CHAPTER 2

The warmth of the skyscraper’s lobby did nothing to stop Lily’s shivering. Her wet sneakers left muddy tracks on the polished marble floor as she struggled to keep up with the man’s long, effortless strides. He didn't look back at her once, yet his presence commanded the entire space. Security guards and receptionists bowed their heads in absolute silence as he passed.

They entered a private elevator. The doors slid shut, sealing them in a quiet, glass-walled box that began to ascend rapidly.

Lily pressed her back against the glass, her hands balled into fists to hide their trembling. She looked at the man standing a few feet away. Under the bright elevator lights, his profile was strikingly sharp. He was taking off his damp leather gloves, his movements slow and deliberate.

"Who are you?" Lily’s voice cracked, sounding incredibly small in the enclosed space. "How do you know my name?"

The man didn't answer immediately. He tucked the gloves into his coat pocket, smoothed down his lapels, and finally turned his head to look at her. Those dark gray eyes locked onto hers, heavy with an intensity that made her breath catch.

"Levi," he said quietly. "Levi Dominic Ford."

Lily searched her fractured mind, desperate for a spark of recognition. Nothing. The name meant nothing to her, yet the way he said it implied she should have trembled at the sound of it.

"I don't... I don't know you," she whispered, shaking her head. "I don't think I work for you. I think you have the wrong person. The hospital just let me out, and I—"

"You're Lily Grace Hart," Levi interrupted. His tone wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable weight that cut her off instantly. He stepped closer, closing the distance between them.

Lily tensed, her heart hammering against her ribs. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and completely surrounded her with the scent of rain, cedarwood, and clean luxury.

Levi stopped just inches away. He tilted his head down, his sharp gaze tracing the contours of her face—the dark circles under her eyes, the scratch on her cheek from the pavement, and her pale, trembling lips.

"You don't know me," Levi murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as if analyzing a puzzle. "But I know exactly who you are."

The elevator chimed, the doors sliding open to a massive, dimly lit penthouse office. Levi walked out, leaving her to follow.

Lily hesitated before stepping onto the plush carpet. The office was minimalist but oozed wealth. A large mahogany desk sat in front of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glowing city skyline. On a side table, a bottle of amber liquid and two crystal glasses glittered under the low lights.

Levi walked behind his desk but didn't sit down. He leaned his hands on the dark wood, looking at her. "You look like a drowned rat, Lily."

The bluntness of his words stung, but she couldn't deny it. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, feeling utterly exposed. "If you brought me up here just to insult me, I'll leave."

"With fifty dollars in your pocket and no shoes?" Levi asked, a faint, mocking edge to his voice. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, sleek black device. He tapped the screen, and a holographic display projected a crystal-clear image into the air between them.

Lily gasped, taking a step back.

The image was a news article dated just two days ago. The headline read: Hart Inheritance Solidified: Lily Grace Hart Appointed as Sole Heir to the Tech Empire. Beneath the headline was a picture of Evangeline, smiling radiantly alongside Damian Cross.

"That's not me," Lily said, her voice shaking violently as she pointed at the projection. "That’s Evangeline. She... she took my papers. She told the hospital I was a stalker." Tears pricked her eyes again, but she furiously blinked them away, refusing to break down in front of this stranger. "She stole my life."

Levi watched her reaction closely. His expression didn't change, but his fingers tapped a slow, rhythmic beat against the mahogany desk.

"I know," Levi said smoothly.

Lily froze. "What?"

"I know that woman isn't Lily Grace Hart," Levi stated, his voice turning cold as ice. He swiped his hand, and the projection changed. This time, it showed a highly detailed facial recognition scan. On one side was Evangeline's face, flagged with the name Evangeline Cole. On the other side was Lily’s face—scanned just minutes ago by the building's security system—flagged with a hundred percent match to the biometric data of the real Lily Grace Hart.

Lily stared at the screen, her mind spinning. "If you know... if you have proof, why haven't you called the police? You can help me. You can tell them she's lying!"

Levi let out a short, humorless laugh. He walked out from behind the desk and approached her, his steps slow and predatory. He stopped right in front of her, leaning down slightly so they were eye to eye.

"Why would I help you?" he asked softly.

Lily blinked, stunned by the coldness in his voice. "Because it's the truth. Because they ruined me."

"The Hart family ruined my father's company five years ago," Levi said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, dark whisper. The warmth in his gray eyes was entirely gone, replaced by a deep-seated, burning resentment. "Your father was a thief, Lily. And now, your stepsister and your ex-fiancé are running his empire using your name."

Lily swallowed hard, her throat dry. She backed up until her calves hit a leather sofa. "I don't remember any of that. I don't remember my father."

"It doesn't matter what you remember," Levi said, stepping closer, effectively trapping her against the sofa. The sheer proximity of him made her skin flush despite the cold. He reached out, his long fingers gently but firmly gripping her chin, forcing her to look up at him. His thumb brushed against her lower lip, his touch surprisingly warm, contrasting sharply with his icy gaze.

"What matters," Levi murmured, his thumb applying just a fraction of pressure, "is that you want your life back. And I want to watch the Hart empire burn to the ground."

Lily’s breath hitched. She could feel the steady beat of his pulse through his fingertips. "What are you saying?"

Levi dropped his hand, letting out a slow breath as he looked down at her.

"I'm offering you a deal," Levi said, walking over to the side table and pouring amber liquid into a crystal glass. He didn't offer her any. He turned around, holding the glass, his eyes locking onto hers with absolute finality. "You are going to pretend to be my fiancée."