The gentle light of the morning sun was the first thing Damian noticed that day. The second was the unfamiliar scent in his bed. He turned his head. His conquest from the night before was standing with her back to him at the window front, wearing nothing but one of his silk shirts. He hated it when women did that. He preferred it when they were already gone by the time he got up. In that moment, Damian felt nothing but a wave of absolute impatience. He just wanted to get rid of her. The thrill was in the conquest, the fast, emotionless sex, that was the appeal of a one-night stand. The morning after was just boring logistics.

The woman turned around with a smile. “I thought maybe we could have breakfast…”

“I don’t eat breakfast.” he cut her off, got up, and walked naked into his bathroom. When he reached the door, he paused briefly without turning around. “When I come out of the bathroom, you’ll be gone.”

Damian loved his life, and who could blame him? He was the visionary CEO of Fell Innovations, an untouchable demigod in tailored suits whose confident smile graced the covers of business magazines. Women lined up for a night with him, and the next morning they were dismissed just as quickly as they had come. He lived for this life, for his freedom and the endless variety that came with his status as an heir to billions.

However, this life was about to take a hit when his father summoned him to his office on a rainy Tuesday. His father, Gerhard Fell, was physically frail by now, but his mind still worked exceptionally well. He took his time before speaking. “I’m stepping down, Damian.” he finally said, setting aside his reading glasses.

“About time. The company is ready for the 21st century.”

“The company maybe. But you’re not!” Gerhard shot back, tossing a magazine onto the table between them. "Every week you bring a new girl to the red carpet!”

“My private life is irrelevant to the stock price.” Damian said coldly.

“You’re wrong about that! Your cousin Maximilian attended a charity polo match last weekend with his lovely wife and two children. That’s the image the board wants to see! Not a scandal-ridden playboy who doesn’t know what responsibility means!”

The mention of Maximilian made a vein in Damian’s temple twitch. “What exactly do you want, Father?”

Gerhard leaned back, his anger replaced by a cold, unrelenting expression. “I’ve changed my will and the company’s statutes. You will receive the remaining 51% of the shares, and thus absolute control of the company, but only under two conditions.” He paused, visibly enjoying Damian’s tension. “First, I want a daughter-in-law. And second, I want a grandchild, an heir! If you fail to meet these conditions within 36 months, all my shares will go to Maximilian. Then you can watch someone else run my life’s work.”

The ride back into the city was a blurred rush of rage. Not only were his company and inheritance at risk, so was his freedom. The thought of being tied to a wife, worse, to a child, was like the idea of being buried alive. He pictured his nights, the parties, the women, the uncomplicated, fleeting satisfaction, all of that to be replaced by the image of a perfect family? Never. If his father wanted to play a game, then Damian would at least write the rules.

Still in the car, he called his private investigator. Fischer was discreet, expensive, and morally flexible, a man who solved problems. “Fischer, I need a woman. Preferably one from my company. Attractive enough for the public, but without any airs. And most importantly, find one with a weak spot. Dig into their private lives, find everything, no matter what!”