"I told you to stay away from Ethan." "Why? He's kind, respectful, and a genuinely good guy. Give me one reason why I should. And while we're at it... stop interfering in my personal life, Mr. Carter—or should I call you my future stepbrother?" Noah closed the distance between them, his eyes burning with jealousy. "I was too late once, Marie. I won't make that mistake again. Future step-siblings or not... you'll be mine. And mine alone.” For years, Marie Celine Beaumont secretly admired St. Mary's University's golden boy, Noah Carter—the charismatic captain of the Wolves hockey team who never once noticed the quiet journalism student watching from afar. But after an unexpected accident throws them together, Noah begins seeing Marie in a way he never expected. Just as he finds the courage to pursue her, fate tears them apart. Their widowed parents announce their engagement, forcing Noah and Marie to live under the same roof as future step-siblings. Determined to ignore the feelings they can no longer deny, they convince themselves it's only a crush that will eventually fade. Then Noah is arrested for murder. As whispers spread across campus and buried secrets begin to surface, Marie refuses to believe the man she loves is a killer. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes—for Noah, for their families... and for the forbidden love they were never supposed to have. In a world where every secret has a price, how far would you go to save the one person your heart refuses to let go?