Dead silence filled the massive office. The only sound was the faint hum of the air conditioning.

Doyle gasped from the doorway. He recovered his senses and lunged forward, reaching out to grab Evelina by the shoulder and drag her out.

Sterling leaned back in his leather chair. A cruel, mocking smile touched the corners of his mouth.

"Get out," Sterling said.

Doyle's hand clamped down on Evelina's shoulder.

Doyle underestimated her, expecting the frail resistance of a scared girl. Taking full advantage of his lowered guard, Evelina dropped her weight. She twisted her torso, using Doyle's own momentum against him. She gripped his wrist, applied a sharp pressure to a highly specific, paralyzing nerve cluster used by elite operatives, and shoved him backward. Doyle stumbled, his heavy frame hitting the doorframe.

Sterling's eyes narrowed. The mocking smile vanished. He watched her fluid, violent movement with a sudden, sharp interest.

Evelina did not step back. She took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping over the mahogany desk. A steaming cup of black coffee sat near Sterling's right hand.

She leaned closer to the desk. She inhaled deeply, making a show of smelling the air. Then she looked straight into Sterling's arctic eyes.

"That is top-tier Geisha coffee. The aroma is incredibly potent, yet you did not react to it at all when it was brought in. Your facial micro-expressions remained completely flat," Evelina observed, her tone laced with calculated deduction. "You cannot smell a single note of it, can you?"

Sterling's pupils dilated. The muscles in his jaw locked. He leaned forward, his massive frame radiating pure, lethal aggression.

"Who sent you?" Sterling demanded. His voice was a low, dangerous growl.

His anosmia-his complete loss of smell-was the highest-level secret in the Montgomery family.

Evelina let out a short, dry laugh. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a small, black velvet box. She placed it gently on the desk between them.

"No one sent me," Evelina said. "I know your secret. And I am the only person in this world who can fix it."

Sterling stared at the velvet box. He raised a hand, flicking his fingers at Doyle.

Doyle stepped back into the hallway, but he kept his hand resting on the panic button at his belt.

"If you are lying," Sterling said, his voice devoid of any human warmth, "you will not walk out of this building alive."

Evelina ignored the threat. She popped the lid of the velvet box. Inside lay a row of hair-thin silver needles and a tiny glass vial filled with dark purple liquid.

"Close your eyes," Evelina ordered. "Relax your facial muscles."

Sterling hesitated for a fraction of a second. The desperate, clawing need to regain his sense of smell won. He leaned back against the leather chair and closed his eyes.

Evelina walked around the massive desk. She stopped right beside his chair. The faint scent of sterile alcohol and sharp, unknown herbs drifted from her clothes.

Her hands moved with blinding speed. She picked up three silver needles. She slid the first one into the Yingxiang acupoint beside his nostril. The second and third followed into hidden nerve clusters near his cheekbones.

Sterling's jawline instantly locked tight, and the knuckles of his fingers turned stark white as they clamped down on the armrests. A sharp, aching pressure exploded deep inside his nasal cavity, but he maintained his rigid posture, refusing to physically flinch.

Evelina pulled the cork from the glass vial. She held the opening directly under his nose.

She pinched the top of the silver needles, twisting them slightly.

"Breathe in. Deep," she commanded.

Sterling's chest expanded. He dragged the air into his lungs.

A violent, burning sensation hit his brain. It was the sharp, stinging scent of raw peppermint mixed with crushed cedarwood. It punched through the dead nerves in his face.

Sterling's eyes snapped open. Shock ripped through his composed features. His chest heaved.

It was the first time in five years he had smelled anything.

Evelina pulled the needles out in one smooth motion. She capped the vial, dropped everything back into the velvet box, and took three steps back to a safe distance. A confident smile rested on her lips.

Sterling's breathing was erratic. He reached out with a shaking hand and grabbed the coffee cup. He brought it to his face and inhaled. The rich, bitter aroma of roasted coffee beans flooded his senses. It was real.

He set the cup down. He looked at Evelina. The disgust was gone. He was looking at a highly valuable asset.

Sterling folded his hands on the desk. The lethal aura returned, but it was controlled now. He looked at the door.

"Doyle. Out. Close the door," Sterling ordered.

The heavy oak door clicked shut. They were completely alone.

Sterling leaned back. He gestured to the leather guest chair opposite his desk.

"Now," Sterling said, his voice low and serious. "Let us discuss the terms of our marriage."

Evelina pulled out the heavy leather chair and sat down. She kept her back perfectly straight.

Sterling watched her every move. "Tell me your real name. And tell me exactly what you want."

"I am Evelina Barrett," she said, her voice steady. "The illegitimate daughter of the Barrett family."

Sterling let out a harsh laugh. He spun the heavy gold signet ring on his left ring finger. "I have heard the gossip. The Barrett trash who got expelled from the Ivy League for a sex scandal. Why would I want you?"

Evelina's fingernails dug into her palms. The sting grounded her. "The Barretts framed me. They locked me out of the trust fund my mother left me. The only way I can access that money is if I marry and produce an heir."

"You could marry a bartender," Sterling pointed out, his eyes cold. "You did not need to break into my building."

"A bartender cannot protect me from Alden Barrett," Evelina fired back. "I need the strongest shield in New York."

Sterling leaned back, resting his chin on his steepled fingers. He looked at her ugly, scarred face and her cheap clothes.

"This is a bad deal for me," Sterling said. "I need a wife to parade in front of my grandfather. A puppet who looks good at charity galas. I do not want a ruined, hideous woman bringing the Barrett stench into my house."

Evelina did not argue. She stood up. She pointed to the frosted glass door on the right side of the office.

"Give me three minutes in your private bathroom," Evelina said. "I will give you a perfect answer."

Sterling raised an eyebrow. He gestured toward the door with an open palm. His eyes tracked her until she disappeared inside.

Evelina locked the bathroom door. She gripped the edge of the marble sink and stared at her reflection. The ugly red scar mocked her. She took a deep, shuddering breath.

She unzipped her backpack and pulled out a small plastic bottle of industrial-grade solvent. She soaked a cotton pad in the clear liquid.

She pressed the wet cotton against her left cheek. She rubbed hard. The hyper-realistic red pigment began to melt. The fake skin peeled away in clumps, washing down the drain.

She grabbed the heavy black-rimmed glasses and threw them into the trash can.

She reached behind her head and yanked the tight hair tie loose. A heavy cascade of thick, dark, wavy hair tumbled down her back. She then peeled off the thick, clip-in bangs that had hidden her forehead, tossing the fake hair into the trash beside the solvent.

She turned on the faucet and splashed freezing water over her face, washing away the last traces of the solvent. She grabbed a thick towel and patted her skin dry.

She looked in the mirror. The ugly stray cat was gone. Staring back was a woman with flawless, pale skin, high cheekbones, and striking, predatory eyes. Her beauty was sharp, aggressive, and impossible to ignore.

The three minutes were up.

Evelina unlocked the door. The latch clicked loudly in the quiet office.

She pushed the door open and walked back out. Her stride was long and confident.

Sterling was looking at his phone. At the sound of her footsteps, he casually lifted his head.

His body went completely rigid. The phone slipped slightly in his grip. Raw, unfiltered shock flashed across his gray eyes.

This was not a scarred outcast. This is a woman who can make all men pause.

Evelina walked right up to the mahogany desk. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at him. A slow, arrogant smile curved her lips.

"Is this face suitable for your banquet?" Evelina asked.

Sterling recovered quickly. He cleared his throat, the sound harsh in the quiet room. He forced his facial muscles back into a mask of cold indifference.

"Your face exceeds expectations," Sterling admitted, his voice tight. "But you are still a Barrett. They are leeches. I do not invite trouble into my life without absolute profit."

Evelina's eyes darkened, Beauty and medical skills were not enough to break this man, She prepared to play her final card.

Evelina stared down at Sterling. His cold calculation did not surprise her.

She pulled out the leather chair and sat down again. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the silver flash drive. She rolled the metal casing between her thumb and index finger.

"Let us talk about the European merger the Montgomery Corporation is executing next week," Evelina said lightly.

Sterling's eyes turned lethal. The muscles in his neck corded. That merger was classified at the highest level. Not even his vice presidents knew the details.

Evelina recited three specific financial figures. They were the exact bottom-line numbers for the buyout.

Sterling slammed both hands onto the desk and stood up. His massive frame cast a dark shadow over her. The physical threat rolling off him made the air thick and hard to breathe.

"Stealing corporate secrets is a federal crime," Sterling snarled, his voice vibrating with rage. "I will bury you in a federal prison for the rest of your miserable life."

Evelina did not shrink back. She met his furious gaze and smiled.

"I set up a dead man's switch," Evelina said. "If I do not walk out of this building today as Mrs. Montgomery, those files will automatically broadcast to every major short seller on Wall Street."

Sterling ground his teeth together. The sound was audible in the quiet room. He hated being cornered.

Evelina watched the anger boil in his eyes. She shifted her strategy. She dropped another name.

"Sterling Montgomery III," Evelina said softly.

Sterling flinched.

"Your grandfather is forcing you into blind dates," Evelina continued, her voice smooth and persuasive. "He is threatening to freeze your voting shares if you do not marry by the end of the quarter."

Sterling sank back into his chair. He rubbed his temples. She had hit his rawest nerve.

Evelina stood up and walked around the desk, stopping just inches from his chair.

"Marry me," she said. "I will play the perfect, adoring wife. I will block your grandfather's interference. I will never ask about your private life. And I will give you weekly acupuncture treatments until your smell is permanently restored."

She leaned down, her face close to his. "In exchange, I get the Montgomery name to protect me, and you help me produce the heir I need for my trust fund."

At the word 'heir', a flash of intense disgust crossed Sterling's face. His stomach tightened. He hated the idea of being used for breeding.

But he masked it instantly. His brain processed the data.

She was beautiful. She was a genius hacker. She was a medical prodigy. And she hated the Barretts as much as he hated complications. She was the perfect, ruthless tool.

Sterling sat in silence for a full minute. The tension in the room was thick enough to choke on.

Finally, Sterling let out a dry, humorless laugh. He reached out and pressed the intercom button on his desk.

"Doyle," Sterling said. "Bring the legal team and a standard prenuptial agreement in here. Now."

Evelina let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. The tight knot in her chest uncoiled. She had won.

She slipped the flash drive back into her pocket and stepped away from him, restoring her cold, distant posture.

Sterling watched her. "During this marriage, you follow my orders. You do not create messes I have to clean up."

Evelina nodded. She smiled, but inside, her blood burned with the anticipation of the mess she was about to make.

Three minutes later, the oak doors opened. Doyle walked in, followed by two men in sharp suits carrying briefcases.

Doyle stopped dead in his tracks. The lawyers froze. They stared at the breathtaking woman standing by the desk, completely failing to connect her to the scarred girl from minutes ago.