Three years ago, Hazel Vance made a choice that changed everything. One night of passion with a mysterious stranger at a masquerade ball left her with more than just memories—it left her with a son whose rare violet-blue eyes are a constant reminder of the father she'll never find.

Now a struggling single mother, Hazel desperately needs the executive assistant position at Sterling Group. The salary could finally give her two-year-old Leo the life he deserves. But her new boss, CEO Liam Sterling, is nothing like she expected.

Demanding, brilliant, and devastatingly handsome, Liam has a reputation for being impossible to work for. Most assistants don't last a week. When Hazel refuses to be intimidated by his cold demeanor and sharp tongue, something shifts between them. The attraction is immediate and electric, crackling through every professional interaction.

But it's his eyes that stop her cold. The same striking violet-blue shade that stares back at her every morning when she looks at her son.

As the tension between them builds and the lines between professional and personal begin to blur, Hazel finds herself caught between her desperate need for this job and her growing attraction to the one man who could destroy everything she's worked for.

She doesn't know that Liam has been searching for the mysterious woman from the masquerade ball ever since that night changed him forever. And he has no idea that the composed, fiery assistant who challenges him at every turn is the same woman who haunts his dreams.

When the truth finally comes to light, will it bring them together or tear apart the fragile new life Hazel has built for herself and her son?

On my drive to the office, yesterday's lunch with that bastard Liam consumed my thoughts. Every arrogant word from his mouth only deepened my loathing for that privileged fool. The condescending way he spoke to me made my blood boil, but I had to swallow my pride. I needed him for my daughter, needed him to put a ring on her finger and give her children with his precious surname. The Sterling name was my golden ticket, guaranteeing that his entire fortune would eventually flow to my daughter and grandson, and ultimately into my hands.


The most infuriating part was his audacity to push back the wedding by three months. Every delayed day meant my plans remained in limbo, but my darling Isabella had to throw her tantrum about some ridiculous party. Still, perhaps a grand, newspaper-worthy wedding would serve my purposes better. The whole city would witness my daughter becoming the legitimate Mrs. Sterling, mother to the next heir.


Chapter 123 - Chapter 123 - Manipulation and Mounting Frust