Skylar McLair’s world falls apart when her father is caught in a scandal that leaves him bankrupt and in a coma. Just when she needs him most, her boyfriend Ethan turns cold and proposes to a wealthy heiress- claiming Skylar is no longer worthy to be his wife. Instead, he offers her something cruel: become his mistress, and he’ll save her family's status and reputation. After all, he is the heir to the powerful Buckman Corporation. But fate steps in… wearing Cole Buckman’s name. Cole, Ethan’s distant and mysterious stepbrother- and the true heir to the Buckman empire, comes into Skylar’s life through a contract marriage she never expected. To the world, he’s ruthless and unreadable. But to Skylar, he becomes something else entirely. Every time she stumbles, he’s right there- steady hands catching her before she falls. And whenever trouble finds her, he shows up without fail, like he’s been watching over her all along. She begins to think he’s simply a good man caught in the middle of a family war. What she doesn’t see… is that Cole has been drawing her in from the very beginning. Step by step. And by the time Skylar realizes she’s fallen into his trap- one built not of lies, but of desire and something else…her heart may already be his. As for Ethan? Let’s just say… he never saw it coming.
Lihat lebih banyakCole"Yes, Mr. Bernard, the contract terms are clear. I'll have the paperwork finalized and sent by Monday." I leaned back against the office chair, my fingers drumming lightly against my desk.A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I heard my client's promising words over the phone. "Pleasure's mine, Mr. Bernard. I assure you, we won't disappoint."A few more pleasantries, some minor confirmations, and the call ended. The moment the line went dead, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding and threw my fist into the air."Yes!" I muttered excitedly.It hadn't been easy getting this particular client. The foreign investor had been elusive, difficult to impress, and impossible to pin down, but today, all the effort had paid off. I could almost hear the sound of new doors swinging wide open for the company.The hours slipped by unnoticed as I wrapped up the last bits of paperwork, and before I knew it, night had fallen. I shut down my computer, grabbed my suit jacket, an
SkylarCole stood at the doorway, suit jacket off, tie loosened, eyes darting between me and Ingrid.“What’s going on here?” he asked, stepping inside.“Welcome back, Young Master,” Ingrid chimed in smoothly, her voice calm as if she hadn’t just spent the last ten minutes trying to drag me out of the kitchen. Then, without missing a beat, she turned to me — arms folded, one brow slightly raised — her whole stance screaming ‘I told you so’ without even needing to say a word. I could feel my cheeks burn as I stood there, caught red-handed with an apron around my waist, a spoon in my hand, and guilt practically written all over my face.I rubbed my arm, feeling the embarrassment crawl all over me.“I… passed the assessment test at Elegance Jewelry today,” I confessed quietly. “And I wanted to celebrate with you. So, I thought I’d cook.”I stole a quick glance at him, half-expecting the usual — a lecture or at least a reminder about how I wasn’t supposed to set foot in the kitchen after
SkylarAfter I left the café that afternoon, I couldn’t stop smiling. My heart felt so full it might burst. The talk with Mom had gone better than I dared to hope.For the first time in a long while, her coldness had melted—even if just a little.Hearing her proud voice, seeing her tear up over my new job at Elegance Jewelry, felt like a piece of my world sliding back into place.And I couldn’t wait to share that joy with Cole.The second I walked through the door, the house felt too quiet, too ordinary, for the way I felt. I wanted to mark the day, to make it special. I wanted to do something for him for the encouragement and support.I thought about what I could do for him.I knew money was never a problem for Cole. It never had been, and honestly, I didn’t have the kind of wealth he was controlling anyway. Throwing gifts or fancy things at him would be meaningless. I realized I needed something real. Something he would actually appreciate. And then it hit me — I could still cook
SkylarThe past few weeks had been a whirlwind of anticipation, but today, as I stepped out of Elegance Jewelry's sleek headquarters, a radiant smile spread across my face. Clutched in my hand was the official letter confirming my position as a jewelry designer at one of the most prestigious companies in the world.My fingers trembled slightly, not from nerves, but from sheer joy. I wanted to laugh, cry, and scream all at once. I had done it! I was in! Without hesitation, I pulled out my phone and dialed my mother’s number. Even with all the excitement bubbling inside me, my first instinct was to call her — the woman who had shaped so much of who I was, the reason I had fallen in love with making jewelry in the first place. Growing up, I had spent countless hours watching her craft beautiful pieces, and somewhere along the way, that passion had rooted itself deep in me. The line rang a few times before she finally answered. "Hello?" Her voice was cool, a bit cold, remindi
Skylar I took a deep breath, trying to steady the nerves bouncing around in my chest. Clearing my throat, I looked at Cole across the table, his gaze calm and unreadable. “As I mentioned earlier…” I began, my voice a little shaky at first. “There’s something important I want to discuss with you.” I paused, trying to make my voice sound steady before I continued. “I’ve thought long and hard about this, and…” I exhaled sharply. “IWantToWork.” It came out so fast, I barely understood myself. Cole raised an eyebrow slightly, tilting his head. “Come again?”I took a deep breath and slowed down. “I said I want to work. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I—” I paused, then slid the folder of manuscripts toward him. “These are my design sketches. I want to get back into jewelry design.”When I pushed the folder toward him, Cole didn’t open it right away. Instead, his fingers tapped lightly on the folder, over and over again. With each tap, I could feel my heart sink a little more.
SkylarThe sharp ringing of my phone was what instantly stirred me awake.I groaned, squinting against the light filtering in through the curtains, and blindly reached for it on the nightstand. My head throbbed with a dull ache—nothing too intense, but enough to make me regret drinking last night. I sat up slowly and answered the call."Guess what happened Sky?!" Amber’s voice chirped excitedly through the speaker before I could even greet her.I blinked, still groggy. “What?”"You wouldn't believe it! Paul’s dad—Mr. Marcus Langford—his company just went bankrupt. It’s all over the news!”That made me sit up straighter, fully awake now. “Wait, what?”Amber didn’t even pause. “Not just that. Marcus Langford was arrested too this morning. They say he’s being charged for embezzling company funds. Serious charges, Sky. Can you imagine that?”My jaw dropped open. Paul’s father? That Marcus Langford? One of the most influential corporate men in the city? How did a giant like that just cras
ColeThe drive home was quiet.Skylar sat beside me, her hands resting on her lap, eyes cast downward as if lost in thought. Amber and Justin had kept the conversation light at the bar, laughing to ease the tension after Paul’s humiliation, but Skylar had been different. She had stayed silent, only nodding absently when spoken to. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was on her mind.I let her be, not saying much myself.By the time we arrived home, I was already thinking about heading straight to my study. There were matters to take care of—important ones. But as I reached the stairs, a hesitant voice stopped me.“Cole… can we talk?”I turned around.Skylar stood there, her fingers slightly curled, her lips parting as if she wasn’t sure she should have spoken at all. There was something different in her expression—hesitation, maybe even guilt.I didn’t answer immediately, jus
Skylar I never thought a simple night out would turn into something like this.Paul’s grip on my wrist was tight, his smug expression making my stomach twist in disgust. But what truly shocked me was the way he looked at Cole—like he was someone beneath him, someone insignificant.“And who the hell are you?” Paul sneered, his arrogance on full display.Cole didn’t respond. He just stood there, calm and composed, his dark eyes unreadable.Paul took that silence as weakness. His smirk widened as he straightened his shoulders. “Listen, pretty boy, I don’t know what you’re trying to do here, but you need to mind your own business. Walk away now, or you’ll regret it.”I could feel Amber tense beside me, too stunned to even utter a word. I also wanted to speak up, but Cole’s presence kept me rooted in place. He wasn’t reacting- wasn’t angry or offended. He was just watching Paul.Then, without a word, Cole
ColeThe moment I stepped out of the meeting room, I let out a deep breath. That was exhausting. My friend, Justin, who had recently returned from overseas, and I, along with some board members, had been exploring a business opportunity to increase sales and expand our market presence.The meeting had taken long hours, but it had been successful.“Man, that was draining,” Justin groaned, rolling his shoulders as we exited the meeting room. “You could say that again. But I'm glad we could get everyone on board.”Justin smiled. “You’re right. Why don't we hit a bar and unwind? I really need a drink before I lose my mind.” I nodded, running a hand through my hair. “Fine. Let’s go.” We headed to one of the most exclusive bars in the city and settled in the VIP section, a place meant to keep people like us away from unnecessary attention. The dim lighting and soft music were meant to be relaxing, but
Skylar The hall was bright and full of life. Laughter and chatter mixed with the soft clinking of glasses as the guests smiled, raising their drinks in celebration. It was a beautiful night—one that should have been mine. I stood there in a flowing white dress, my hands curled slightly at my sides. My eyes stayed on the man in front of me. Ethan. He wore a black suit, his smile easy and charming. He nodded as people congratulated him, his expression filled with happiness. For a moment, I wanted to believe this was for me. That this was our special night. A surprise he had prepared for me. But sadly, it wasn’t. The proposal party I had dreamed of, the moment I had longed for, was unfolding before my eyes, but I was not the one in the spotlight. I was merely the pianist, playing background music for the celebration of another couple. I closed my eyes, forcing the sharp pain in my heart to fade. The moment I reopened them, the sight before me burned into my soul like a hot ...
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