Aimee Lane Novels & Stories

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Cassidy Lane is about to find out that's a lie. After catching her fiancé Tristan in bed with his assistant, Cassidy escapes to Sin City to drown her humiliation in cheap whiskey. She doesn't expect to meet a darkly handsome stranger at the bar—a man with cold eyes and a dangerous smile who listens to her rant about cheating men like she's the most fascinating person alive. One reckless night, a kitschy chapel, and two slurred "I do's" later, Cassidy wakes up in a penthouse she can't afford, wearing a diamond ring worth more than her apartment. After catching her fiancé Tristan in bed with his assistant, Cassidy escapes to Sin City to drown her humiliation in cheap whiskey. She doesn't expect to meet a darkly handsome stranger at the bar—a man with cold eyes and a dangerous smile who listens to her rant about cheating men like she's the most fascinating person alive. One reckless night, a kitschy chapel, and two slurred "I do's" later, Cassidy wakes up in a penthouse she can't afford, wearing a diamond ring worth more than her apartment. Then her new husband walks in. Damien Blackwood. Tech billionaire. Ruthless CEO. The most feared man in the country. And Tristan's boss. Cassidy demands an annulment. Damien refuses. With a multi-billion-dollar merger on the line, a scandal would destroy everything he's built. His solution? A six-month contract. She plays the perfect wife in public, and he'll fund her dream of opening her own event planning studio. No feelings. No complications. Just business. As the lines between contract and chemistry blur, Cassidy must decide: Is this marriage the worst mistake of her life… or the perfect match she never knew she needed?

In the fifth year after my death, my wife, Yuna Lane, visited my apartment once more. She wanted me to take the blame for her childhood sweetheart's corporate fraud crimes. "Finn, Joe is going to be elected the chairman of the Trade Association. He can't afford any blemish to his reputation. Will you only be satisfied by thoroughly ruining him? "It's only two more years in prison! Joe said he'll give you a job once you're released. Stop being so ungrateful!" Her screams and shouts startled my neighbors. … When she banged on the door once more, the woman who lived across from me finally stepped out into the hallway. "Miss, stop banging on the door. He died long ago." "He's dead?" The woman sighed. "Yes. I hear it goes back to that fraud case years ago. The victim's family wasn't happy with the sentence, so as soon as Finn was released, they had him run over and killed.” My wife's face turned stark white upon hearing the truth. However, barely a few seconds passed before she let out a cold scoff, confident this was all just a scheme of mine. "Great. He's willing to fake his death just so he can get out of helping Joe. Does he really think I'm helpless and powerless against his schemes? Tell him that his parents are dead meat if he doesn't show up in three days!" She then violently kicked the metal grills of my door before strutting away on her high heels. The woman watched her walk away with bloodshot eyes, shaking her head in pity as she muttered under her breath, "Poor guy. His old man died soon after hearing of his death..."

We agreed we were going to spend Christmas together as a family of three. I briefly stepped out to grab my daughter’s Christmas gift, but quickly realized that I had forgotten my keys. However, when I came back, I was locked outside the villa. I rang the doorbell countless times, but no one came to let me in. Through the glass window, I saw my daughter happily smiling in the arms of my wife’s childhood friend who had returned from overseas. “Uncle Jones, you smell so nice. Not like my dad. He’s always sweaty and smells so gross. I don’t even want to spend Christmas with him!” My wife, Lily Quinn, looked at them indulgently and agreed. “Your dad hasn’t seen much of the world. He really doesn’t know how to celebrate holidays properly.” I froze in place as my fingers turned cold. Yara turned and saw me outside the window. Her face was filled with disgust. “What are you staring at? Why are you standing outside like some monster? You almost scared me to death! You’re not like Uncle Jones at all. He’s so elegant and well-mannered!” However, ten years ago, I was a top sales director at a well-known multinational company. Back then, I had the chance to be transferred to New York. Yet Lily unexpectedly got pregnant and suffered severe reactions. She was at constant risk of miscarriage. I voluntarily gave up that opportunity to take care of her and our daughter. Now, that sacrifice had somehow become undeniable proof of my uselessness. I took a deep breath and threw the Christmas gift I had bought for my daughter into the trash. Then I messaged someone saved in my contacts as “Apprentice”: [Is that overseas position you mentioned a few days ago still available?] The reply came almost instantly: [Of course! Mr. Lane, as long as you’re willing to come back, you’ll always have a place waiting for you!]