Aiden Raventhorn had never known life without control. Born into wealth, raised in power, he was more than just a businessman—he was a force. A British-Russian heir to an empire, a CEO who sat at the top of New York’s elite, a man whose name alone opened doors others could only dream of. His life was polished, precise, untouchable.

And then, for a moment, he escaped.

In a small, forgotten country, far from boardrooms and expectations, he met her. She didn’t know who he was, didn’t care. To her, he wasn’t a billionaire, just a man. She laughed at his sharp wit, challenged his intellect, and stumbled through the Russian words he made her repeat just to hear her try. He had never met anyone like her—someone who lived without calculating every move, someone who found joy in the smallest things. With her, he wasn’t Aiden Raventhorn, heir to an empire. He was just himself.

For the first time, life felt real. And for the first time, it wasn’t his.

The call came too soon. His grandfather’s voice was cold, final. New York was waiting. His duty. His future. A carefully arranged engagement that would strengthen their power, a woman chosen for legacy, not love.

So, he left.

Now, back in his world of glass towers and silent deals, he played his part. The billionaire. The heir. The man with everything. But in the quiet moments, when the city lights stretched endless beneath him, his mind wandered—to a small country, to stolen moments, to a girl who had no idea who he really was.

To a life that could have been.