CHAPTER 3

MYLES

I wasn’t supposed to care.

That was the deal I made with myself a long time ago—no attachments, no emotional strings. Just power, clean lines, and the satisfaction of control. That was all I needed.

I’d been with my ex without strings or expectations, until she suddenly wanted all those things. And because I couldn’t offer them, I ended it. Easy, clean, with less noise.

And that was when my grandfather dropped the bombshell.

“If you’re not married by the end of the year or at least engaged by the end of this one,” he said, his voice cracking like a stone, "then you’re out of all of this. The company, my will, everything. I might finally give it all away to your cousin, Rowland.”

He said it like it meant nothing. Like he wasn’t threatening to take away the empire I’d built brick by brick. Voss Companies was mine in every way but name, and the old man knew exactly how to pull the rug out from under me.

“Don’t give me that look,” he added, swirling his tea. “I won’t let my legacy fall into the hands of a man who can’t keep a woman by his side.”

I almost laughed. “So now it's about having a woman by my side. You’d rather hand over everything to someone who isn’t half as competent as I am?”

He hissed, “You think yourself complete and grown, yet you have no woman of your own at this age? You should be ashamed. I am already old. When do you expect me to see my great-grandkids, Myles?”

“You have great-grandkids from Dad’s younger siblings. Isn’t that enough?”

“Of course not. They didn’t grow up with me. You did. This is how it has to be.” He shrugged. “You should be better than your father?”

Anger flared in my chest, the same old anger that always rose whenever he mentioned my parents, but I walked out before it could boil over.

Determined not to let him win, I decided to find someone. Not someone to fall for. God no. Just someone who looked good on paper, someone who wouldn’t ask for more than I was willing to give.

Then I found her.

Serena Lanchester.

Divorced. Broken. Angry.

I read her file twice. She was once a model, but stopped immediately after she got married. She was intelligent, brilliant, outspoken and looked like someone who doesn't give a f*ck about love anymore.

Perfect.

That night on the rooftop, I expected her to walk in looking fragile. The kind of woman who wore her sadness like a second skin. Instead, she marched in like she owned the sky and hated every damn star in it. Her heels clicked like threats.

Her mouth was sharp. Her hazel eyes, even sharper. She didn’t smile, not even a fake one, and I respected that.

I circled the table slowly, stopping beside her. She smelled like lavender. I’d never liked that scent until now. Leaning in, I ignored the way her scent pulled at me and focused on the words.

“I know your ex-husband was my employee. I know he cheated. And I know he didn’t deserve you.” I dropped my voice to a whisper, letting the words settle in her ears.

Then I pulled back and caught the flicker of surprise in her eyes.

“And I also know,” I continued, “you’re about to say no to the only offer that could give you everything he took from you.”

Her fingers clenched around her purse, and she smirked.

“You have my full attention now, Mr. Voss,” she said, and for some reason, that pleased me.

“Well then,” I said, taking my seat again, “let me give you something worth paying attention to.”

“Okay…” She raised a brow.

“It’s simple. You play the part of my girlfriend—do galas, family retreats—and then, be my wife for six months. In return, you’ll get full control of the Voss companies.”

She blinked slowly. “So basically, you're asking me to become your actress? And get married again?”

“To the public,” I corrected. “But strictly professional in private. No strings. No expectations. You’ll have full control of your schedule, with everything I promised still intact.”

“Right.” She nodded once, then stood. “I’ll think about it.”

“Do you...”

“Have a lovely dinner,” she cut me off, already walking out.

I watched her go, amused. Most people would have jumped at the offer. When I figured she was gone for good, I made my way to my car in the underground lot when my phone rang. An unknown number, though Truecaller identified it as her.

I answered.

“I’m coming back,” she said before I could say a word. Then she hung up.

I stared at the screen, a smirk tugging at my mouth. I turned back toward the elevator, and then back on the rooftop, the night wind brushed against my neck as I took my seat. A few moments later, Serena returned, walking slower this time.

“Thought you changed your mind,” I said.

“I did. Then I changed it again.”

A smile pulled at my lips. “Fair enough.”

The waiter approached, but she waved him off.

She leaned forward, arms crossed. “Let’s be clear, Mr. Voss. I’m only here to hear the full offer. After that, I decide if I will stay or walk away.”

“Understood.”

“Now tell me everything. The real plan. Not just the version you think I want to hear.”

I leaned back, studying her.

“Deal.”

"So where do we start from?" she asked, leaning over to her seat with her arms crossed.

"Let's start with the hard part, because this isn’t going to be easy, Serena. I don’t do easy."