The day Nerisse Vale buried her father, she believed she had lost everything. She was wrong. Hours after the funeral, she receives a letter he wrote years ago—a letter he never wanted her to read unless he died unexpectedly. Every word tears apart the life she thought she knew. "Nothing I've ever told you about our family is true." Before she can uncover what he meant, someone tries to kill her. Her only chance of survival comes from Lucien Blackwood—a man whose name is whispered with fear. Powerful, ruthless, and impossible to read, he saves her life but offers no comfort. Only a deal. As Nerisse is drawn into his dangerous world, she discovers that her father's death was only the beginning. Hidden beneath decades of lies is a secret worth killing for, and every answer leads to another betrayal. The more time she spends with Lucien, the harder it becomes to ignore the man behind the cold mask. Beneath his silence lies a heart scarred by loss, while she carries wounds that refuse to heal. But trust is dangerous. Love is even more dangerous. Because the closer they become, the more they realize that someone has been manipulating their lives long before they ever met. When the truth finally comes to light, Nerisse must make an impossible choice. Save the man she loves... Or uncover the secret her father died protecting. Some love stories begin with fate. Theirs begins with a lie.