Chapter 1The Billionaire's Cruel Game

For three months, I’d been scouring the city like a woman possessed. Three months since Caleb, my supposedly broke, post-grad boyfriend, had vanished into the night air.

I’d even taken a job as a courier, a delivery driver on a beat-up scooter, just for the excuse to crisscross every neighborhood, to peer down every alley, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

That’s how I ended up at The Sterling Gallery, delivering a rush document.

And that’s how I saw him. Dressed in a suit so exquisitely tailored it probably cost more than my college tuition, looking utterly serene as he raised a paddle to bid on a piece of antique jewelry.

Thirty-two million dollars.

A stunning woman beside him, all shimmering hair and a killer smile, laughed lightly. "Still the last of the big spenders, Caleb."

He gave her cheek a familiar, affectionate pinch.

Someone nearby chimed in. "And he's got a soft heart, too. Finally cut ties with that little charity case he was slumming it with."

Then, his gaze shifted. And it landed squarely on me.

Everything descended into chaos.

* * *

"Twenty million."

"Twenty-three."

The bids volleyed back and forth, the auction hall electric with tension.

I stood at the entrance, the whole scene laid out before me. A man in a sharp suit hurried over, a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"Thank God, you made it."

I handed him the document folder with a practiced smile, my blue courier jacket feeling a size too small under the weight of the chandeliers. "You call me, it gets there. Fast and on time." This was an express job; I was hoping for a good review.

The man gave me a quick once-over. "Alright, come in, grab a bottle of water. Just… stay out of the way. And for God's sake, don't disturb the guests."

He led me down a corridor flanking the main hall. Ahead, an open, unglazed archway—some kind of European affectation—offered a perfect, hidden vantage point. I glanced through.

Just in time to see a hand lift a bidding paddle.

On the wrist, a simple red cord bracelet.

The contrast against the crisp, white cuff was stark under the spotlights.

My breath hitched. I instinctively ducked back behind the wall, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"Hey," I said, forcing a smile, trying to look like some wide-eyed kid who’d never seen real money before. "What's the main event in there?"

The man arched an eyebrow. "A playground for the rich."

Just then, the sharp crack of a gavel echoed through the hall.

"Sold! For thirty-two million dollars. Congratulations to Mr. Hayes."

The suited man let out a low whistle. "That Caleb Hayes… looks young, but he’s the real deal. Dropping thirty mil on some old royal necklace like it’s nothing."

I barely heard him. A single thought consumed me, squeezing my heart tight.

Mr. Hayes?

But… he was broke. Wasn't he?