Introduction

Ava Hayes, a celebrated star, was on top of the world.

Her life was a meticulously managed canvas of sold-out concerts and acclaimed films.

But one quiet family dinner shattered her carefully constructed reality.

Her parents, with somber faces, dropped a bombshell: an arranged marriage.

Not just any marriage, but a binding promise made generations ago, tying her to the powerful Grayson family.

It felt like a bizarre relic from a bygone era, an unexpected contract in an already public life.

Despite her confusion, Ava agreed, pragmatic as always; her love life wasn't a priority anyway.

She soon found herself inexplicably drawn to Liam Grayson, the strikingly handsome and intensely private CEO she was suddenly married to.

His thoughtful gestures and quiet care slowly began to chip away at her composure, making her question everything she thought she knew about their "arrangement."

Yet, doubts festered.

Liam's tenacious ex-admirer and the media's relentless speculation about her own professional ties ignited a fierce jealousy within her.

Why did it sting so much to see him with another woman? Why did she care?

Was this just a contract, or was something far more complicated-and terrifyingly real-unfolding?

Then came the bungee jump, a terrifying plunge that unexpectedly revealed the terrifying truth: Liam was her anchor, her safe harbor in a chaotic world.

His protective fury over her fabricated scandal and injury, his raw, unadulterated jealousy, finally ripped away the facade.

It was time for Ava to stop pretending, to acknowledge the undeniable force that had taken hold, and for both of them to claim their love-on their own terms.