Bound by fortune.

bout relying on someone else to fix her problems-it was about partnering with someone who understood the stakes and could help her face them head-on. S

minder of the different world she was stepping into. The lobby was modern and stylish, with high ceilings and marbl

Anderson?

rves prickling

to your left-twenty-fifth floor," the receptioni

he mirrored wall, steeling herself for the confrontation, the alliance, or whatever this meeting might bri

windows gave a panoramic view of the city, casting the space in natural light. Ethan was standing near his desk, his b

ed her, his voic

ard him. For a moment, they stood in silence, each waiting for the

ng her. "You didn't have to come in

e you here, to understand what it is yo

ross from his desk, but she didn't sit. Instead, she walked to the window, letting the vi

," she finally said, h

uation is... complicated." He came to stand beside her, his presen

gnited in her chest

o room for doubt. "The fastest way to get this done is to make our arrangement... official.

elt surreal, like she'd wandered into someone else's life, someone els

al, but it's also the most straightforward path. And I don

ng with a thousand thoughts. "

ering with a vulnerability s

sn't just about her father's freedom; it was about tying her lif

rough the flood of emotions that washed over her. "An heir

s is a lot to ask. But I promise you, if you agree to this, I'll do everything in my power

unable to resist. But this arrangement... it was so much more than she'd ever bargained for

id, her voice ste

. But Lila," he added, his tone softening, "I want you to know that I don't expect anything from you t

e had entered into a world of power and influence, but wi