Chapter 1

"I want you to seduce my brother."

The words hung in the air of the penthouse suite, colder than the chilled champagne in Alexander Hayes's hand. He swirled the glass, the gold liquid catching the light from the city skyline that stretched out behind him.

"What did you say?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. My heart started beating fast, a frantic drum against my ribs.

He turned to face me, his handsome features set in a mask of cool calculation. For five years, I had seen that face in private moments, in stolen glances across boardrooms, and in the dark of his bedroom. I thought I knew every line, every shadow. I was wrong.

"You heard me, Scarlett," he said, his voice smooth and even. "Daniel. My brother. The one in the wheelchair. He's engaged to Chloe Miller, and I need you to break that up. Seduce him. Make him fall for you, and then leave him."

I just stared at him, my mind refusing to process the monstrous request. This was Alexander, the man who had held me just last night, the man I had given five years of my life to, waiting for him to finally acknowledge our relationship in public.

"Why?" The word felt like sandpaper in my throat.

He took a slow sip of his champagne before setting the glass down on the marble table. He walked over to the desk and pulled out a checkbook. The scratch of the pen was the only sound in the room.

"For this," he said, sliding a check across the polished wood.

I looked down. One million dollars. The number had so many zeros it looked fake.

"And for me," he added, his voice dropping to a low, possessive tone that used to make me shiver. "Do this, and we can finally be together. I'll marry you, Scarlett. Everything you've ever wanted."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Marriage. He was offering me marriage now? After five years of being his dirty little secret? I remembered all the times I had begged him for a commitment, for just a small sign that I was more than a convenience. He always had the same answer. "I'm not the marrying kind, Scarlett. You knew that from the beginning." He always preached to the world about his love for the bachelor lifestyle, a tech mogul too busy changing the world to be tied down.

And now, he was dangling it in front of me like a prize for a performing dog. The love I thought was finally becoming real was just a tool for his sick game.

The shock was fading, replaced by a cold, hard anger. The hurt was so deep it felt like numbness. All the sacrifices, the lonely nights, the canceled plans, the lies to my friends and family-it all flashed before my eyes. For him. All for him.

I looked from the check back to his face. He was watching me, confident, expecting me to break down or gratefully accept. He was used to getting what he wanted. He believed he could control everything, even people's hearts.

I took a deep breath, pushing down the tears that threatened to spill. He wanted a performance? I would give him one. But it would be on my terms.

"It's not enough," I said, my voice steady and clear.

Alexander' s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He wasn't expecting this.

"What?"

"A million dollars," I said, walking toward the desk and looking him straight in the eye. "To ruin a paralyzed man's life and destroy his engagement? My price is higher."

A slow, wolfish grin spread across his face. He was intrigued. This was a negotiation, a language he understood far better than love. "How much higher?"

"Five million," I said without blinking. "And a contract for the marriage. Not a promise. A legal document, signed before I even meet your brother."

He stared at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine for any sign of weakness. He found none. The desperate, love-struck girl he knew was gone, replaced by someone he didn't recognize.

"You've got a deal," he finally said, extending his hand.

I ignored it. I walked back to the window, my back to him. The city lights blurred together. I thought about how this all started. My grandmother, her medical bills piling up, the constant worry that kept me awake at night. Alexander had swooped in like a savior, paying for everything, setting her up in the best care facility. He had seemed so kind, so generous. I had fallen for the illusion, believing his acts of "goodness" were born from affection for me.

Now I knew the truth. It was all a transaction. He was just making an investment, securing a loyal asset he could use later. My love, my loyalty, my body-it was all just part of the price.

I felt a cold clarity settle over me. For five years, he had controlled the game. He had set the rules.

But the game had just changed.

"I'll need a new identity. A new backstory," I said, still looking out the window. "Whatever you need to make this believable."

"My assistant, Liam, will handle everything," he said from behind me. "He'll be in touch tomorrow."

I heard his footsteps retreat, the soft click of the penthouse door closing behind him.

I was alone.

I finally let out the breath I was holding. A single tear tracked a path down my cheek, hot and sharp. I wiped it away angrily. No more tears for Alexander Hayes.

He thought he had bought me. He thought he was in control.

He was about to find out how wrong he was. I would take his money, I would play his game, and I would enter his family's world. But I wouldn't be his puppet. I was going to find out the real reason behind this twisted plan, and when I was done, I would be the one walking away with everything, leaving him with nothing but the ruins of his own making.

This wasn't just about seducing his brother anymore. This was about survival. And maybe, just maybe, it was about revenge.