Leonard Peters spoke soft and steady, explaining, "My grandpa’s been on my back nonstop about getting married. He’s dying to see a grandkid before he gets any older. His health’s been shaky, and I just don’t want him to leave this world with any regrets."

Haven Peters paused, and the slow dawn of realization crossed her face. When Leonard finished talking, he looked back at her and went on, "Besides, I’m not marrying some random stranger. I know you, even if you don’t remember me."

Haven froze, stunned.

No wonder he’d known her last name when they talked earlier. No wonder he knew Nelson Carlson was her brother.

She blinked, studying his sharp, polished features as their eyes locked. This face was so handsome—she should definitely remember it, right? But she dug through every corner of her memory and came up empty. She’d never seen him before.

Leonard caught the confusion clouding her eyes and realized she had no clue who he was. His dark irises dimmed for a split second before he asked, "Have you given any thought to my proposal?"

Haven pushed her doubts aside, her brow furrowing slightly. She couldn’t let her mom stand alone at her fiftieth birthday, facing all the town gossip without a proper husband by her side.

An idea sparked out of nowhere, and her eyes lit up. "What if we swap? You pose as my husband when you meet my mom, and I’ll pose as your wife when you meet your grandpa. Sound good?"

"Nah. A fake arrangement is still just fake. If they find out the truth, it’ll be way worse. My wife has to be real. Our marriage has to be real."

Leonard paused, then added, "Not that…"

Haven jumped in quick, "Not what?"

"Not that we have to be in love. It’d just be a marriage of convenience. We can live our own separate lives, just help each other out with our families."

"A marriage of convenience?" Haven’s eyes blew wide.

Leonard nodded. "Yep. That’s all laid out in the agreement. If you’re down with it, sign here." He pulled a thick document out of his briefcase and handed it straight to her.

Haven’s gaze dropped to the papers, her expression turning serious. The agreement spelled out every boundary clear as day. Best of all, if either of us found real love, the whole thing would dissolve—and our marriage would end right along with it.

"Even if we’re technically married, this deal’s still gonna ask a lot from you. I said you’d be my wife, and you’ll have to play the part fully to convince my grandpa."

Leonard’s voice was low and sincere, it had an pull you couldn’t deny.

Haven thought it over hard, her gaze dropping to the floor. This agreement was no joke—were they really going to go through with getting married? Her own parents’ marriage had turned into a bad joke after her dad ran off with another woman, leaving her mom alone to deal with all the sneering from friends and relatives.

That memory twisted a sharp pain right through Haven’s chest, tangled up with guilt and a sick, uncomfortable ache.

After a long minute of silence, Haven lifted her head from the document, took a deep breath, and made up her mind. "Alright. I’ll marry you. It’ll put my family’s worries to rest. Let’s pick a time to go meet our elders."

Leonard picked up a pen and signed his name without a single hesitation. A deep, unreadable light flickered in his eyes, and his lips tugged up into an irresistible smile.

"So, you free tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I am. What for?"

Leonard answered, "Then bring your ID and meet me at the marriage registry first thing in the morning."

Haven stared, caught completely off guard. "The registry office? We already signed the agreement—we actually have to make it legal?"

Leonard’s face went serious, and he answered with total confidence, "You think my grandpa or your mom would believe our marriage is real if it’s not official?"

Haven remembered that clause she’d read in the agreement, and nodded reluctantly. "Okay. I’ll meet you at the registry tomorrow."

Right then, her phone rang in her purse. She fished it out and answered, her eyes pausing mid-conversation before she politely ended the call. She turned back to Leonard with an apologetic wince. "Sorry, I have to run. Let’s swap numbers."

Leonard’s gaze darkened, but he didn’t press her for details. He just reeled off his number in that low, smooth voice of his.

The second Haven left, Nelson Carlson tracked Leonard down. Seeing Leonard alone, Nelson paused before asking, "What are you doing here by yourself? Where’s my sister?"

Leonard took his time straightening the documents, tucking them back into his briefcase before he answered casual as anything, "She left."

Nelson’s jaw tightened, his mind jumping straight to the jerk who’d wasted five years of Haven’s life. Could that asshole have come back?

Outside the ballroom, Haven walked back in holding something. She was wearing an evening gown, and she turned every head the second she stepped through the door. No one could miss her.

The young woman was dressed in a lilac floral evening gown, the soft lavender satin glowing like a fresh spring garden. A thin white satin ribbon cinched her waist, showing off her perfect hourglass figure. Her skin was fair and smooth, her eyes deep and unreadable. She wasn’t wearing any jewelry, and it only made her look more ethereal, like she didn’t even belong in this room.

Joshua West couldn’t help but stare, surprised to see Haven looking so elegant. He never expected to run into her at Mrs. Porter’s party. As every man’s eyes glued themselves to her, his brow furrowed hard. What the hell was she doing here?

Sitting right next to him, Mrs. West recognized Haven immediately. Her face turned sour, and she spat out with total disdain, "What is Haven doing here? Her family’s firm is on the brink of collapse and she doesn’t even care. Now she shows up all dolled up like she’s showing off—what game is she playing at?"

When Joshua West caught several men sliding admiring glances toward Haven Peters, he strode over, jaw tight and expression stern.

"What are you doing here? This isn't your spot. Where have you been? You here to stir up trouble?"

Haven met her ex’s cold, dismissive stare without a flicker of emotion. She even let a sharp little smile tug at her lips.

"What gives you the right to question me? My business is none of yours."

Joshua went dead silent, the words dying in his throat. He blinked at her impassive face, something unfamiliar twisting low in his gut.

It felt like something important was slipping right through his fingers. On instinct, he tightened his grip.

Who was Joshua West? A man of influence, proud of every inch of his status—how was he letting one woman get under his skin like this? Especially someone who used to mean nothing to him, someone who had him lowering his standards without a second thought?

Under the watchful stares of every guest around them, embarrassment pricked at his neck. He sharpened his tone to cling to his pride. "How long do you plan to keep playing this cat and mouse game? When you're done messing around, you might still be able to come begging."

Once upon a time, Joshua’s cruel remarks would have had Haven faking a brave front while her heart ached. But now? She just arched a brow, her face a mix of cold disdain and total indifference. "Do me a favor—stay the hell away from me. Just looking at you makes me sick."

Joshua couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Stunned, he gaped at her openly disgusted expression, too shocked to get a word out.

Sophia Porter, who’d hurried over to catch up, caught every biting word Haven had said to her son. Her temper blew instantly. Joshua moved to stand protectively at her side as she jabbed a shaking finger at Haven and let her fury fly.

"Ungrateful little brat! What right do you have to talk to my son that way? You took everything from him and gave nothing back! And now, when Joshua’s company is hanging on by a thread, you’re here all dolled up like some 19th century leading lady, just trying to hook another rich sucker!"

Sophia’s words sent a wave of sharp whispers rippling through the crowd of guests.

"Who are these people? Do you know them?"

"No clue, but that woman did not hold back. This is a fancy gala— the girl she’s calling out has to be someone, right?"

Haven met all the curious, staring glances with cool, unshakable indifference. Her eyes stayed ice cold as she turned to Sophia. "Ma’am, watch your mouth. Your son and I have been done for a while now. What I do and where I go is none of your business. Only people with dirty minds see dirt where there isn’t any."

Sophia caught the dig immediately. She stared Haven down, like she was seeing her for the very first time. Haven had always been soft, always polite, never once dared talk back before.

Furious at Haven’s defiance, Sophia snapped. "How dare you speak to me that way? Where are your manners? You’re just a motherless little orphan!"

The words cut deep enough that Haven’s composure slipped for half a second. Just as she opened her mouth to fire back, a deep, ice-cold voice rolled across the entire ballroom.

"Who are you calling a motherless child?"

The whole crowd turned. Leonard Peters was striding in, face frosty, Nelson Carlson right at his side. They walked straight to Haven’s side, their eyes locked on Sophia, sharp and intimidating.

Two of the most powerful men in the room flanking Haven, all but wrapping her in protection—every eye in the ballroom was glued to them now.

It hit Joshua like a punch to the gut: how did Haven know Leonard Peters and Nelson Carlson?

Haven… Nelson…

A shocking possibility blew open in his mind, too wild to believe.

Leonard’s gaze was scorching with contempt, boring straight into Sophia and Joshua. "Who gave you the right to insult my wife?"

His words left them wide-eyed and shocked, a cold tremor running down both their spines.

"Wait a minute… that means she’s the long-lost one… Leonard Peters’ wife?"

"Told you she was somebody important! Kept hidden all this time. And with two big shots like that backing her? She’s basically royalty now. Those idiots messed with Leonard Peters and Nelson Carlson? They’re totally screwed."

"Man, the upper social scene’s about to get a whole lot interesting."

As the murmurs drifted to Sophia’s ears, she stared at Haven in total disbelief, her words tripping over themselves. "Wife… but I thought she was just a motherless orphan? How is she Leonard’s wife… the Rivera family heiress?"

The revelation was too much for Sophia to process. Her face twisted into a mask of disbelief, almost hysterical. "How could she be from the Rivera family? She’s just a poor motherless girl—she belongs with my son…"

Joshua West watched Leonard Peters’ face darken, and a sudden wave of panic hit him out of nowhere. He cut into the conversation fast, voice sharp with urgency. “Mom, we need to get out of here.”

Mrs. West was thrown off by Joshua’s sudden move at first, but one glance at the sweat beading on his forehead and she got it right away. Any more of this fight wouldn’t just turn the Hendersons against them—it’d draw Leonard Peters’ wrath full-on. Leonard wasn’t just the hot new rising star in London; he was tied to one of the city’s most powerful families. Pissing him off would be a complete disaster.

Her shoulders sagged with quiet defeat. She nodded at Joshua, and the same sharp unease coiling in his chest twisted in hers too as they headed for the exit.

When they brushed past Nelson Carlson, he dropped a calm, razor-sharp warning right into their path: “If I catch you anywhere near my sister again, you’ll be lucky to scrape by anywhere in this city.”

With Maxwell Henderson’s connections backing him, Leonard could boot Joshua out of London’s elite circles before the sun even rose tomorrow. Joshua kept his eyes glued to the floor, too humiliated to meet Nelson’s glare, as he and his mother walked out of the ballroom.

Back inside, Haven Peters turned around to find her mother, Sophia Porter, standing poised in a silk Victorian-era evening gown that looked straight out of a royal portrait. Haven went rigid. She had no clue how much of that awkward confrontation her mom had overheard. But Sophia didn’t look ruffled at all—her eyes were still locked on Leonard, like that whole messy run-in with Joshua and his mother hadn’t even happened. Haven let out a shaky breath she didn’t realize she was holding, relief flooding her.

She hurried over to slip her arm through Sophia’s, her voice soft and warm, that gentle tone only her mom ever got to hear. “Mom, why don’t you sit down for a minute? There’s another wave of guests coming later.”

Sophia listened to her daughter’s gentle offer, but her gaze never strayed from Leonard. A faint, almost unreadable smile tugged at her lips, but when she spoke, her voice was ice cold. “This young man is quite something, isn’t he, Haven? Is he a friend of Nelson’s?”

The nearby guests caught her question, and their eyes went wide. Low, curious whispers rippled through the crowd right away.

“Aren’t Haven and Leonard Peters married? Why’s Mrs. Porter acting like she doesn’t even know her own son-in-law?”

“I heard Leonard’s grandfather is pushing him to court all those rich, powerful heiresses. If Haven’s already his wife, wouldn’t Mrs. Porter know him?”

“Did they elope? Get hitched in secret?”

“No way that’s actually happening.”

The whispers were quiet, but Sophia picked up every word. She kept her eyes on Leonard, and it clicked into place—this was definitely the man her daughter had been seeing for five years. What threw her off was why Haven had kept him hidden this whole time. Her husband had sung Leonard’s praises more times than she could count, after all.

Nelson was waiting for Haven to do the introductions, but Leonard beat him to it. His voice was clear, respectful, as he stepped forward and handed Sophia a wrapped gift. “Happy anniversary, Mom. I picked this out just for you.”

That one word—Mom—caught Sophia completely off guard, cracking her calm composure for half a second.

She pulled herself together fast in front of all the watching guests, nodding at Bo Mitchell, who stepped forward to take Leonard’s gift and hold it for her.

All eyes in the ballroom zeroed in on the box when it was opened, and the entire room drew a collective breath. The emerald jewelry set inside was stunning, its deep, rich green glinting bright under the chandeliers, the delicate handiwork stealing everyone’s attention.

“Wow! That emerald set is absolutely breathtaking!”

“It’s nicer than any piece I own—has to be worth at least a million pounds. Mrs. Porter really hit the jackpot with a son-in-law this thoughtful.”

Nelson admired the lavish gift, taking it as solid proof how much Leonard cared for Haven.

Meanwhile, Haven couldn’t hide her shock. Their arrangement of convenience marriage, this over-the-top extravagant gift for her mom—none of it felt real, it was all so much bigger and more formal than she’d ever imagined it would be.

While everyone else gushed and stared in awe, Sophia kept her calm, cool demeanor. She spoke softly to Leonard, just loud enough for him to hear: “Come with me, please.”

Did her mom already know something?

Leonard exchanged a polite, steady glance with Haven before following Mrs. Porter back to her private lounge.

Once the door clicked shut, and they were alone with no outsiders listening, Sophia’s whole demeanor shifted. It went from calm polite to sharp, frosty sternness in a heartbeat.

“Mr. Peters, pardon me for being blunt. You hold such a respected position in this city, yet you’ve been with my daughter for five years and you’ve never once come to see me, her own mother! Can I even ask if you have any respect for my daughter, or for our family at all?”

Tension thickened the air in the small room. Nelson and Haven’s nerves spiked as their mother called Leonard out.

The truth was, Haven and Leonard were practically strangers. They’d barely spoken two words to each other before all this, and now here was her mother calling his whole commitment into question.

Leonard’s absence all these years was definitely a problem. Any parent would feel snubbed, hurt even.

Haven wanted to just melt into the floor out of sheer embarrassment. She even felt guilty for Leonard, even though this chewing out wasn’t entirely his fault.

Then, out of nowhere, Leonard reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers.

His warm cedar scent wrapped around her, and it calmed her out of nowhere, soothed the jittery panic coiling in her gut.

Haven’s heart skipped a crazy, unexpected beat, shocked by how steady and sure he was being.

What on earth was he doing?