LOGINSome lies steal fortunes. Others steal a lifetime. Six years ago, Cassian Vega lost the only woman he ever loved. On the night Isla Marquez disappeared, her car plunged from Raven Bridge into the river below. No body was ever recovered, but time buried the questions everyone eventually stopped asking. Everyone except Cassian. Every year, on the anniversary of her disappearance, he returns to Blackwater Pier, not because he believes she'll come back, but because something about that night has never made sense. Then, someone leaves a photograph beside him. A woman standing alone at another waterfront. A woman who looks exactly like Isla. On the back are four handwritten words. Nothing was washed away. Suddenly, the past Cassian has spent six years trying to survive begins to unravel. The woman he loved wasn't running from him. She was running toward a truth someone else had spent a lifetime trying to bury. Because Isla Marquez was never meant to disappear. She was stolen long before she ever vanished. Now, buried lies, forgotten identities, and a decades-old conspiracy are drawing them back together. But the greatest mystery isn't whether Isla survived. It's why the woman who loved him disappeared without ever saying goodbye.
View MoreLukas called Isla late that afternoon.“Would you like to have dinner?” he asked. “And before you accuse me of being presumptuous, I’ve already made a reservation.”Isla smiled. “Then I suppose I have no choice.”“You could refuse. I’d only have to explain to the restaurant that my guest had abandoned me.”She laughed. “All right. What time should I be ready?”“I’ll pick you up at eight. I thought we deserved a proper dinner before I leave.”Her smile faded slightly. “You’re leaving?”“Back to Munich. I’ve been away longer than I intended, and there are matters at the company that need my attention.”“Of course. You have a business to run.”“And a grandfather who’s begun making threats,” Lukas said, sounding amused. “He says if I don’t return soon, he’ll send someone to drag me home. I suspect he’s already removing me from the family tree.”“Really?” Isla asked, smiling.“Or he’ll disinherit me and donate my inheritance to a cause he considers more deserving. You know how impatient he
Isla spent the morning in her parents’ room, trying to understand the life they had left behind.She searched the wardrobe, browsed the books, and examined the few items on the dressing table. Nothing stirred a memory. She had been too young when Magnus and Lavinia died to remember them.Still, she wanted to know them.She entered the adjoining study. Magnus’s desk stood by the window, bare except for a lamp and a framed photograph. Isla ran her fingers along its edge, then opened the top drawer.Inside were pens, envelopes, and an old appointment book. Most entries were routine, but several pages near the end were marked with narrow strips of paper.One date was underlined twice. Beside it, Magnus had written a brief note and a file number.Isla studied the entry, then closed the book. She didn’t know what it meant, but it suggested her father had been dealing with something beyond the company’s usual affairs.She carried the appointment book into the hall, where Finn was arranging a
A few weeks later, Cassian sat behind his desk at Vega Corporation, reviewing financial reports as Jace delivered the day’s updates.“There’s news from Delacroix Holdings,” Jace said. “Isla Marquez, now officially Aniela Delacroix, has taken up the position of Executive Director of Strategic and Legal Affairs. She’s also moved into the Delacroix estate.”Cassian’s pen stopped, but he kept his eyes on the report.Jace continued. “She worked at the Geneva branch during her years away and earned a strong reputation there, handling major legal and commercial matters. The executives seem confident she can manage her new role.”Cassian set the report down. “I see.”The office door opened, and Brody stepped inside. He caught the end of the conversation and glanced between Jace and Cassian. “Talking about Isla?”“I was giving Mr. Vega a company update,” Jace said.“Of course.” Brody turned to Cassian. “And how are you taking the news?”Cassian leaned back. “It’s Delacroix business.”Brody gav
The Delacroix estate stood behind iron gates at the end of a long drive lined with old trees. Isla watched it approach through the car window, unsure what she had expected to feel.She had been two when she disappeared. Whatever memories she might once have had of the house were too faint to reach her now. It was beautiful, but it felt like a place she had never known.“You can take your time,” Dominic said. “There’s no need to settle everything today.”“I know.” Isla looked toward the house. “But I’m ready to see it.”The car stopped beneath the entrance portico. A silver-haired man in a dark suit waited at the steps, his posture straight despite his age.“Welcome home, Miss Delacroix,” he said. “I’m Finn, the estate’s butler. I’ve served the family for many years.” He offered her a warm, measured smile. “It’s a pleasure to welcome you back.”“I’m glad to meet you, Finn.”He led them inside. Light filled the spacious entrance hall, glinting off the polished floors. Several staff memb
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