His Hidden Game

For a long while after leaving Julian, Violet’s mind was nothing but fog. He’d told her to think carefully about what he’d said—and to give him an answer within two days. Then he’d sent her home with a driver.It wasn’t until the driver’s voice broke through—“Miss, we’re here”—that she realized they’d arrived. The whole ride, her thoughts had been circling endlessly. But the moment she stepped out and saw the house she’d lived in for years, all her old memories came flooding back. Despite everything, she still wanted to hear it from Polly’s own mouth—what really happened.Before she could even close the car door, Polly and Uncle Benny had flung open the front door. Their eyes went straight past her, locking onto the luxury car idling at the curb. The quick exchange of glances, the flicker of shock—and then the greedy little spark of delight—they couldn’t hide it.Polly rushed forward, grabbing Violet’s hand, her gaze darting up and down as if assessing her. “I heard Mr. Hill treats g

Polly and Benny froze, staring at each other in disbelief. Neither of them had expected things to turn in their favor so quickly. If that rich man was really willing to marry Violet, it meant they would never have to worry about medical bills again. Lilia could be saved. And maybe—they could stop living on the edge of poverty.But Violet’s eyes stayed locked on the photo. “As long as you give it back.”Benny’s grip loosened a little, almost ready to hand it over—then he hesitated, his eyes narrowing. “You’re not lying to us, are you? How do I know I can trust you?”Her gaze dimmed, bitter. “Think of this as me repaying you for raising me all these years. He won’t come after you for the two hundred grand.”Polly’s heart leapt. Not only would they never have to repay the money—there was hope for the future now. She couldn’t believe how much Violet’s face, her beauty, was suddenly worth.She studied the girl again, almost with new eyes. When had Violet grown into such a striking young wo

Leaving the chapel, Serena stormed straight into her car without looking back.Violet and Julian got into another car together. The second the door shut, both of them dropped the act and slipped back into being strangers.The car followed Serena’s lead, heading for the dinner she’d insisted on throwing. Violet stared out the window, realizing this deal wasn’t going to be nearly as simple as she thought.Julian cut her a glance. “What’s wrong? Freaked out?”She shrugged. “Whatever this is, I said yes. I’ll play the wife.”Something tugged in his chest. He touched the band on his ring finger, then said lightly, “Guess I should give you the family intro. That woman back there is my stepmom, Serena. I had an older brother, but… when I was eighteen, he and my dad died in an accident.”Violet’s eyes widened. She turned back toward him, and though he’d said it casually, she caught the flicker of sadness in his eyes—there and gone in a heartbeat before he masked it again. He inhaled, then sw

Violet stepped out of the bathroom, towel-drying her damp hair, when she heard the door open.Julian froze mid-step, half inside already. “Sorry. Bad habit—don’t usually knock.”She didn’t care much. “It’s your place. Why would you knock? I just thought you’d left.”“Hate to disappoint you, but looks like I’ll be crashing here a while. You remember what I said…” He shut the door behind him, and the air instantly felt heavier.Violet locked eyes with him. “No need to remind me. I get it—I’m supposed to play the wife. Whatever you ask, I’ll do it.”He shook his head with a smirk. “You sure about that?”

Violet was getting ready to head out. The only thing she’d brought with her was a framed photo of her parents—not even a change of clothes. But when she woke up that morning, there was a whole box of women’s clothes by the door. Still in her robe, she bent down to peek inside, but before she could even look, a maid appeared.“Ma’am, these are all new outfits for you.”She pointed downstairs. “And sir had some coats delivered too. We’ll move everything into the walk-in closet, if that’s alright?”Violet nodded. The maid immediately waved for a few others, and together they carried the clothes into the dressing room—taking most of Julian’s things out to make space.Inside, clothes were neatly arranged by color. Violet picked what looked the most plain and low-key, put it on, and headed out to work.Most of her gigs were either waitressing at hotels or working at parties. She’d already promised to finish out the month, so after today’s two shifts, she’d be done.When the afternoon event