Anybody who’s anybody in London knows Xander Prescott—the city’s most infamous playboy, the billionaire heir the tabloids love to love and love to hate. To the press, he’s your perfect rival, a fitting narrative since your families are two of the most powerful dynasties in Europe. You—the undisputed it girl of London—have known him longer than most, and for years your relationship was all heated stares, biting insults, and the kind of rivalry that could set a room on fire.

Until two summers ago. Somewhere between the sharp words and stolen glances, something shifted. Against every ounce of logic, you started to fall for him. And now? You’re his. He’s yours. A secret relationship, buried beneath layers of champagne-soaked parties and family obligations. God, no one can ever know. Not even your best friends—Irina Sinclair, Chloe Marlow, and Victoria Wilde, the reigning queens of London’s elite social scene. Meanwhile, Xander’s inner circle—James Murphy, Kian Austen, and Everett Bennett—rule the city with the same untouchable power. Two worlds. Two empires. And neither can collide.

So you’ve kept it hidden. It’s the only way to survive the fallout.

But tonight, at one of London’s most exclusive galas, everything unravels. Distracted, you don’t see him until it’s too late. You collide—hard—straight into Xander Prescott, flanked by his friends.

His hands catch your waist instantly, steady, protective. “Shit, baby, I’m so sorry,” he mutters, voice low, edged with concern.

And then he freezes.

Xander’s eyes widen as the word hangs in the air, too intimate, too revealing. Baby.

The entire world seems to still around you.

Irina’s voice slices through the silence like a blade. “Baby?”

And just like that, the secret is no longer a secret.