Lara Lawson's world had ended on a Tuesday.
It wasn't the explosion of flashing cameras, the screaming reporters, or the brutal arrests that had broken her. It was the moment she saw his name—Adrian Sinclair—on the front page of the newspaper, his smirk plastered across the glossy page. The headline screamed: Sinclair Scandal Rocks Lawson Empire.
He had done it. He had ruined her family.
Her father, once the proud CEO of Lawson Enterprises, was now a convicted fraudster. Her mother, broken by the weight of it all, had disappeared into herself, a shell of the woman she used to be. And Lara? She was left with nothing.
Five years had passed since that day. Five years of fighting to keep her head above water, rebuilding the pieces of a life that once seemed perfect.
She wasn't the same girl anymore. The girl who had been naïve enough to think the world was hers to control, to take whatever she wanted without consequence.
No, now she was hardened. And bitter. Bitter because of him.
She had heard whispers about his return—Adrian Sinclair, the billionaire heir, the man who had destroyed everything she loved, who had taken it all with one single, well-placed rumor. But she never expected to see him face-to-face again.
And yet, here he was.
The door to her small, struggling café swung open with a gust of wind, the bell chiming overhead. Lara glanced up from the counter, her eyes narrowing instinctively at the tall, commanding figure that entered.
His dark suit was perfectly tailored, as if he had stepped out of a magazine. His presence filled the room, an aura of power that seemed to darken everything around him. His hair was slightly tousled, but his sharp jawline remained perfectly defined, just like the last time she had seen him.
Adrian Sinclair.
The man who had ruined her life.
He smiled as their eyes met, and for a split second, Lara thought she might suffocate from the sheer force of his gaze. The old, familiar anger flared in her chest, like a fire reigniting after years of being dampened.
"You're looking well, Lara," Adrian's voice was smooth, low, and far too calm for someone who had once been her enemy.
Her fingers clenched around the coffee cup she was holding. "What are you doing here, Sinclair?"
He tilted his head, studying her with an intensity that made her heart race. "I came to see you."
Lara's breath caught, a sick feeling in her stomach. See her? After everything? After he had taken everything from her?
"Why?" she snapped. "To gloat?"
He took a step closer, the scent of expensive cologne making her stomach churn. "Not at all. I came to offer you a deal."
"A deal?" She laughed bitterly, though it felt like a knife in her throat. "What could you possibly offer me that I would want?"
Adrian's smile grew wider, his eyes gleaming with something dark and unreadable. "I'm sure we can come to an agreement."
The quiet café felt suffocating as he took another step forward, his eyes never leaving hers.
Lara's pulse quickened. She had to remind herself that this man had ruined her life. He had lied, betrayed, and destroyed her family for his own gain.
But as he stood there, with his relentless gaze and overpowering presence, Lara felt a flood of emotions crash through her—anger, disgust, and… something else. Something dangerous.
Adrian Sinclair had always had a way of getting under her skin. The charming, untouchable boy who had seduced her in the past. She had been naïve then, caught up in the allure of his smile, his confidence, his power.
But not anymore.
"I'll take no part in whatever twisted game you're trying to play," Lara said firmly, setting the coffee cup down with a sharp clink. "I've moved on, Sinclair. And I'm not interested in anything you have to offer."
A flash of something cold crossed his face. His eyes darkened, and the smile that had once been so smug now seemed dangerous. "You misunderstand, Lara. This isn't about what I'm offering. It's about what you'll lose if you don't accept."
Lara frowned, her heart pounding. "What are you talking about?"
Adrian leaned forward, his voice lowering to a near-whisper. "You're in financial trouble, aren't you? Your café's barely staying afloat. Your father's company was sold off after his conviction. And yet, I can help you, Lara."
Her breath caught. "How?"
His smile returned, slow and calculating. "Marry me."
Lara blinked, not sure she had heard him right. "What?"
"Marry me," Adrian repeated. "And I'll save you. I'll make sure your business survives, your family's reputation stays intact. All you have to do is be my wife. For a while."
She shook her head, her anger flaring once more. "Are you insane? I will never marry you. Not after everything you've done."
Adrian didn't flinch. His eyes were locked onto hers, cold and unrelenting. "I don't think you understand, Lara. If you refuse, I'll expose everything. Your café will close, your debts will drown you, and your name will be tarnished even further."
"You wouldn't—" She stopped, her throat tight. The fear gnawing at her was real. He was ruthless, and she knew he had the power to destroy what little she had left.
He leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, "I'm offering you a way out. You don't have a choice."
Lara felt a chill run down her spine. He was right. She had no choice.
She looked at him, her eyes blazing with fury and something else she couldn't control. "Fine. But don't think for one second that this means I'll forgive you."
He straightened, a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. "I never expected you to."