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Carter Hayes had spent her life in the shadows of New York City's elite, working as a concierge at the prestigious Blackwood Hotel-where the rich played and the powerful ruled. She had seen men like "Adrian Blackwood" before. Arrogant. Untouchable. Dripping with wealth and wrapped in secrets. But Adrian wasn't just any billionaire. He was the heir to the "Blackwood Empire", a man who carried his family's legacy like an unbreakable chain. To the world, he was ruthless. To his business rivals, he was feared. To Carter, he was a problem-because for some reason, the most powerful man in Manhattan had made "her" his weakness. It started with fleeting glances. A stolen moment in the lobby. Then, one night, everything changed. A winter storm shut down the city, trapping Carter and a handful of guests inside the hotel. Adrian canceled a billion-dollar deal that night, his mood dark and unreadable. When he found Carter alone in the dimly lit lounge, something shifted. "Have a drink with me," he said. It wasn't a request. One drink turned into something more-a conversation that cracked his walls, a touch that ignited a fire between them. Adrian wasn't just the ruthless CEO the world knew. He was a man burdened by a name, by expectations, by a past that refused to let go. Carter knew she shouldn't get involved. "Men like him didn't love women like her." But when he whispered, "I've spent my whole life building a legacy, but with you, I just want to be a man," she knew she was already his. What she didn't know was that Adrian's world wouldn't let them be together. His family had plans, his empire had expectations, and the woman he loved? She was never meant to be part of his legacy. Now, he had to make a choice. Would he sacrifice "love" for "legacy"? Or would he rewrite the rules-for her?
Chapter 1 The invitation
Carter Hayes had spent the last three years perfecting the art of being unnoticed.
As a concierge at the prestigious Rosewood Manhattan, she dealt with the city's wealthiest and most powerful figures daily-billionaires, celebrities, foreign dignitaries-each one more demanding than the last. She had learned to smile, to nod, to cater to their every need while remaining invisible.
But Adrian Blackwood saw her.
From the moment he strode into the hotel, he disrupted her perfectly controlled world.
The air seemed heavier when he entered the lobby-or maybe that was just her pulse quickening. Dressed in a tailored black suit, Adrian exuded the kind of effortless power that made people straighten their posture in his presence.
And when he approached the concierge desk, Carter felt the full force of his attention settle on her.
"Good evening."
His voice was deep, smooth, sending a shiver down her spine.
Carter lifted her chin, keeping her tone professional. "Good evening, Mr. Blackwood. How may I assist you?"
For a moment, he didn't speak. He just watched her, his piercing blue eyes studying her like she was some kind of puzzle.
Then, his lips curved into the faintest smirk. "Have a drink with me."
Carter blinked. Did she hear that right?
She was used to high-profile guests making absurd requests-but this was something else entirely.
"I don't think that would be appropriate, sir," she said carefully.
Adrian leaned slightly over the counter, lowering his voice just enough to send warmth curling down her spine. "And yet, I'm still asking."
Carter exhaled sharply, her professional mask cracking for just a second.
This was dangerous. A man like Adrian Blackwood-the Adrian Blackwood-was the kind of man who played by his own rules. The kind of man who could consume her whole if she let him.
But against her better judgment, against every rule she had set for herself, she found herself saying:
"One drink."
His smirk deepened, like he had just won something.
"I'll hold you to that."
And just like that, Carter Hayes's carefully structured world began to unravel.
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