로그인Rose looked at the ring one more time, her gaze lingering on the way the diamond caught the light, throwing tiny rainbows across her skin like scattered pieces of a dream she had never dared to dream.She honestly had not expected it. For her, their love was enough. She had seen too much wealth to last her generations, had watched money tear families apart and build walls where bridges should have been.Her heart had finally settled on simplicity, on the quiet joy of being with the person she loved, on the warmth of his arms and the steadiness of his heartbeat against her ear."This ring is too expensive." Her voice was gentle but honest, the words coming from a place of practicality rather than rejection. "Besides, I want us to keep this between us and a few family and friends until a month before the wedding. The ring will make it suspicious."Tristan took a deep breath, the air filling his lungs and leaving slowly, like he was trying to breathe through the disappointment settling i
Tristan wanted to wait for the ring Cassie had designed for the engagement, the one that would be custom-made, perfect, worthy of the woman he loved.But every time men cast longing glances at Rose whenever they were together, a hot, uncomfortable knot settled in his chest, tightening with every smile she gave, every laugh she shared, every moment of attention she drew without even trying. He couldn't wait.He wouldn't wait. Not when the whole world seemed to want what was his.He picked an expensive one from the TRICARO2 Group Jewelry branch in Manhattan. It was expensive, yes, but still not what he wanted for his future wife.Growing up, Cassie had always given them custom jewelry and perfumes. She had made sure their meals were different, placed them on special trainings, treated every gift as an opportunity to show how much she cared.This ring was just temporary, something to keep the men at bay from the woman he loved, a placeholder until the real one arrived.But Rose was excit
Tristan had only heard Romeo's voice once, through the recording he'd made on the phone with Rose at Cruz's penthouse, but he'd never seen the man face to face or known what he looked like.Following Rose's gaze, he saw a man stepping out of a car with a familiar woman.Tristan remembered her because he'd paid the gigolo to swap her with Rose that day, a detail that still made his blood boil every time he thought about it.Quickly, he opened the door and pushed Rose inside, closing it firmly behind her. But just as he tried to make his way around to the driver's side, Romeo began to hasten toward him, his footsteps echoing against the concrete."Mr. Roth, what a coincidence!" Romeo's voice was eager, almost breathless. He extended his hand, a polished smile plastered across his face. "I have an appointment with you on Monday."Jessica smiled beside him, her eyes scanning Tristan with an interest that made his skin crawl.Tristan instantly leaned against the door of the car, blocking R
Cassie sat frozen in her kitchen, the phone pressed hard against her ear, her free hand gripping the counter so tight her knuckles ached. Stunned. Excited. Disturbed. All of it crashed through her at once, a wild storm of joy and fear and hope that left her chest tight and her breath short."Tris, you finally figured things out." Her voice came out warm, yet a sharp edge of motherly worry cut underneath it, an instinct that would not quiet down. "But why do you want to wait so long? And what about the ring? Do you have a design in mind?"Tristan was old enough to get married. So was Rose. Cassie wanted everything to move fast. She wanted no room for surprises, especially with Hailey gone quiet for weeks. That silence sat heavy in her mind. Silence from a woman like Hailey never meant anything good."Mom, I want it fast too, and yes, I have a ring design in mind. I will send it to you later." Tristan sounded patient, yet frustration leaked through every word. "It’s just that Rose wants
Tristan pulled Rose onto his lap, settling her so her back pressed fully against his chest. His fingers traced the soft skin of her bare thighs with a slow, hungry touch that made her breath hitch.When those fingertips finally brushed the heat between her legs, a sharp little gasp slipped from her. He kissed the shell of her earlobe, voice low and rough against her skin.“Six months, Rose. That’s all I can give you. By then your new company will be launched and the Novarian Group head office will be running. Until then, I handle everything about us. No arguments.”Rose’s thoughts scattered the second his fingers began stroking the entrance of her core. Desire already thickened her voice into something soft and pleading.“Tris… can we talk about this later?” She leaned back into him, and he slipped his hand inside the neckline of her dress, cupping one full breast in his palm. A helpless moan broke from her throat.The sensation was richer and more dangerous than anything she could na
"Don't lie to me."Tristan's voice was low, a warning wrapped in velvet, and his fingers traced slow, deliberate circles on her back.Their lips were so close they almost pressed together, the space between them charged with something electric, something that hummed and crackled and refused to be ignored.Rose's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her temples. She had waited so long for this moment, had buried the truth so deep she had almost convinced herself it didn't exist.But now, with his arms around her and his breath warm against her lips, there was nowhere left to hide."I've always wanted to." The words tumbled out, raw and honest and trembling. "And I only tried to use Cruz to get over you."Tristan closed his eyes, as if that would calm his raging heart, as if shutting out the sight of her would somehow make the feelings less overwhelming. But it didn't. Nothing could."So what if he hadn't tried to play you?" His voice was rough, e







