Chapter 1: The Man I Hate

“Take your hands off me.”

The stranger's grip tightened around Aria Bennett's wrist.

“Not until you stop trying to walk away.”

Aria looked up at him.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Black suit. Cold gray eyes that made it clear he wasn't used to being challenged.

She pulled against his hand.

“Then learn to let go.”

His gaze dropped to her wrist before returning to her face.

“You spilled wine on my suit.”

Aria glanced at the small red stain on his white cuff.

“That tiny stain?”

“Yes.”

She looked him up and down.

“You'll survive.”

His eyebrow lifted.

“You're not sorry.”

“No.”

For a second, they simply stared at each other.

Then Aria pulled her wrist free.

“Move.”

Instead of moving, the man stepped closer.

“You always speak to strangers like this?”

“Only arrogant ones.”

A faint smile touched his mouth.

It wasn't warm.

It was dangerous.

“You're Aria Bennett.”

Her irritation disappeared.

“How do you know my name?”

“I make it my business to know who walks into my events.”

Aria looked around the crowded ballroom.

She finally understood.

The black suit.

The expensive watch.

The confidence.

This was Julian Sterling.

The billionaire CEO whose company seemed to own half the city.

She folded her arms.

“So this is your event.”

“Yes.”

“Then perhaps you should learn how to welcome your guests.”

“I don't usually welcome guests who throw drinks at me.”

“You walked into me.”

“You walked into me.”

Aria stared at him.

“Are we really arguing about a glass of wine?”

“No.”

His eyes held hers.

“We're arguing because you don't like being told you're wrong.”

Aria's lips parted.

Before she could answer, someone called her name.

“Aria!”

She turned.

And her heart stopped.

Nathaniel Hayes stood across the ballroom.

Three years disappeared in one second.

She remembered his smile.

His voice.

The way he'd once held her hand and promised he would never leave.

Then she remembered waking up one morning to find him gone.

No goodbye.

No explanation.

Nothing.

Nathaniel walked toward her.

His eyes never left hers.

“Aria.”

She took one step back.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.”

“You should have stayed away.”

Pain crossed his face.

“I know you're angry.”

“Angry?”

She laughed quietly.

“You disappeared for three years, Nathaniel.”

“I had a reason.”

“Everyone has a reason.”

“I wanted to explain.”

“You had three years.”

He stopped in front of her.

“I never stopped loving you.”

Aria's chest tightened.

She hated that those words still affected her.

“Don't.”

“Aria—”

“Don't say things you don't mean.”

“I mean every word.”

Julian, who had remained nearby, finally spoke.

“If you're finished, I need to speak with Miss Bennett.”

Nathaniel turned toward him.

His expression hardened.

“This is between Aria and me.”

Julian's eyes narrowed.

“You had three years to make it between the two of you.”

Nathaniel went silent.

Aria looked between them.

“Why are you both acting like you know each other?”

Neither man answered.

That silence told her more than words could.

Aria's phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at the screen.

Dad.

Her heart immediately sank.

She answered.

“Dad?”

His voice was low.

“Aria, come home.”

“What happened?”

“The bank rejected the extension.”

Her fingers tightened around her phone.

“How long do we have?”

A painful silence followed.

“Forty-eight hours.”

Aria stopped breathing.

“Forty-eight hours until what?”

“They're taking the house.”

Her eyes stung.

“No.”

“Aria…”

“No. We can fix this.”

“I've tried.”

“Then I'll try harder.”

“You've done enough.”

“I'm your daughter. I'm not going to stand here while they take our home.”

Her father sighed.

“I knew you'd say that.”

“I'll be home soon.”

She ended the call.

For several seconds, she stared at her phone.

The Bennett family had once been one of the wealthiest families in the city.

Now they had forty-eight hours.

Forty-eight hours before the bank took the last thing her father had left.

Their home.

Their memories.

Everything.

Aria swallowed the lump in her throat.

She would not cry.

Not here.

Not in front of these people.

“Your father owes the bank eighty million dollars.”

Aria froze.

She slowly turned.

Julian was standing behind her.

“You were listening?”

“I heard enough.”

“You have no right.”

“I have every right.”

His voice was calm.

“My company is one of your father's creditors.”

Aria stared at him.

“You?”

“Yes.”

“Then you're the reason the bank won't extend the deadline.”

“No.”

He paused.

“I'm one of the reasons your father is out of time.”

Her stomach twisted.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing.”

She gave him a bitter smile.

“Men like you always want something.”

Julian's eyes sharpened.

“Then perhaps you should hear my offer before judging me.”

“I don't need your help.”

“You do.”

“I'll find another investor.”

“You've been looking for six months.”

Aria went still.

“How do you know that?”

“I know more about your family than you think.”

She stepped closer.

“What exactly are you saying?”

Julian didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone.

He showed her a photograph.

Aria's blood turned cold.

It was her father.

Standing outside a private office.

Beside him was Alexander Sterling—Julian's father.

She recognized the date.

Three years ago.

The same week Nathaniel had disappeared.

“What is this?”

“A meeting.”

“Between our fathers?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“That's what I've been trying to find out.”

Aria looked at him.

“You're investigating my father?”

“I've been investigating mine.”

She frowned.

“Your father is dead.”

“Exactly.”

Something about his answer sent a chill down her spine.

Before she could ask another question, Nathaniel stepped beside her.

“Aria, we need to talk.”

Julian's expression immediately changed.

“Not now.”

Nathaniel ignored him.

“I know what happened three years ago.”

Aria's heart jumped.

“What happened?”

Nathaniel hesitated.

Julian looked at him.

“Tell her.”

Nathaniel's jaw tightened.

“Not here.”

“Then where?”

Nathaniel looked directly at Aria.

“Somewhere Julian can't hear us.”

Julian gave a humorless smile.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

Nathaniel's eyes hardened.

“You're the last person I'd trust with her.”

Aria stepped between them.

“Enough.”

Both men fell silent.

She looked at Nathaniel.

“What happened three years ago?”

Nathaniel opened his mouth.

His phone rang.

He glanced at the screen.

The color drained from his face.

“Who is it?” Aria asked.

“No one.”

He rejected the call.

A second later, it rang again.

Nathaniel looked at Aria.

“I have to take this.”

He walked away.

Aria watched him disappear into the crowd.

Then she turned to Julian.

“You know something.”

“Yes.”

“About Nathaniel?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

Julian's gaze remained on her.

“The night he disappeared, he wasn't alone.”

Aria's heart pounded.

“Who was he with?”

Julian didn't answer.

Instead, he stepped closer.

“Go home tonight.”

“Why?”

“Because someone has been watching you.”

Aria's skin prickled.

“What are you talking about?”

Julian's phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen.

His expression instantly became serious.

“What's wrong?”

He turned the phone toward her.

A message had appeared.

SHE KNOWS TOO MUCH.

Aria's breath caught.

“Who sent that?”

“I don't know.”

Another message appeared.

MAKE SURE SHE NEVER FINDS OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HER MOTHER.

Aria stared at the screen.

Her mother.

The woman everyone had told her had died when she was eight.

Her voice came out barely above a whisper.

“What does that mean?”

Julian looked at her.

For the first time that night, the cold billionaire looked genuinely shaken.

“You were told your mother died eighteen years ago.”

“Yes.”

Julian's jaw tightened.

“That was a lie.”

Aria's entire world seemed to stop.

“What?”

Before he could explain, the ballroom lights suddenly went out.

Someone screamed.

A glass shattered.

Then Aria felt a hand clamp over her mouth.

A voice whispered against her ear.

“Your mother is alive, Aria.”

Her blood ran cold.

“And she knows who destroyed your family.”