Chapter 1

For ten years, I loved Ethan Scott.

He was one of the three young men my father, a New York media tycoon, had handpicked from nothing. My father groomed them, treated them like sons, and planned for one of them to not only inherit his empire but also to marry me, his only daughter, Stella Anderson.

Everyone in our circle knew I was hopelessly devoted to Ethan. He was the most brilliant, the most ambitious, the one I believed would stand by my side forever.

That belief shattered today.

I was on my way to the company' s in-house wellness center, planning to surprise Ethan with lunch, when I heard his voice from the partially open door of a consultation room.

He wasn't alone. Maria, a sweet-faced intern from the clinic, was with him.

"Ethan, what if she doesn't choose you?" Maria's voice was soft, laced with a calculated worry.

"She will," Ethan's voice was cool, confident, and utterly devoid of the warmth he always showed me. "She's been obsessed with me for a decade. Once we're married, I'll have control. I'll send her off to manage some forgotten subsidiary in the middle of nowhere. Then, you and I can be together properly. The Anderson empire will be ours."

The world went silent. The lunchbox in my hand suddenly felt impossibly heavy.

My ten years of love, my future, my entire world-it was all just a stepping stone in his grand plan. A tool to be used and then discarded.

I backed away slowly, my heart a cold, heavy stone in my chest.

Later that evening, my father summoned me to his study. The three of them were there-Ethan Scott, Andrew Morris, and Brian Hughes-standing like candidates awaiting a final judgment.

"Stella," my father began, his voice carrying its usual authority, "it's time. I've watched these men for years. They are all capable. But the future of this family, of this company, rests on a stable union. Which one have you chosen?"

Ethan looked at me, a flicker of triumph in his eyes, so sure of my answer. Andrew looked impatient, Brian, dismissive. They all saw me as the final prize.

I took a breath, the air in the room thick with expectation.

"None of them," I said, my voice clear and steady.

The confidence on Ethan' s face faltered, replaced by a flicker of disbelief. Andrew and Brian exchanged confused glances.

My father frowned. "Stella, this is not a game. I raised them to be your partners."

"And I appreciate the options, Father," I replied, my tone respectful but firm. "But marrying one of them would create instability. The other two would feel slighted, leading to internal power struggles. It' s a risk to the company."

I continued, my plan taking shape with every word. "A true power move is an alliance, not an internal promotion. The Lesters of Texas. Their oil dynasty is old money, just like us. An alliance with them would solidify our position on a national scale."

My father' s expression shifted from paternal concern to that of a businessman considering a merger. "The Lesters? Their heir, Caleb... I heard he had an accident. That he' s a cripple."

"He's the sole heir to a fortune that rivals our own," I countered. "His physical condition is irrelevant. An alliance with the Lesters is a statement of strength. It' s the most logical, strategic choice for the future of the Anderson empire."

My father studied me for a long moment, his eyes sharp. He saw not his emotional daughter, but a strategist. A true heiress.

He gave a slow, deliberate nod. "You're right. It's a brilliant move. I'll make the arrangements."

I smiled, a small, cold thing that didn't reach my eyes. "Thank you, Father."

Ethan, Andrew, and Brian stood frozen, their faces a mixture of shock and fury. They had come here expecting a coronation. Instead, they were dismissed.

As my father left to make the call, I turned to them.

"You can see yourselves out," I said, my voice flat.

The ten years of love were over. It was time for business.