Prologue
Prologue
Damian Hayes stood in his father’s grand office, the weight of expectation pressing down on him like a vice. The walls, lined with decades of family legacy, seemed to whisper the same unrelenting demand: Earn it.
Across the massive oak desk sat Raymond Hayes, his expression as cold as ever. “You may be running the company now, Damian, but don’t mistake that for true ownership. I built this empire, and I won’t hand it over to a man who can’t even manage his personal life.”
Damian’s jaw clenched. He knew this was coming.
Raymond leaned forward, eyes sharp with calculation. “Investors don’t trust a man who lives like an island. They want stability, commitment. A family man—not some detached workaholic who barely engages with the world.”
Damian exhaled slowly, his patience thinning. “You mean they want a puppet they can control. A showpiece wife to make me look good in the press.”
“If that’s what it takes, yes.” His father’s gaze was unwavering. “I’m giving you six months, Damian. Six months to find a wife—one who meets my standards—or I’ll be forced to reconsider who should inherit this company.”
A cold, sinking feeling settled in Damian’s chest. He knew what his father meant. Ethan. His younger brother had always been Raymond’s favorite, despite his reckless tendencies. If Damian didn’t play by the rules, his father would gladly strip him of his position and hand it all to Ethan.
Raymond’s voice hardened. “Celeste Morgan is a perfect candidate. Her family’s connections alone—”
“No.” Damian cut in, his tone sharp. “I won’t marry that woman.”
Celeste was manipulative, power-hungry, and exactly the kind of person his father adored. But Damian had no interest in being shackled to someone who saw marriage as just another business deal.
Raymond’s expression turned unreadable. “Then you’d better find someone else. Because without a wife, Damian, you’ll never sit at the head of this company.”
As he walked out of the office, his fists clenched at his sides, Damian knew one thing for certain—he wasn’t going to let his father control his fate.
He needed a plan.
And that’s when Adrian’s words echoed in his mind.
"If you need a wife, why not pick someone you already trust?"
Damian had never thought about it before. But suddenly, an idea began to form. A dangerous, brilliant, and utterly reckless idea.
His secretary, Sophia Carter, was sharp, competent, and handled his life better than anyone.
Maybe—just maybe—she could be the key to everything.
