Chapter 1

I'm an orphan who managed to finish school and get into one of the best research labs in the country, all because my mentor, Melissa Rogers, took me under her wing.

She cared for me like I was her kid.

That was why I tried to be patient with the guy she wanted me to marry.

If Tania Jones had sorted that mess out and given me a straight answer, I might have kept giving her chances.

"Simon? What's going on?"

The other end of the phone was buzzing with chatter, like she was surrounded by guests.

She dealt with the guests before casually bringing the phone to her ear, acting like she had not heard me before.

"Come get me, and we'll head into the event. Your assistant–"

I did not get to finish because she let out an annoyed click of her tongue. "You think you're royalty? Your legs are not working?

"I've got guests to attend to, no time to fetch you. Get here on your own."

All I got afterward was the busy signal.

Elias Holmes stifled a laugh, his gaze thick with sarcasm.

"Just doing what Ms. Jones said. If you want in, go ahead. I sure won't stop you."

I could keep my cool through the toughest experiments. However, dealing with that kind of nonsense? It just gave me a headache.

"Feeling pretty secure as an assistant, are you, Mr. Holmes? Making life difficult for the head's fiance at the auditorium doors is part of your career strategy?"

"Too bad, the head can't stand a leech like you. Not when she's got a pro like me."

I gave him an icy look.

"A pro? The kind that's got the hots for his own head?

"Tania must have known her assistant was like a lapdog, always fawning over her, right?"

Elias's face turned red with rage.

He lifted his hand and swung it hard at me.

I stepped back quickly and avoided the blow.

"Lost your cool, and now you're throwing punches? Is this how you handle a business deal gone sour–with a slap? How very high-class of you."

His voice cracked as I called him out, and Elias gasped for air, his eyes fixed on me, his finger shaking as he pointed. "Seize him!"

The security guards, who had been enjoying the show, moved toward me at his command.

"Do you really want to follow Elias's stupid lead? You do realize you're about to rough up Tania's betrothed, right?"

I tried to reason with them.

The guards looked at each other, and the lead one spoke with feigned regret but obvious sarcasm in his eyes.

"Mr. York, we're just following orders. Please understand.

"Mr. Holmes is the president's golden boy. You? You're nothing but a pawn in a marriage deal, with no clout of your own.

"If your late parents were to make a miraculous comeback with some kind of major clout, then sure, we'd be apologizing."

Dressed in a sharp suit and expensive leather shoes for the engagement party, I managed to dodge a couple of times before two guards grabbed me by the arms and shoved me in front of Elias.

He glared at me, a dark look on his face, then suddenly cracked a twisted smile.

He lifted his hand, his designer watch catching the light menacingly, ready to strike.

I braced myself and shut my eyes tight.

"Stop!"

A cool, angry voice cut through the tension, and Elias's hand froze mid-air.