TAMED TO LOVE

Chapter 1: Unexpected Encounter It was a Tuesday afternoon in the heart of Rivergate, a bustling city in Country V, when Isla Monroe’s life took an unexpected turn. The modeling audition she had run across town for ended in another rejection. "We’ll call you," they said with a practiced smile that barely masked her disinterest. Her heels clicked furiously against the pavement as she left the casting studio, her tote bag slipping from her shoulder as frustration welled in her chest. She went into a nearby garage to take a breath and fix her hair. Her shift at the grocery store started in an hour and she hadn’t eaten all day she couldn’t be more frustrated. The garage was empty save for a few high-end cars and the low voices coming from a glass office on the far end. The scent of air freshener lingered in the air. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Truly, she didn’t. But when she heard the name Carter Enterprises, her curiosity piqued. Everyone in Country V knew that name. Damien Carter a self-made billionaire, business tycoon, a man known for being both brilliant and brutal. “I don’t care what it costs,” a sharp masculine voice said. “If Fredrick wants to play games, he’ll lose the entire board.” Isla froze. The voice was powerful, deep and clipped a reflection of his dominant personality. She moved closer toward the glass door of the office, her breath quiet. She knew it would be a disaster if she was caught, but something held her there. “I said thirty million. That’s the offer. They take it, or leave it.” Suddenly, the door opened. Isla gasped and stumbled backward, her ankle twisting in her heel. Her tote bag fell again, contents spilling across the floor; lip balm, a half empty water bottle, a broken mirror. A man stepped into view. Tall, sharply dressed in a charcoal suit with a coat over one shoulder. His eyes steel gray and calculating locked onto her. He was even more handsome than the tabloids and news suggested. “You’re not supposed to be here,” Damien Carter said coolly. Isla trembled. “I...I was just passing by. I wasn’t listening or anything.” His eyebrow rose. “You expect me to believe that?” She fumbled for her bag. “Look, I’m sorry. I was just trying to fix my bag and—I didn’t hear anything important.” He stepped forward, kneeling to pick up the lip balm she missed. He handed it to her with a faint smirk. “Then why is your face the color of a ripe tomato?” She snatched the lip balm. “Maybe because I’m embarrassed. Not everyone enjoys being interrogated by a billionaire.” That caught him off guard. “Isla,” she offered. “In case you plan on calling your lawyers.” Damien laughed. A real laughter. Not polite, not mocking. She blinked in surprise. “Damien,” he replied. “But I guess you already knew that.” “I don’t read gossip columns,” she said, crossing her arms. “I have better things to do.” He tilted his head, clearly intrigued. “Really? Because most people would kill to be in your position right now.” “What position?” she asked. “Alone in a private garage with me.” She rolled her eyes. “Wow. And here I thought you were humble.” He chuckled. “You’re something else.” A pause stretched between them. A long, charged silence. “Let me guess,” he finally said. “Out-of-work actress? Model?” “Trying to be,” Isla said truthfully. “But don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you for a job. I have pride, too.” He studied her. “Pride and sarcasm. Dangerous combination.” She shrugged, glancing at the time. “Well, this was a fun accident, but I have a shift in twenty minutes.” “Where?” he asked, surprising her. “Grocery store. Carton’s Market, downtown.” He nodded. “You don’t belong there.” “Excuse me?” “You belong somewhere bigger,” he said. “Somewhere you don’t have to apologize for existing.” Isla blinked. He handed her a card. “Come by Carter Tower tomorrow at noon. Ask for me.” “Why?” “Because I think we can help each other,” Damien said. She narrowed her eyes. “If this is some billionaire fantasy then….” “It’s not,” he cut in. “It’s business. Maybe.” Isla stared at the card. “You don’t even know me.” “I know ambition when I see it,” Damien said. “And you’re practically burning with it.” She stood up straighter, pocketing the card. “Fine. Noon. But if this turns out to be shady, I’m walking away.” “Deal.” As she turned to leave, he called out, “Wear red. It suits you.” She didn’t reply, but her smirk said enough. By the time Isla made it to her shift, her mind wasn’t on the shelves or customers. It was on the card in her bag and the man with silver eyes and a dangerous smile. Damien Carter. And the feeling that this was just the beginning of something far bigger than she’d ever imagined.