"Take it off!" The icy command echoed through the lavish hotel suite. Winona Williams shuddered, a chill crawling down her spine at the unsettling demand.

"Or should I do it for you?" The man, lounging in a silk robe, had part of his sculpted chest exposed under the glinting lights that only emphasized his perfect, chiseled features. But his stare was razor-sharp and utterly detached. He swirled the wine in his glass lazily, casting Winona a look of pure contempt.

Winona had been dragged here under the pretense of discussing a business deal. She'd expected some kind of trick, but the scene was way more disturbing than she could've imagined.

Despite the man being drop-dead gorgeous, Winona held her ground. If it weren't for her mother's situation, she'd never have let Elia manipulate her into this mess.

"You women always play the saint. Your boss sends you to negotiate, and here you are, acting all high and mighty. Isn't cozying up to me part of your job description tonight? Don't waste my time."

Standing a few feet away, Winona clutched the file tighter. "I'm here on behalf of Horizon. To discuss a partnership."

The man let out a cold laugh. "There's nobody else here. Who do you think you're fooling?" He closed the distance between them, snatching her black-rimmed glasses off her face in one swift move.

Winona flinched, her eyes meeting his head-on. The sheer intensity in his gaze mixed with that striking face made her mind go blank for a second.

"Seen enough?" His sneer jolted her back to reality. She quickly averted her eyes, determined not to cave.

She was here to negotiate. Not to be someone's plaything.

"The Morales Group is a big name. I believed your company had standards. I didn't expect this kind of low blow from Mr. Morales's office. I came in good faith to discuss a partnership, yet you've completely ignored the proposal. Aren't you worried Mr. Morales might catch wind of this, damaging the company's reputation and costing you your job?"

Her gaze met his, bright and unyielding, full of defiance.

"You've got a sharp mouth on you," he chuckled, "but that doesn't faze me."

Truth was, Zayden Morales didn't need to handle these things personally. He'd intended to have Mohamed deal with other issues, but he'd seized this opportunity. The woman in front of him had mistaken him for his assistant, yet her intentions were as clear as day, no matter how much she played innocent. It disgusted him.

He wanted to see how long she could keep up the act.

He grabbed her chin. "Are you doing it yourself, or am I?" Her plain outfit was totally calculated, but up close, Zayden couldn't help noticing her captivating, flawless face.

Her lips, naturally tinted without a trace of lipstick, were just begging to be kissed. He couldn't fight the impulse.

The unexpected kiss blindsided Winona. Her eyes flew wide open, stunned by his audacity. She struggled against him, but his grip held her fast.

His unfamiliar scent threw her off. She bit down hard, refusing to give in, but then a sudden coldness hit her chest. Her shocked gasp gave him exactly the opening he wanted.

Furious and defiant, she sank her teeth into him. Zayden hissed, releasing her, his brow furrowing in pain.

Winona stumbled back, panting and clutching her collar, her face burning with a mix of rage and humiliation.

Zayden savored the sting, his lips tingling with intrigue. Beneath that frumpy disguise, there was a natural allure that made him crave more.

"Deputy Morales, the way your company handles negotiations is certainly... educational. Partners like you are beneath Horizon's standards," Winona spat, her voice fierce.

She scrubbed her mouth with the back of her hand and whirled around, stalking off with her head held high.

At the door, she paused and turned back to face him.

"Oh, and your kissing skills, Deputy? They seriously need work. With moves like that, you'll only pull desperate women with money. Tonight felt like being mauled by a dog."

With that final shot, Winona strode out, leaving behind the image of her proud, defiant silhouette.

It was the first time a woman had insulted him like that—comparing him to some kind of gigolo. Zayden, usually the picture of self-control, couldn't bite back a curse.

"Well, hell!" His lips still throbbed where she'd bitten him. Winona Williams—the name carved itself into his memory.

Winona rushed out of the hotel, unwilling to linger a second longer. Her blouse was torn, buttons dangling. Clutching her collar, she fled the Royal Hotel in a hurry.

What she didn't know was that her disheveled state and frantic exit had been caught on camera by someone lurking in the shadows.

She stumbled through the night, her heart heavy with anguish as she wiped her lips over and over, fighting back the tears.

They wanted to see her crumble, to witness her break. If she gave in, she'd fall straight into their trap. Showing any weakness wasn't an option.

Lifting her head, Winona forced back the tears.

Nine years ago, her once-happy family had shattered when her mother discovered her father's affair—an affair that had produced another child. Her parents divorced, and soon after, her mother suffered a brain injury from a fall, losing her sanity in an instant.

Within weeks, her father married the other woman, making her Winona's stepmother and introducing a new sister. Winona was forced into a life where she had to walk on eggshells.

If it weren't for her mother's close ties with Mr. Castro, which led to an arranged marriage, her stepmother would've thrown her out onto the streets ages ago.

As the eldest daughter of the Williams family, Winona had lived a life harsher than most young women could imagine. Tonight, Elia had forced her hand by threatening her mother's well-being to make her secure a deal with the Morales Group.

It was all Elia's trap. She'd promised to convince their father to send their mother abroad for treatment if Winona landed the deal. Now Winona saw the deception for what it was.

She slipped quietly into the house, only to find Elia lying in wait at the door.

"Well, well, sister dearest! I sent you to negotiate a deal, and you come back looking like this? Anyone would think you'd been up to something trashy. You're such an embarrassment to Dad."

Winona, full of bitterness, met her sister's taunts head-on.

She let out a harsh laugh. "You know damned well why I'm in this state, Elia! I've done nothing to you, yet you keep pushing. If you take this too far, don't expect me to just roll over."

Elia scoffed dismissively. "Look at yourself. Push back? How? You were born to be used. I threw you a bone by giving you a shot at working with the Morales Group, and you should be groveling with gratitude. This is exactly where you belong!"

The hallway echoed with the sharp crack of a slap as Winona struck her. She could endure a lot, but she refused to be broken.

Lights flickered on, and Dennis Williams stormed out of his room, his expression contorted with fury. "Winona Williams, have you lost your damn mind?"

Elia Williams hovered partly behind her father, Dennis, a practiced look of concern on her face. "Dad, it's late, and I'm worried about Winona. I didn't mean to snoop, but when she gets home at this hour, who wouldn't think she might be in trouble?"

Winona saw right through her sister's innocent act. Elia was a born performer—wasted off the stage.

Dennis shot Winona a look, taking in her disheveled state. Without missing a beat, he snapped, "Look at the hour! It's not proper for a young woman to come home looking like that."

Winona met her father's eyes head-on, unfazed by the all-too-familiar confrontation.

"You've always thought I'm the biggest disappointment. Have you ever actually cared what I do? If you really want to know what happened, why don't you ask your precious favorite daughter? She knows exactly what went down."

Elia shook her head frantically. "Sis, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. I was just worried about you. Please don't be mad, okay? Dad, it's all my fault." She covered her face, looking ready to cry.

Seraphina Cruz chimed in with exaggerated sympathy, "Dennis, Elia's a sweetheart. Winona's too wild—you need to get her under control. I'm just her stepmother, so maybe it's not my place, but I hate seeing Elia so upset."

She poured fuel on the flames, watching Dennis's anger spike at Winona's messy appearance. "You're engaged to the Castros, and this is how you act? Know your place."

At the mention of the engagement, Winona shot Seraphina and Elia a look of pure disdain. "Without this engagement, you would've thrown me out ages ago. At least with it, I'm worth something to you."

As expected, Dennis slapped her across the cheek. Winona didn't flinch. The stinging rang in her ears, but it was nothing compared to the cold ache in her heart. To her, this wasn't a home—just a house she happened to live in.

"This slap is the only language we have left. I'm done." Winona retreated to her room, shutting everyone out.

In Winona's eyes, her mother was the only family she ever had. Her father was colder than a stranger. Over the years, she'd grown numb to the pain. She'd given up on love a long time ago, refusing to follow the same tragic path as her mother—a woman who once believed in love only to end up heartbroken.

Winona figured the whole Alpine Lodge mess would blow over. Little did she know, another storm was right around the corner.

Her father suddenly informed her that he'd bought her some clothes, ordering her to dress nicely for tonight.

"You're almost twenty-four. The Castros are having dinner with us tonight. Make sure you look presentable and don't embarrass me, got it?"

The fancy shopping bag on the bed felt like a joke. It was the first thing her father had bought her since her mom's accident—all to make her a more attractive marriage prospect.

Since Uncle Castro had been her mother's closest friend, Winona resolved not to cause any drama. But she had no idea what her father was really after.

She put on a classy Victorian-style dress, only to end up standing next to Elia, who was decked out in designer fashion. Her own elegant gown suddenly looked plain. Elia and her mother were all smiles, but Winona tuned them out completely.

The Castros had just arrived at the private dining room. Winona hung back, fading into Elia's shadow. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen Jaiden Castro—he'd matured from the gentle boy she once knew into a handsome young man, though his eyes now held an impatient edge.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Castro," Winona greeted politely. Jaiden's father returned the greeting warmly, but Mrs. Castro gave her a frosty once-over before taking her seat.

It hit Winona right then—they didn't like her one bit, but they were plenty cozy with Elia.

"Dennis, the kids are grown, and we've been friends forever. Let's cut to the chase. I've always been fond of Winona—such a sweet girl. Why don't we set a date and lock in the engagement, huh?"

Dennis was beaming, but Mrs. Castro cut in, her tone sharp. "A sweet kid doesn't mean she grew up sweet. Jaiden is an outstanding young man, and I believe young people should choose their own partners."

"Feelings grow. Winona's a delight—what's the problem?" Mr. Castro replied.

Mrs. Castro let out a dry laugh. "Well then, I've got something here. Let's see if Winona can explain this—so we all know who's actually suitable."

From her purse, she pulled out an envelope and scattered photos across the table. Winona was baffled, not understanding what they were up to.

"Oh my gosh! Are those photos of Winona leaving Alpine Lodge late at night?" Elia gasped, her shock obviously fake.

Mrs. Castro sneered, "Exactly! Engaged, and somebody spotted you leaving looking like that. Care to explain yourself? You're not even married yet—so what exactly were you doing in that hotel?"

Winona clenched her fists, knowing full well Elia had set this trap.

"I didn't do anything wrong. My conscience is clear."

"A clear conscience? These photos show you stumbling out of that lodge looking a mess. It's already causing talk and dragging our name through the mud. Mr. Castro, a girl like this has no business marrying into our family."

Mr. Castro's smile vanished as Mrs. Castro kept on. "She's already acting out before the wedding. Imagine what'll happen after. I won't allow this match."

Jaiden, finally speaking up, added, "Dad, she's already dragging our reputation through the dirt. And with her mother's instability? How am I supposed to hold my head high marrying someone like that?"

Mrs. Castro was dead set. "That kind of daughter-in-law? Unacceptable. The engagement is off. I'm doing you a favor by not making this public—count yourself lucky. That's final."

The room hung heavy with a tense, smothering silence. Dennis Williams felt the weight of those damning photos, his mind flashing back to Winona coming home looking all disheveled—now he knew it was from a hotel. If the Castro family weren't sitting right there, he would've ripped into her for behavior he found straight-up shameful.

Jaiden Castro's father, George Castro, studied the photos for what felt like an eternity before his eyes finally locked onto Winona. "Winona, is that really you in those pictures? I want the truth."

Winona met his gaze head-on. She'd already guessed exactly how this little gathering would play out. "Yes, it's me." She saw the disappointment flicker across his face, and a bitter smile tugged at her lips. Of course. No one here had any intention of hearing her side.

Not that it mattered. In their eyes, she was already branded. No self-respect, right?

"George, since Miss Williams has admitted it, there's really nothing left to discuss," Mrs. Castro cut in, shifting the spotlight with practiced ease. "I know you respect old ties, and our family always honors our word. Dennis, you do have another daughter. Elia would make such a perfect match."

The realization hit Winona like a bucket of ice water. Now she saw it—this whole thing was a mother-daughter setup, all triggered by her stupidly timed visit to the Royal Hotel. She didn't need to guess who leaked those photos.

Her heart turned to ice, but her father's eager voice sliced right through it: "If that's how it is, I have no objections. It all comes down to how the kids feel, after all."

Elia Williams blushed, her voice dripping honey. "I think we should get to know each other first, but I really do like Mrs. Castro. She's just wonderful."

"Isn't she just the sweetest? I knew from the start we clicked. She actually helped me dodge a scam once!" Mrs. Castro beamed, practically glowing.

Hearing they'd already met just sealed Winona's isolation. Her fists balled so tight her knuckles went white, but she kept a polite smile plastered on her face. Jaiden's gaze kept wandering to Elia, and Winona got the message loud and clear.

"Well, it seems everyone's pretty happy with how things are going. Aunt Castro, Dad, Elia, Mr. Castro—have you all made your decision?" Winona's voice came out steady, almost too calm.

Mrs. Castro sneered, "Isn't it obvious? We're not about to let Jaiden marry someone with a reputation like yours. Who knows what you've been up to, dragging our family name through the mud."

"Since you've all decided, I'll share my decision too." Winona's words cut through the tension like a blade.

"Your decision?" Jaiden asked, a flicker of curiosity breaking through his cool demeanor. Her face held that mix of defiance and pride, but it didn't move him. He preferred women like Elia—soft, sweet, agreeable.

Seraphina Cruz watched from the sidelines, smug as hell, thinking Winona's collected act was just for show.

"Oh yes. I, Winona Williams, am officially calling off the engagement my mother arranged with Mr. Castro. Consider it annulled, as of today."

The three women at the table let out harsh, mocking laughs.

"What choice do you even have?" Mrs. Castro scoffed, all warmth gone from her voice. "At least you're smart enough to realize you're nowhere near good enough for our Jaiden."

Her sharp words matched her angular features and those intense, hawk-like eyes.

Winona didn't even flinch. She went on, "The engagement's off, but let me make one thing crystal clear, George Castro: it's me, Winona Williams, who doesn't want your son, Jaiden Castro. Got it?"

Jaiden stared at her like she'd just told the world's dumbest joke. Him? Turned down? He was a Castro, for crying out loud. The idea was laughable.

Winona calmly poured herself a cup of coffee. "Mrs. Castro, your son is the one who's not worthy of marrying me."

She knocked back the whole cup in one go, leaving everyone stunned. The audacity.

Jaiden, a man who commanded respect wherever he went, had never been spoken to like that by any woman. To him, Winona was nobody. He was almost curious how she thought she was going to pull this off.

"Fine! Just don't come crawling back later, crying and regretting what you said today."

Winona shot him a defiant smile. "Don't hold your breath. That day's never coming. Goodbye."

She'd stopped hoping for love a long time ago. All she wanted was a marriage that wouldn't bury her deeper in misery.

The Castro family's outright contempt made it painfully clear: they wanted out of this engagement from the jump. Mrs. Castro already had her speech rehearsed. Winona saw no point in sticking around for more humiliation.

She sucked in a deep breath as she stepped out of the restaurant, the cold hitting her like a slap. With nowhere to go, her mind immediately went to her one real friend—Briana Fernandez.

The moment Briana got her call, she dropped everything and came running, pulling Winona into a hug without asking a single question.

"What's there to worry about? You've got me!" Briana had been by her side all through university. She knew every battle Winona had fought.

Words weren't needed between them—one look was enough.

Inside the buzzing pub, Winona downed drink after drink for the first time in her life, spilling the whole mess to Briana.

Briana waved it off like it was nothing. "So what if they're the Castro family? They're not exactly top dogs in New York City. Who does Jaiden think he is, anyway? With your looks, you could land someone ten times better. Tell Jaiden to hit the road!"

Clinking glasses, Winona managed a shaky smile, a new fire sparking inside her. "You're damn right! If I'm gonna marry, it's gonna be the most powerful man in New York City. They can all go to hell!"

In a rare moment of total abandon, Winona drank until she could barely stand.

"Sweetie, I'm just hitting the restroom real quick. Stay put, okay? Don't go wandering off."

Winona waved her off lazily. Too wasted to register anything, one thought hammered in her head—she was gonna marry the most powerful man.

Staggering, she grabbed onto someone's hand to steady herself.

Zayden Morales, hanging with his buddies at the bar, was just about to dip out early when some girl suddenly latched onto his hand. He was about to snap, but then he clocked that familiar face—tipsy as hell, but definitely familiar.

Her again.

Winona didn't recognize him. Her unfocused eyes roamed over his face, then she broke into a loopy grin. "You're not Briana! But... have we met somewhere before?"

Zayden frowned. First a hotel, now a bar, totally wasted—this woman's life was a whole soap opera.

Seeing him stay silent, she giggled and leaned in conspiratorially. "No, I don't know you. But you're hot, so I'm gonna let you in on a secret."

She threw her arms out wide and announced, "I, Winona Williams, swear today to marry the most powerful man in all of New York City. You hear me? The most powerful man!"

Zayden couldn't stop the smirk curling his lips. Was she... drunk and ranting? Or was she talking about him as the most powerful man?

Was this some kind of act?

Before he could get a word out, Briana rushed over and tugged Winona away. Good-looking as he was, Zayden's whole intense aura set Briana on edge.

She shot him a quick apology. "Sorry about that, handsome! My friend's just really upset and went overboard. Please just ignore her." With that, Briana steered Winona out the door fast.

As Zayden watched them go, he could still hear Winona slurring, "Briana! I'll marry... I'll marry the most powerful man..."