Leonard Peters stood rock solid, his broad frame wrapping Haven Peters in a protective shield. His deep voice rolled through the quiet dressing room, thick with warmth and steady reassurance. "Mom, this isn't Haven's fault. It was my mistake. I care about her deeply, and I respect her completely."

"That's why I wanted to prove myself in the business before I came to meet you. All of this was my call, so don't blame Haven for any of it."

Haven's heart skipped a beat.

How did Leonard stay this calm? His earnest gaze and honest words made his love for her feel so real. She found herself wondering if Leonard's grandfather would ever be half this attentive to her.

Sophia Porter's gaze drifted down to where Leonard and Haven's hands were laced tightly together. Leonard's sincere face, paired with her husband's glowing recommendation of him and that warm, familiar way he'd called her "Mom" softened her reluctance just a little, even if she wasn't ready to fully accept him yet.

Leonard was the kind of man her husband respected, and his willingness to step up and apologize proved how genuine he was.

Glancing at Haven, who stood stiff beside Leonard, worry etched all over her face, Sophia couldn't help but heave a deep sigh.

Her expression softened, though her tone stayed sharp and serious. "Fine. If you two truly care for each other, I won't stand in your way. But Leonard—my daughter is my whole world. She's my princess. I will not let anyone hurt her. If she gets wronged, I don't care who you are, I will make things right for her, no matter what."

Leonard answered politely, his voice warm and steady: "Mom, please, call me Leonard. I'm Haven's husband. I get it if you don't trust me yet, but I don't just say I love you—I show it."

His words struck a chord with Sophia.

As a mother, all she ever wanted was for her daughter to be happy.

Leonard's looks, his charm, his skill, his manners—everything about him was perfect. And side by side, he and Haven looked like they were made for each other.

The lingering irritation Sophia had felt finally melted away, and her face softened noticeably.

Haven could feel the heat of Leonard's hand tangled with hers—unfamiliar, but weirdly comforting. She tried to subtly pull her hand back, but his grip only tightened. Even with her thoughts spinning a million miles a minute, her smile came out genuine and sweet.

Seriously? He was holding on way tighter than he needed to, for a fake couple. Any other girl would be blushing, heart racing right now. But Haven? She'd already had her heart broken once. She wasn't that easy to fluster.

Nelson Carlson caught the subtle shift in his mom's mood. He knew even if she wouldn't say it out loud, she was starting to like Leonard.

He'd pushed Leonard towards Haven because he trusted the guy's character… and also…

Nelson glanced at his watch, a thoughtful look crossing his face, then smiled. "Mom, it's time. Let's head down to the ballroom."

Sophia nodded.

The group walked into the ballroom, where crystal chandeliers poured brilliant golden light over the entire room. Every corner was stuffed with fragrant blooms and elegant, tasteful decorations.

Socialites and big-name industry figures filed in one after another, each bearing gifts, and the whole room hummed with lively, bustling energy.

Haven wore a soft lavender evening gown that clung elegantly to her lithe, graceful figure. Intricate embroidery and glinting crystals shimmered across the fabric like stars scattered across a night sky. Her long hair was swept up into a polished updo, a few loose strands curling softly against her fair neck, adding an extra touch of soft sweetness.

Leonard cut just as striking a figure in a tailored black suit and deep charcoal tie, dashing and effortlessly sophisticated. His tall, commanding presence at Haven's side grabbed everyone's attention the second they walked in, and soft whispers of admiration rippled through the crowd.

"Look, that's the Rivera heiress and the Peters heir, aren't they? Total couple goals, right?" a woman in a silk gown murmured under her breath.

The man standing next to her nodded in full agreement. "You got that right. Ms. Rivera is gorgeous and talented, Mr. Peters is handsome and killing it in business. This match is pure power couple goals."

Haven and Leonard both smiled gracefully, nodding at the guests, oozing old-money elegance.

They stepped up to Sophia, and Haven held out the carefully wrapped gift with a warm smile. "Mom, happy birthday! I hope you stay healthy and happy for years to come."

Every eye locked on the box in Haven's hand. A man in a black suit squinted at it, and his eyes went wide with disbelief.

"If I'm not wrong, that watch Haven's holding is the exclusive meteorite dial piece from world-famous designer Claire—one of only five ever made."

Most of the guests were familiar with high-end collectible watches, and they caught the implication immediately.

"Rumor was Claire kept this one for his own personal collection, he never puts it up for sale. I've always wondered who ended up with it… turns out it's Ms. Rivera."

Sophia was a lifelong watch collector, and it was obvious how thrilled she was with the gift.

Leonard stood beside Haven, his dark eyes full of quiet appreciation.

Sophia gently squeezed Haven's hand and smiled. "Thank you, Haven. I absolutely love it. Leonard, you're staying with us a while this time, right?"

Haven caught it immediately—her mom was already acknowledging Leonard as her son-in-law.

Leonard paused for half a second, then answered politely: "Aunt Sophia, don't you worry. This time, Haven and I are staying a few extra days before we head back to New York. Haven came home mainly just to spend time with you."

Sophia's face broke into a wide, genuine grin. "That's wonderful! In a couple days your father and brothers will be back. It's going to be a proper family reunion."

The atmosphere grew warmer and more comfortable by the minute.

With every eye on them, Leonard led Haven out to the dance floor just as the first notes of the waltz started playing. They moved across the floor gracefully, their steps falling into perfect sync.

Haven tipped her head up slightly, her gaze meeting Leonard's, and whispered, "We're signing the marriage license tomorrow. Am I really going back to New York with you after that?"

Her steps flowed smooth and easy, and Leonard matched her rhythm perfectly, like they'd danced together a hundred times. They moved as one across the floor, and one by one the guests stopped their conversations to watch. By the end, soft applause broke out around the room.

Leonard's dark eyes locked onto hers, and with a quick spin he pulled her tighter, their chests pressing flush together.

He leaned down, his breath warm and tickling against the shell of her ear as he whispered, "That's right. And you're going to meet my grandfather."

Haven's heart tripped over itself. She could feel his heat seeping through the thin fabric of her gown, spreading warm all the way down to her toes. Her cheeks flushed pink, and a tingling tingle ran all the way down her shoulder.

When the dance ended, the evening hit its peak. Haven and Leonard circulated through the guests, exchanging polite small talk.

Haven, with her natural poise and sharp, thoughtful takes, had everyone she talked to hanging on her every word.

Leonard swapped business insights and war stories with industry leaders, and won over every single one of them.

As the night wound down, Haven, Leonard, Sophia, and Nelson headed back to the Rivera family home.

Later, after Haven spent a while catching up with Sophia, she noticed how tired her mom looked and gently urged her to turn in. "Mom, you should get some rest. I won't keep you up any longer."

Outside Sophia's room, Bo Mitchell stepped forward. "Ms. Rivera, Mr. Peters' room is all ready. He's already settled in there for the night."

Haven stopped short, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face as she froze mid-step.

Tonight looked like it might end with Haven and Leonard sharing a room. When her brother stepped up, Haven asked, "Nelson, where's Leonard?"

Nelson moved closer and gave her that knowing look. "He's resting in his room. I've got an early meeting tomorrow. Your stuff's already in your room. Go check it out when you get a chance."

With the housekeeper, Bo Mitchell, standing right there, Haven bit back the question of whether he'd arranged a separate guest room for Leonard. She bid Nelson goodnight and headed for her room, a tangled mix of anxiety and curiosity coiling in her gut—anxious that Leonard was actually waiting for her inside, curious what Nelson had left for her there.

The night sky stretched out like a vast curtain of black velvet, hanging quiet and swallowing all the noise of the day. The moon hung low like a silver lamp, spilling soft glow over everything, turning the whole world soft and dreamlike.

Haven turned the handle of her spacious bedroom door and pushed it open. The room was empty. Leonard was nowhere to be found, and a wave of relief washed over her. After spending all evening at her mother's fancy event, she'd been stiff and on edge the whole time. Finally alone, she slipped out of her evening gown, ready to head for the bathroom.

Suddenly, the door slammed open. Haven's bare skin was right there in front of Leonard—her pale skin, her soft, graceful curves froze him in place. His throat went tight on instinct, his gaze darkening with a sudden, sharp hunger he couldn't hide. He couldn't look away if he tried.

Startled by the sound of the door, Haven spun around. Her eyes blew wide with shock, and a sharp little yelp slipped out. Flustered, she fumbled to cover herself, her whole face flaming bright red with embarrassment.

Leonard shook himself out of his daze fast, spinning around to face the wall. His voice came out low and rough, "Sorry."

Haven was already bright red, too flustered to get a single word out. She darted straight into the bathroom, her whole body burning with mortification. The slam of the bathroom door echoed in time with Leonard's hammering heartbeat, the image of her bare skin burned straight into his brain.

Locked inside, Haven paced back and forth, still mortified, muttering to herself under her breath. "Why right now? Seriously, of all the damn times. This is so embarrassing. How am I even supposed to look at him again after this?"

Thinking back to that split second, she wanted to just curl up and vanish off the face of the earth. Finally, after half an hour of talking herself down, she scraped together enough courage to pull the door open.

The door creaked softy as she stepped out, letting the warm, scented steam drift out into the bedroom. Leonard, who'd been scrolling through photos on his laptop, looked up on instinct. His gaze lingered on her for a beat too long before he looked away.

Haven came out wrapped in a crisp white towel, moving through the lingering steam. Her hair was still damp, little strands sticking to her rosy cheeks. Water droplets glistened as they trickled down her neck, disappearing under the edge of her towel.

Leonard's breathing went thick and heavy. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his throat inexplicably dry. He tried to look away, but the scent of her body wash mixed with her own natural soft smell flooded his senses, drowning out everything else.

Clenching the edge of the desk to keep his composure, he said, almost absently, "You were such a cute kid."

Haven could still feel his earlier gaze burning into her skin, and she blushed even harder, her fingers tapping nervously against her side. "Thanks."

Silence settled over the room, thick and heavy. Only the sound of their breathing cut through the quiet. Haven bit her lip and worked up the nerve to break it. "Why'd you come into my room all of a sudden?"

Leonard drew a breath, his deep dark eyes meeting hers, a flicker of vulnerability in his gaze. "Where else am I supposed to go? Can't let mom think this fake marriage is just for show, can we?"

Haven dropped her gaze, knowing he was right. A married couple sleeping in separate rooms didn't make any sense—it would only raise questions.

Seeing how uneasy she was at the thought of sharing a room with him, Leonard offered a compromise. "To keep people from asking stupid questions, let's just play along for a few days. We can hit the registry office first thing tomorrow morning. Tonight, I'll crash on the couch."

Haven glanced at the tiny sofa—it barely looked big enough for him to stretch out on, and she found herself shaking her head. Leonard wasn't the type to suffer through discomfort for no reason. "My bed's big enough for both of us. You should sleep here."

Her bluntness caught Leonard totally off guard. Amused, his voice dropped an octave, deep and warm. "Sure. But can I borrow the bathroom for a minute?"

"Of course." Haven nodded and turned to her desk, booting up her computer as Leonard headed into the bathroom.

Haven logged into her email to sort out a few urgent messages. No sooner had she connected than a voice call popped up on screen. She answered it, and a surprised, excited voice greeted her. "Wow, you're finally online! I heard the client's pulling that project from Joshua and giving it to a new designer—you, right? Is that true?"

Haven's gaze sharpened. Calm, steady, a sharp contrast to the caller's excitement, she replied, "Yeah. I'm just taking back what's mine. No point letting Joshua West profit off my work anymore. I'll be in London next week, we can hash out the details then."

The voice on the other end got even more excited, "That's fucking amazing! One week, see you in London!"

After hanging up, Haven's fingers flew across the keyboard, knocking out her to-do list. When she finished, she stretched and yawned, feeling her tired muscles finally relax. That's when Leonard stepped out of the bathroom.

Haven Peters’ cheeks burned bright crimson the second she felt Leonard Voss’s magnetic presence roll over her—man, the guy knew exactly how intoxicating he was. She wrenched her gaze away fast, forcing her voice to stay steady, desperate to hide how badly her insides were spinning. She scrambled to her feet, turned her back, and dove under the covers, yanking the thin sheet tight around her shoulders and pressing a palm to her hammering heart, muttering a silent, repeated mantra to get a grip.Leonard was effortlessly charming—almost too much for her to handle. Sharing a bed with him had her nerves shot, and that old anxiety she’d thought she’d buried for good flared right back to life.Leonard’s gaze lingered on Haven, all curled up tight against the edge of the mattress, before drifting to the thick comforter they’d dragged between them like a wall. Without a word, he settled onto his own side.They lay back-to-back, keeping that polite, careful distance between them. Then, in the dead of night, lightning split the inky sky open, followed by a crack of thunder that rattled the windowpanes in their frames. Rain hammered against the glass so hard it sounded like it was trying to swallow the whole world whole.Haven was caught in a nightmare, the thunder locking her in place. Her lips trembled, and a tiny whimper slipped out: “…I’m scared…” In her dream, she was locked in a pitch-black room, thunder booming over and over and over. She fought like crazy to get out, but her feet wouldn’t move.Leonard was already awake, and every flash of lightning lit up Haven’s terrified, shaking frame. He pulled back the comforter splitting them apart, and gently pulled her trembling body right into his arms.“It’s okay. I got you.” Leonard’s usual cool voice was soft and warm now, breath fanning over her ear as he whispered. He held her tight with one arm, the other brushing slow, gentle strokes over her hair to calm her down.Haven clung to him like he was her lifeline, arms locked around his waist, face pressed deep into his chest, even though she still shook a little. Leonard held her tighter, murmuring soft, steady reassurances until she finally went limp against him. The warmth of his hold, the steady care of it, seeped into her bones, and she drifted back off into a quiet, peaceful sleep.Leonard never loosened his hold, his arms a solid shield between her and all her fears. As he watched her sleeping face, he wondered why Haven—raised in comfort, never wanting for anything—was so terrified of thunderstorms. What had happened to her, to leave her this scared?When dawn broke, soft golden light slipped through the curtains, painting the whole bedroom in a warm, hazy glow. Haven woke up in the quiet, and the first thing she saw was Leonard’s chest, his jaw soft with sleep.Her cheek was pressed right to his sternum, one arm curled around his waist, Leonard’s arm slung heavy over her shoulder. Their legs were tangled together, so close it felt like they’d been made to fit there. Her mind went blank for a second, then started racing. Blood rushed to her face, her cheeks flaming, her ears burning hot.She shoved him away hard, like she’d just pressed her hand to a hot stove. Leonard jolted awake, blinking blearily at her pink, flushed cheeks and wide, panicking eyes as she scrambled to wriggle out of his arms.“Chill out,” Leonard mumbled, his voice thick with sleep, rough around the edges from being woken up. Dark circles ringed his eyes, proof he hadn’t gotten much rest.Haven clutched the comforter tight to her chest, her face so red it looked like it might catch fire. Embarrassment and confusion swam in her eyes, and her voice came out shaking: “What the hell happened? Why were we…?”It clicked for Leonard then, what she was so flustered about. A flicker of awkwardness crossed his face as he sat up, putting a little space between them, and said casually: “There was that bad storm last night. You were scared, you kept clinging to me. I couldn’t get you to let go, and I ended up crashing here.”Some of Haven’s embarrassment ebbed, but the flush stayed on her cheeks. She bit her lip, refused to meet his eyes, and mumbled: “Let’s just… forget it happened.”She hurried into the bathroom, leaving Leonard alone to think through all the messy, soft feelings from the night before.When Haven came back out, Leonard was already out of bed, ambling slowly toward her. Her cheeks flared all over again, the memory of their warm embrace flooding back. She dropped her gaze fast to hide how flustered she was, and darted around him to get past.Leonard noticed how embarrassed she was, but he didn’t say anything about it. He just huffed a quiet laugh and headed into the bathroom. Once the door clicked shut behind him, he pulled out his phone— a dozen missed calls, and one text from his grandfather.He tapped the message open, and his brow pulled into a sharp frown as he read.[Since you’re already in town, go see Mr. West. It’s his granddaughter’s wedding today. Let me make this clear: I only ever will accept Mr. West’s granddaughter as my grandson’s wife. If you don’t show, don’t bother coming back home.]Leonard locked his phone, his mood dropping straight through the floor. It was time to sort this out once and for all.Out in the bedroom, Haven was getting dressed, listening to Leonard move around in the bathroom. The sound of the shower running felt weirdly comforting, and for a second it felt like they were just a normal couple, starting a quiet morning together.Leonard walked out, fully dressed, and his eyes landed straight on Haven, sitting on the edge of the sofa. “Let’s go.”Haven looked up, meeting his unreadable gaze. “Go where?”Leonard paused for half a second, his voice steady and firm. “Today we go to the county clerk’s office to get our marriage license. Or… are you backing out now?”