Three days later

The Cross Empire office buzzed with its usual chaotic energy, but inside the executive suite, the air had turned stagnant. Damian sat behind his mahogany desk, reviewing quarterly projections, yet the numbers blurred before his eyes. His focus was entirely on the notification that had just lit up his private phone.

BREAKING NEWS: The Billion-Dollar Charade.

Sources confirm the Cross-Carter marriage is a sham orchestrated to save the failing Carter Group. Leaked documents reveal a $5000 million debt payoff and a strict five-year expiration date.

His jaw tightened until it ached. He stared at the screen, the words blinking back at him like daggers.

“Who the hell—?”...