” she said without turning.Liam entered, looking composed as always, though the shadows under his eyes betrayed his sleepless night too.“She took the bait,” he said, his voice low. “Our team tracked Sandra to a warehouse on the east side. She's not runningshe's organizing something.”Lily finally turned to him. “She’s bold. Or desperate.”“Both,” Liam replied. “But desperation
Silence settled over the estate like a thick, suffocating fog. After Uncle Daniel's departure, the atmosphere had shifted tense, uncertain, as though the walls themselves were bracing for the next blow. Lily stood in the foyer, watching the black SUV disappear through the gates. Her heartbeat echoed like thunder in her ears.“I don’t know how many more betrayals I can take,” she whispered.Liam stood behind her, his hand gently resting on her lower back. “Each one brings us closer to the truth. Don’t let them break you.”She turned to him, eyes red but sharp. “I won’t. Not again.”Later that day, she sat alone in her father’s old study. The room had remained untouched since his death. Dark oak shelves lined the walls, filled with books he used to read, some of them still marked with yellowing notes. The scent of tobacco and old paper lingered in the air like a ghost of the man he was.She sat at his desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out a worn leather journal her father's. She hadn’
The following days passed like whispers in a storm quiet on the surface, yet beneath them, chaos brewed. Lily barely slept, her mind consumed by questions that clawed at her sanity. Every conversation her mother had ever had with her now felt like a riddle laced with hidden meanings. Every hug, every word of advice it was all tainted.She sat alone in the study, staring at the photo of her, Emily, and their mother taken years ago. They were all smiling so bright, so innocent. Her chest tightened with a grief that felt like betrayal wrapped in sorrow.Liam entered without knocking. “He’s moved,” he said.Lily looked up. “Cartwright?”Liam nodded. “He’s pulled his money from two offshore accounts. That kind of movement means he’s preparing to disappear or strike. My guess? Both.”Her fingers curled into fists. “He’s getting desperate.”“Desperate people are dangerous,” Liam warned. “He’s not done.”She stood, her eyes burning with purpose. “Neither are we.”Later that evening, Lily met
The sound of her mother’s voice echoed in Lily’s mind long after she’d left the room. “I was trying to protect you.” The words clung to her skin like smoke, familiar yet suffocating. She sat on the edge of her bed, fingers digging into the soft duvet, her mind a whirlwind of grief, disbelief, and rising fury.The woman who raised her who stood at her side during Emily’s illness, who taught her how to braid her hair, who whispered bedtime stories on stormy nights was the same woman who had been working against her all along.Liam entered the room quietly, not saying anything at first. His presence was a calm force, but Lily could sense the storm beneath his stillness.“She admitted it,” Lily said flatly.“I know,” he replied. “Marco heard everything.”Lily looked up, her eyes tired. “How do you deal with it? Betrayal from your own blood?”Liam exhaled, jaw tightening. “You don’t. Not really. You survive it. And if you’re smart, you turn the pain into power.”She nodded slowly, swallowi
The air in the War Room turned heavy with disbelief. Lily’s eyes locked onto the screen, unmoving, her chest tight with a surge of emotion she couldn’t name betrayal, confusion, disbelief. Her mother sat comfortably across from the shadowed figure, sipping tea as if she belonged there, as if this meeting was not only planned but familiar.“She… she looks so calm,” Lily whispered. “Like she knows them.”Liam paused the video. “We ran facial recognition on the person she’s talking to. He goes by the name Gabriel Cartwright.”Lily’s brows furrowed. “He’s one of the main board members of the Cartwright Group.”“And he’s the one who’s been ordering every move behind the scenes,” Liam confirmed. “Charles, the bug in my study, the threats… they all trace back to him.”Lily swallowed hard. “But why would my mother why would she meet with him? Why now?”“That’s what we need to find out,” Liam said, voice clipped with frustration. “We have two options. We confront her directly. Or… we follow he
Lily sat alone on the edge of the villa’s guestroom bed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. The silence pressed down like a heavy blanket, broken only by the occasional hum of the security system activating outside. Her heart hadn’t stopped pounding since the confrontation with Charles, and though he was now locked away in the basement under Liam’s orders, the damage had already been done.She no longer knew whom to trust.a evidence Charles had confessed to hiding documents that had gone missing from Liam’s office, emails redirected, even photos digitally altered painted a picture of betrayal far deeper than they’d expected. But it wasn’t just what Charles had done. It was why he had done it.Because someone else had been pulling the strings.Someone Charles had refused to name.The floor creaked outside her door, and Lily’s head snapped up. A soft knock followed.“It’s me,” Liam’s voice called, low and steady.She stood, unlocking the door. Liam stepped inside, his presence fi
Lily stood by the narrow window of the villa’s guest room, staring out at the shrouded night. A drizzle tapped against the glass, soft and steady like the beating of her anxious heart. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to suppress the chill that had nothing to do with the cold outside.Too much had happened in too little time. Charles’s betrayal still echoed in her mind, like a crack in her trust she couldn’t ignore. But what troubled her more were the questions Liam refused to answer. He had grown distant again, quieter, more volatile.Something was eating away at him and it wasn’t just the betrayal.The soft knock on her door broke through her thoughts. She turned quickly, heart skipping a beat.“It’s me,” Liam’s voice came through.She walked over and opened the door. His eyes were shadowed, his jaw tight.“Can we talk?”She stepped aside to let him in. He entered silently, then turned to face her, his gaze piercing.“I need you to be honest with me,” he said.Her brows f
Lily’s breath came in shallow gasps as the realization settled there was no way out. Charles stood before them, his expression eerily composed, while unseen figures lurked in the shadows. The tension in the air was suffocating.Liam’s grip on her wrist tightened, a silent promise that he would protect her. His voice was calm but edged with lethal intent. “Who sent you?”Charles tilted his head, amusement dancing in his eyes. “You already know, Liam. You’ve always known.”Lily’s pulse pounded. If Liam knew, why hadn’t he said anything? She turned to him, searching his face for answers, but his expression remained unreadable.“I need a name,” Liam pressed, his voice dangerously low.Charles chuckled. “You think I’d betray my employer that easily?”Lily clenched her fists. “You betrayed us.”His gaze flicked to her, his smirk never wavering. “You were never meant to be part of this, Lily. But you got too close.”A sudden noise echoed behind them. Lily turned sharply, her heart leaping in
Lily Harper suddenly woke up, with her racing...Her eyes got nervous around, her veins were nervous. The sheets under it felt impossiblely feeling soft, some rich and the masculine smell sticks to the wind , sandalwood and expensive colon. Her breath became shallow. This was not her room. The huge windows flooded the place with morning lights, revealing an breathtaking horizon she had only seen in magazines. Crystal chandelier sprinkled the overhead, and smooth black furniture shines in a soft glow. The room launched luxury calm, distant luxury. Her stomach tightened. no heat. No familiarity. Nervousness hit her like a wave of tide. How did I get here? she threw the cover aside, her barefoot hit the cold marble floor. A sharp pain beat in her head. she pressed her fingers trembling her temples, preparing to clean the fog in her mind. Think, lily. Think. The glow of the last night was in her memory. Emily's tired smile, whispering, "Please go for me, lily. I'm fine."...
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