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 waiting room of Haven Harbor Women's Clinic felt like a prison cell. Stark white walls, uncomfortable chairs, and the sickeningly sweet scent of artificial flowers created the perfect setting for what felt like my execution.


Isabella sat beside me, practically glowing with excitement. Her mother, Vivian Clairemont, occupied the chair on her other side, shooting me triumphant glances when she thought I wasn't looking.


"Isn't this exciting?" Isabella whispered, attempting to take my hand.


I pulled away, checking my watch for the fifth time in ten minutes. "Let's just get this over with."


Isabella's smile faltered. "Liam, this is our baby's first ultrasound."


The words "our baby" made my stomach turn. I didn't respond, focusing instead on the medical chart hanging on the wall across from us. Anything to avoid looking at her.


"Isabella Clairemont?" A nurse called from the doorway.


Chapter 130 - A Soulless Heartbeat