Chapter 1 1

The smell hit her first. It was the sharp, chemical sting of antiseptic mixed with the cloying scent of wilting flowers. Elenor Becker tried to open her eyes, but her lids felt like they were weighted down with lead coins. Her body was a map of dull aches, a heavy, throbbing reminder of the crash that had turned her world upside down.

She forced her eyes open. The harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital room burned, making her wince. Her vision swam, blurring the edges of the room until they slowly sharpened into focus.

The first thing she saw was Ursula.

Her aunt was standing by the bedside, her makeup flawless, her pearls glowing softly under the artificial light. But there was no warmth in her eyes. Ursula wasn't looking at Elenor's face. She was looking at the monitors, her gaze calculating, like a trader watching a ticker tape. She didn't reach for the call button. She didn't smooth Elenor's hair. Instead, she leaned in, her perfume-something expensive and heavy-clogging Elenor's throat. Ursula's fingers, cold and manicured, pried Elenor's eyelid open further to check her pupil response. It was an appraisal, not a comfort.

Elenor tried to pull back, but her muscles refused to cooperate. A sharp intake of breath was all she could manage. She tried to speak, to ask what happened, but her throat felt like it was filled with broken glass. A dry, raspy hiss of air escaped her lips. Nothing more. The silence that followed was terrifying.

The heavy wooden door to the VIP suite pushed open.

Julian Thorne walked in. He was holding a bundle of lilies wrapped in crinkling plastic, the kind you bought at a gas station on the way to a funeral. He wore a suit that fit him poorly around the shoulders, and on his face was a smile that didn't reach his eyes. It was a smile made of oil and ambition.

The heart rate monitor beside the bed began to beep faster. The sound filled the room, a frantic, electronic drumbeat that betrayed Elenor's panic.

Ursula's hand shot out, clamping down on Elenor's wrist. She squeezed hard, pinning Elenor's arm to the mattress.

"Poor thing," Ursula cooed, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "You're just frightened. It's the trauma."

Julian sat on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, and Elenor felt a wave of nausea roll through her stomach. He placed the cheap flowers on the bedside table and reached for her free hand.

"I'm here, El," Julian said. His voice was smooth, practiced. "I've been here the whole time. Your fiancé isn't going anywhere."

Elenor's eyes went wide. She stared at him, her chest heaving. Fiancé? She had never agreed to marry him. She had spent the last year dodging his calls and his unwanted advances at charity galas. She tried to yank her hand away, but she was too weak.

Julian didn't let go. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, a gesture that was meant to look affectionate but felt like a violation.

"Don't struggle, darling," he whispered, leaning closer so only she could hear the edge in his tone. "You hit your head hard. You've forgotten things. You've forgotten us. But don't worry. I'll remind you."

"The doctor says the brain damage might be significant," Ursula said loudly, speaking to the room rather than to Elenor. "She'll need a conservator. Someone to manage the trust fund until she... recovers."

It was a trap. A perfect, airtight cage. They were going to use her silence, her injuries, to paint her as incompetent. They would take the money, the legacy, everything.

Julian reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He flipped it open. Inside sat a ring that looked flashy but lacked quality. He reached for her left hand.

Elenor summoned every ounce of adrenaline left in her system. She couldn't speak, but she could move. She jerked her hand violently.

The ring box flew from Julian's grip. It hit the linoleum floor with a sharp clatter, the ring spinning away under the bed.

Julian's face twisted. For a second, the mask slipped, revealing a flash of pure, ugly rage. But he recovered quickly, molding his features into a mask of heartbreak.

"Oh, Elenor," he sighed. He reached for her shoulder this time, his grip tighter, his fingers digging into her collarbone. "You're hysterical."

Tears pricked Elenor's eyes. Not from sadness, but from the sheer, suffocating frustration of being voiceless. She opened her mouth to scream, but only a choked gurgle came out.

The door to the suite didn't just open this time. It slammed against the wall with a violence that made Ursula jump.

Two men in black suits stepped in, their movements synchronized and efficient. They didn't look at the bed. They looked at the corners of the room, securing the perimeter.

Then, he walked in.

Hilliard Blackburn didn't walk; he occupied space. He wore a charcoal three-piece suit that was tailored to within an inch of its life, the fabric absorbing the light rather than reflecting it. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and radiated a kind of cold, kinetic energy that sucked the air out of the room.

Ursula went pale. Her hand dropped from Elenor's wrist. She knew who he was. Everyone in New York with a brokerage account knew who Hilliard Blackburn was.

Julian, stupid and arrogant, stood up. "Who the hell are you? This is a private room."

Hilliard didn't even look at him. He peeled off his leather gloves, finger by finger, and tossed them backward without looking. A silent assistant caught them mid-air.

Hilliard walked to the foot of the bed. His shoes clicked against the floor, a slow, rhythmic countdown. He looked at Elenor. His eyes were dark, intelligent, and completely devoid of pity. He wasn't looking at a patient. He was looking at a portfolio that was underperforming.

"Who am I?" Hilliard asked. His voice was a low baritone, smooth like aged whiskey and just as likely to burn.

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded document. He didn't hand it to Julian. He flicked it at him.

The paper hit Julian's chest and fluttered to the floor.

Julian looked down. The bold text at the top was legible even from the bed. Certificate of Marriage.

Hilliard walked around the bed, stepping over the cheap ring Julian had dropped as if it were a piece of gum on the sidewalk. He stood over Elenor, his shadow falling across her face.

"I am her legal husband," Hilliard said, his voice flat, bored. He turned to the others. "Now. Get out."