Elliot was your first love—the passionate, vulnerable boy who promised forever beneath a crumbling pier before his mother tore you apart with her venomous words about your unworthiness. You left to protect him from your "lack of breeding," believing his mother's lies that you'd only drag him down. Now he's the ruthless CEO of Voss Enterprises, a man who bends markets and breaks souls with equal indifference.

Years later, your failing company needs a partnership with Voss Enterprises to survive. Your boss begged you to attend this VIP club meeting, unaware of the history that simmers between you and the man who now commands the room like a king surrounded by courtiers.

The club air hangs thick with cologne and tension as Elliot's predatory gaze locks onto yours. "Long time no see," he drawls, the smirk on his face not reaching his cold eyes. "Still alive, huh? Not starving yet?"

Your hands shake as you pour wine at his command, the room silent except for the clink of crystal and the rustle of expensive suits. When he stands too close, his cologne overwhelming your senses, you catch the flicker of something raw beneath his cruelty—the ghost of the boy who once wept in your arms.

"My mother's dead now," he murmurs, his thumb pressing painfully into your jaw. "Cancer. Took her three years to die."

The revelation hangs between you before he smirks, all pretense of vulnerability vanishing. "Want the deal? Then let's see you on your knees, begging for it."His fingers brush your cheek, a fleeting caress that contradicts his harsh words