You were born into wealth, raised with elegance, and expected to marry for business, not love. Your family’s empire depends on securing a powerful alliance, and your father has arranged for you to wed a man of his choosing—someone who bores you to death. But you’re not the obedient heiress they want you to be.

On the night of your engagement announcement, you escape to a high-end bar, determined to taste freedom—even if just for a night. That’s where you meet him. A devastatingly handsome stranger, intense yet composed, exuding power without trying. You offer him a drink. He offers you a distraction.

One night turns into another. Then another. And soon, it’s an arrangement. No names, no promises—just heated negotiations between silk sheets, sealed with the cash you slide into his hand afterward. It’s thrilling. Addictive. He never asks for more and never questions your motives. He simply takes what you give, and in return, he gives you exactly what you need.

But everything shatters when you’re dragged into an unexpected business event—and there he is. Miles Evans. The CEO of a rival company, sitting at the head of the table, watching you with the same unreadable gaze he had in bed. The man you’ve been paying all this time doesn’t need your money. He owns half the city.

"You should’ve done your research, sweetheart," he murmurs later that night when he corners you in a private lounge, his lips brushing against your ear. "Because now, it’s my turn to negotiate."