FORTUNE SECRET WITH THE BILLIONAIRE'S

de Brignac shattered beautifu

tangled sheets and the two naked bodies that had just scrambled apart. Her fiancé Marcus. Her stepsister Elena. In her bed.

pillow, his perfectly styled hair disheveled i

ably steady. "Isn't you fucking my step

r dress. "Oh, Scarlett. Did you really think someone

housekeeper's daughter who got lucky

? That secret burned in her chest, the one

?" Scarle

cency to look ash

ey'd been enga

e breaking glass. "Of course.

t, wasn't he? Always going on about legacy and protect

physical blow. "Wha

but her eyes flickered with s

ng made sense. Her father's "accidental" fall down the stairs. The rushed cremation. The will that

backing toward the door. "And even if you could, who

for his phone.

room in three strides and grabbed Elena by her th

me, you

ll

us Montgomery heiress. But surprise,you're not an heiress anymore. Mother forged new documents. As far as the world knows, your father left everyt

and Elena stumbled back

t story. He'd known. Maybe not about the murder, but he'd

about your six-month affair. Let's tell them

cket. You have nothing. No proof. No witnesses. No money for lawyers. You

egally Victoria's, an apartment she could no longer afford, and a wedd

ress she'd

ess

as the Wolfe Foundation Gala, the most exclusive event of the season. Victoria would be t

Damien Wol

stries from nothing after his father's company collapsed in scandal, and he'd done it without mercy or conscience. He collected enemies

ess deal with traditional Chinese investors who valued family. The tabloids h

f it w

fe. She definitely wasn't invited to his gala. And she

have that we

or. "I have nothing. No money, no proof, no power."

, leaving champagne and b

ide the Wolfe mansion on Fifth Avenue

gliding through rooms that probably cost more than her father's entire estate. Security guards flan

a plan. S

arl

istant, staring at her with wide eyes. He was dressed i

ded through her. "Wha

tions." He took in her wedding dress, her tangled hair, her smudg

bbed his arm. "Oliver, I need y

thousand-dollar-a-plate c

her killed

ent pale

g the grieving widow, and I need to make a move before she destroys what'

years, and when the company collapsed after the "accident," Oliv

n, then back at her. "T

kno

ing to cau

oba

ts people like y

e a memorabl

n anyone gave you credit for." He offered his arm. "You're my plus-one. You're an old friend from college.

her heart pounding. "

idea how wr

ce gleamed with the kind of wealth that whispered rather than shouted. Waiters in white gloves circulated with champagne probably

, but now she wondered if it was too much. Women in sleek designer gowns gave

mured, nodding toward a woman

es with a handkerchief. She looked every inch the grieving widow:elegant, dignified, t

d expose her right now," Scarl

champagne flutes from a passing waiter and handed her one. "Dr

mpt

arl

gne, letting the bubbles distract her from t

t. He usually makes

traveled through the ballroom like an electric

here

eet, with dark hair that looked like he'd run his fingers through it repeatedly and sharp features that belonged on a Roman co

he room with the kind of assessment that made her think

carlett

Oliver sai

atched, he moved through the crowd with practiced ease, accepting greetings and deflecting conversations with a few well-placed words. People l

e. No date on his arm, no woma

lk to him," S

e. "Are you insane? You can't

He's jus

erica. He has people to filter out

er champagne and set the glass on a nearby table. "Tha

lett,

determination that had gotten her this far. She had one shot at this

onvince a billion

a

ss the ballroom when

rprise, fury, and calculation in rapid succession. Victoria excused herself from her circle

mien Wolfe. If she was going to be thrown

ay when a hand clos

aterializing beside her in a red dress that probabl

go of

y throw you out. Everyone's goi

oo

mbled forward,directly into a wall o

steadying her. A voice like smoke a

up into win

ed one eyebrow. "

a mouth that looked like it rarely smiled but would be beautiful if it did. He

naged. "Sorry, I-s

lena, who had gone pale

quickly. "Just a misunder

in the air between them. Curiosity, maybe. Or the mutual recognition

r face into concerned sympathy. "Mr. Wolfe, I apologize. This is my stepdaughter. She's

t her eyes on Damien, watching for any sign of inte

that made her breath catch. "A business proposition. In a wedding dress. At my

ctoria said firmly. "Scarl

e?" Damien asked, stil

ink that wou

ctoria, and Scarlett watched her stepmother actually take

hard she was sure everyone could h

d to stay. I need to t

e definitely staring now, phones probably recording

et them

nsettling feeling he could see straight through her dress, t

dangerous expression th

" he said.

beneath the expensive fabric. He led her through the crowd, and it part

r them, "Scarlett, t

allroom, "your stepdaughter is an adult. If she wants to speak with me, that's

s cold and final as

brandts, and into a wood-paneled library that smelled of leather and old money. Floor-to-ceilin

shut, and suddenl

g two glasses of amber liquid. "You have five minutes t

you to m

s. He set it down carefully and tur

looking for a wife for that Chinese business deal. I know you need someone respectable, some

er like she was a particularly interesting puzzle. "A woman in a wedding dre

h you. I won't expect romance or fidelity or anything except the terms we agree on. I'll play the perfect

think I need a

to settle down for the Chen-Wolfe merger." She took a breath. "I need money and protection

ssed to where she stood, offering her

lett

o desperate to esca

ke he was tasting the syllables. She accepted the

t twelve hours, I'm going to be homeless, broke, and at the mercy of people who want me to disappear." She met his eyes

e this soun

ou're known for maki

d unfortunate things to her pul

r hours an

d you learn anything that ma

mitted. "But

moved to his desk, set down his glass, and pulled out his pho

"Don't fire him. Th

ld. Graduated Columbia with a degree in art history. Father was William Hayes, died six weeks ago in a fall down the stairs at his home. Left everything

ady knew

." He pocketed his phone. "What I don't know is whet

yet. That's part of

true, why would I risk my reputatio

tory graduate looks better than whatever flavor-of-the-month model the tabloids are currently linking you to. I'll sign whatever prenup you want. I'll follow w

ide, the sounds of the gala continued;music, laughter, the clink of crystal. Inside this ro

wedding dress with forty-seven dollars

d he knew that. She wasn't. "

understand what you're proposing? A marriage to me comes with scrutiny, pressure, and enemies. My ex-fiancée is a

me more than I've al

ower, intimate and dangerous. "But you

me the worst-case sc

to get to me. Every mistake you've ever made will be front-page news. Your stepmother will come after you harder than before, because now you're married

Scarlett said w

r money?

thing good, and Victoria destroyed it. She doesn't get to win.

oss Damien's face, there an

what's

e here, play the devoted wife in public, and stay out of my business in private. In exchange, I'll provide security, legal support, and enough money to

More money than she'd

the prenup

to the media without approval. You don't cheat not because I care about fidelity, but because

n't be a

take you to a hotel for the night. Tomorrow, we'll meet with lawyers. If you

offic

ll do a proper society wedding later for appearances, but legally, you'll be Mrs. Wolfe by tomorrow ni

er bed. About Victoria's smirk. About h

re," sh

ing shifted in his expression;respect or recogni

I be

ut genuine. "Welcome to the game, Scarle

d looking worried and confused. Damien gave him instr

e said. "That weddi

hy

let people walk over her, who played by other people's rules,she's gone. The woman who becomes

rce and wild unfurl in her

a whisper. "Because in my world, the weak don't survive. And I need

he ballroom and leaving her standing in

y just happen?" O

costume from a life that no longer fit. Tomorrow she would burn it. Tomorrow she would

e dang

ing herself with how ste

a million lights, and somewhere in that city, Victo

them

to become Mrs.

going to take back everything