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?

The morning after another sleepless night, I surprisingly felt lighter than I had in days. Walking into the office, Stella practically bounced toward me with arms wide open.


"There's my girl! I've been counting down the minutes until our coffee date. Look what I snagged from that little French bakery on Fifth Street." She held up a paper bag. "Fresh chocolate chip muffins, still warm."


"You know exactly how to make my day better," I said, managing my first genuine smile in what felt like forever. "Let me just dump my stuff."


I slipped into my office, stashed my purse in the drawer, and powered up my computer. Before I could even settle in, Damian appeared in my doorway, reaching for my hand with theatrical flair.


"How is the most stunning assistant this city has ever seen?"


"Much better, Damian. Really. And I owe you an apology for commandeering your couch yesterday like some kind of office vagrant." The corners of my mouth lifted slightly.


Chapter 118 - Chapter 118 - Friends Support and Lunch Invit