Chapter 1

At a private club atop Auriel Peak, Rylan Shaw always reserved the most luxurious and discreet penthouse suite for himself, year-round.

I slipped off my coat and draped it over my arm. Steadying myself, I pushed open the intricately carved double doors and caught sight of him immediately.

His silver gray shirt hung half-unbuttoned, his tie long gone. A young woman perched on his lap, feeding him peeled grapes.

He brushed her aside with a languid hand, though his expression betrayed amusement at the game.

"Oh! Mrs. Shaw's here!"

"Come on in, Mrs. Shaw!" someone called, rising to their feet when they noticed me.

The young woman flinched, trying to slip off his lap, but Rylan held her firmly in place. "Stay here."

She shot me a nervous glance, her face paling as she realized she was trapped.

Rylan smiled lazily. "Who exactly are you calling Mrs. Shaw? She's right here, sitting on my lap."

The room fell into a stunned silence; everyone was suddenly rendered mute and unsure how to proceed.

"Rylan," I said softly, but he closed his eyes, dismissing me.

As the silence stretched on, someone tried to smooth things over. "Uh, come in and take a seat. Rylan's had too much to drink. He's probably not sober."

"No need. I just have something to say before I leave." I drew a deep breath and stepped forward.

Rylan finally opened his eyes, his gaze cold and detached. "Here for money again? How much this time? A hundred thousand? Two hundred? Or maybe a million?"

The room plunged into silence.

For a moment, I wanted to turn and walk away, but my last shred of dignity held me still.

I lowered my gaze and stared at my feet. My throat tightened, and my voice came out raw. "Martin's not doing well. He was just rushed to the ICU, and they need 300,000 dollars."

Rylan clicked his tongue, casting the others a look that said, "I told you so." His fingers toyed idly with the young woman's hair.

"How many times have I given you 300,000 dollars since we married, Maeve? Have you ever once made me happy? Money isn't the issue. But you should at least make it feel worthwhile, don't you think?"

Humiliation burned hot in my chest. Fighting back tears, I lifted my head to meet his eyes. "What do you want me to do?"

He arched a brow, smiling faintly. "You already know how this works. You dressed up so nicely just to beg me for money. Don't pretend you don't understand the trade."

His dark eyes gleamed with chilling cruelty. "How are you any different from them? At least they don't pretend to be virtuous."

Tears spilled over, and I fled the room in a panic.

"That was a little harsh, Rylan."

"Yeah, man. She was crying. I almost felt bad for her."

"What? Are you feeling sorry for her now?" Rylan's tone dropped low.

"Honestly, she's not that bad. She's pretty, quiet, and does everything right."

"I could even cover the 300,000 dollars for her if you want."