FORTUNE SECRET WITH THE BILLIONAIRE'S

r's office smelled like

on-fifties, weathered face, eyes that had seen too much while Damien

r died," Jack said, his voice gravelly fr

you everything

gain. Deta

alk to me about something important. He sounded... worried. Urgent. He asked me to come by the next morning, that it couldn't wait." Her hands clenched in he

don't thi

him. And my father was careful. He'd lived in th

. "The autopsy report says his blood alcoho

e was a recovering alcohol

le re

meone forced alcohol down his throat, or drugged h

ell the po

er's struggles." Her voice turned bitter. "Victoria played the devastated wife perfectly. Told them he

amien. "And you b

y," Damien said. "Victoria Hayes inherited everything,the hou

isn't

e're hiring you

is a long time. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget things or change stories. If th

tely impossible

l records, phone logs, emails, the police report, the autopsy, witness statements. I'll need to interv

w l

s what I find." He named a price that ma

tart imm

"If I do find evidence that your stepmother killed

carlett said wit

to the

hrough bureaucracy. If you find proof

I used to know. Okay, Mrs. Wolfe. I'll find yo

closed, Scarlett felt exhaustion crash over her. She'd barely slept, and the weight

" Damien said, c

sically said i

re's a difference." Damien glan

actly what every new

ed rest. You we

were

cuss Vivienne's threats, then lunch with a journalist who's writing a profile on us for Vanity Fair. After that, yo

d at him. "Are

is your life now

-I don't know, research Victori

gate your father's death. I'll handle Vivienne. Your job is to be the perfect

o play your wife, not to aban

vid suspects this marriage is fake, the deal collapses. If the deal collapses, I

at you're incred

into an empire." His voice softened slightly. "Look, I know this is overwhelming. But you signe

is different fr

phone. "The car will take you home to change. Maya will have som

got out without another word. She was too tir

screamed "professional wife of a billionaire." Scarlett changed mecha

ing like the woman who'd crashed a g

three days since she'd discovered Ma

Oliver: *Lunch tomorrow? Nee

t tomorrow. Maybe ne

o survive. You're the strongest person I k

smile despit

in the clinical language of legal strategy. They could file for harassment, pursue a restraining order, threat

make moves," the lead lawyer, Patterson

what she wants?"

Stall. Buy time while we figure out exactly wh

can't neu

t her sources, bury the story in more interesting scandals."

bezzlement?" S

usband's reputation is built on transparency and integrity. A few old accusation

ed to Damien. "How often do yo

uccessful makes you a target. People come out of the woodwork with accusatio

has actual

ks she does. Ther

n of your father's embezzlement, of the money you used to s

counter it." His jaw tightened. "I'm not losing

ir journalist was already waiting. Sharon Kim, early thirties, sharp

s sentences, sharing knowing glances, touching constantly in the way new couples do. Scarlett talked about their "whirlwi

easily now. Di

ns-children? A real wedding?

said, his hand covering Scarlett's on the table. "Bu

ett improvised. "I've

d kissed her knuckles, a gesture that looked spontan

same electric spark from their courthouse kiss. And from

eaders are going to eat this up. The brooding billionaire

he knew t

the designer-a tiny French woman named Celeste -- had already pr

from simple to elaborate. "Something that says timeless romance. Your courtho

nsive than the last, and felt like a fraud. This wasn't a lov

aring beside her. "The one with the l

all bea

one feels

llar wedding dresses and marry billionaires. Scarlett Hayes wore thrif

Hayes didn't

s," she said fin

'll schedule fittings, and the dress will be rea

. "Small ceremony, two hundred gues

e barely knew in a dress that cost more than h

felt like a

hattan's elite in tuxedos and designer gowns, champagne flowing, e

wept up, Damien's grandmother's diamonds at her throat. They

her life now was

ightly, to let her body language sell the story of a couple in love. They'd been doing this for

murmured in her ear, his br

ce a mask of dignified grief. But when she saw Scarlett, somethi

alk to her?" S

you. You're in the

ched, her eyes tracking Scarlett's every m

g something,"

ien guided her toward their box se

ever been able to afford tickets. Now she was sitting in a private box that probably co

hours, Scarlett let herself get lost in Puccini and

was networking in the lobby, a w

Fifties, impeccably dressed, eyes like a hawk

ention sharpen

opped. "I wanted to tell you,he was a good man. Whatever rumors Victoria is spreading about depr

eyes. "Thank you. That

PM. He said he'd discovered something about Victoria's finances, something illegal, and he was going to confront her. I told him

pounding. "Did you

evant to his accidental death. B

It wa

r. If you need anything:evidence, testimony, connection

nto the crowd before S

later, champagne in hand

ther called her the night he died. He'd disc

ity." Damien's eyes sharpen

was holding court with a group of society women. "First, I w

arl

. She thinks she's won." Scarlett set down her

her, she walked across

a. Conversations quieted. This was soci

pleasantly. "I haven't h

at a surprise to see you here. I didn't realize t

fe." She gestured to the diamonds at her throat. "These be

arrying money is certainl

or love." Scarlett's voice was sweet poison. "At least, that's what you told e

re cracked slightl

Oh wait, I wasn't invited to that, was I? You ha

ning now. The society matron

ather's

u know, the woman he actually loved." Scarlett stepped closer. "But cremati

went dea

then red. "You're insane. Gr

discovered something about your finances. Something illegal. He was going to confr

ed, her voice shaking. "T

"And if you call security on her, Mrs. Hayes, I'll have my lawyers file harassment charges

es were probably recording. This would be tomorrow's gossip,the new

this," Victor

of witnesses. I hope you have a good law

The crowd parted, and Scarlett could hear the whis

feel what it was like to be the

led her straight to the car, and the m

e hell w

me taking

"Do you have any idea what you just did? You publicly accused her of murder. S

. I'm your wife. I have resources, protection, and a voice she can't silence. Let her sue me. Let her try to prove I'm unstable. I have Catherine

," Damien re

talk about protection and

crossing his face. Then, without warning

, his hand fisting in her hair as his mouth claimed hers. Scarlett gasped, and he took a

led back, they were

that?" s

. You're not some meek society wife who'll sit quietly while p

ou ki

g a hand through his hair. "That was

m was still charged, el

mie

sion. He was out before she could finish her sentence

e sh

her heart still racing. That kiss had been real. Too real. The kind o

ht, but that meant Victoria would escalate. And D

hown Victoria sh

e at the opera. But you should know your husband's ex-fiancée isn't his onl

the message, ice

di

's, then hesitated. He'd said the kiss wouldn't happen again.

swers more than s

knoc

" his voi

g at his desk, tie discarded, shirt pa

om Victoria," she said

ncident is nothing. A business competitor made accusa

the b

e's trying to scare you

you s

fe Industries goods burned down. Thirty-seven people died. A competitor tried to claim I'd ordered the fire. The investigatio

ld she d

otection. If you lose your protection, she can destroy you without worrying about legal repercussio

t needed to hea

he didn't move away.

ickly. "Just adrenaline. T

t. St

o close, and the air between th

go," Sca

sho

of the

mie

to say. Because I'm very close to making another inappropriat

ht. "What if I

n. "This is a business arrangement. Ge

t something

ther's legacy restored. You don't want me." He stepped b

isn't

, it

r like she was something he want

om and closed the connecting

mistake. Maybe it

movement next door, wondering if he was l

rried for fort

gned was starting to feel like the

stimony. Tomorrow, she'd figure out how to protect herself from Victoria's e

Damien's mouth on hers and wonder what would happen

good,

something u

, and dreamed of winter-ice eyes