Chapter 1

After finishing the project meeting with our clients, I went to the hotel to meet my fiancé, Asher. But I ended up at the wrong room.

I called him, my heart pounding. He just laughed it off on the other end.

"Fiona got the room number mixed up. Just go back to your own room."

Fiona again. Asher's stepsister, who was only two years younger than him.

I fell silent for a long time. Then, I turned around and looked at the handsome man lying on the bed, our business partner, Julian Sinclair.

"I have an engagement party in two months, but I want to change the groom. Interested?"

Julian smirked, his arm wrapping around my waist, pulling me close. "Let me see how sincere you are tonight first."

Later, my childhood sweetheart practically lost his mind, banging on my door.

"Didn't I tell you to get out of his room that night? You stayed?"

"Yes. I stayed."

When I realized I had walked into the wrong room, Julian Sinclair was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.

A lazy, dangerous look flickered across his sharp face. "Are you trying to seduce me for a better discount, Miss Vance?"

"No. Absolutely not." Flustered, I rushed to the door to leave. With a racing heart, I immediately called Asher.

"Asher, why did I just walk into Julian Sinclair's room? Which room is yours?"

Before he could speak, his stepsister, Fiona, piped up in the background.

"Oh, Chloe! I'm so sorry, I totally mixed up the room numbers."

Asher added casually, "Alright, Fiona didn't do it on purpose. Just get out of his room and go back."

A sharp pain pierced my chest. It was the middle of the night, and he was so indifferent to me being in another man's room.

Sensing my silence, he tried to coax me.

"I'll take you shopping tomorrow to make it up to you. Don't make a scene, it's late. Fiona needs to sleep."

"I think she did it on purpose!" I snapped.

His voice went cold.

"Enough, Chloe. Fiona is my sister. I never realized you were so petty and unreasonable."

I hung up without another word. Then, I turned back and knocked on Julian's door again.

The door slid open. Julian looked at me with amusement. He was still half-naked, and the towel around his waist had loosened even more.

Fueled by anger and betrayal, I grabbed his hand.

"Mr. Sinclair, can I stay in your room tonight?"

He raised an eyebrow, leaning in close. His nose brushed against my cheek, inhaling my scent.

It was too close. I instinctively tried to shrink back, but his arm wrapped lazily around my waist, pulling me tight against his chest.

"I heard you're getting engaged in two months."

At the mention of the engagement, my expression darkened.

Yes.

Asher and I were supposed to get engaged in two months. Yet, he had no problem letting his fiancée stay in another man's room in the dead of night.

Our twenty years of history felt like a absolute joke.

Taking a deep breath, I looked straight into Julian's deep eyes.

"At the engagement party in two months, I want a different groom. Are you interested, Mr. Sinclair?"

He let out a low chuckle, his hand reaching up to cradle the back of my neck.

"Chloe, are you sure about this?"

His long fingers gently stroked my skin, sending a wave of heat down my spine.

I gritted my teeth.

"Yes. I'm sure."

The next day, after I returned from the hotel, Fiona showed up at my place.

She blinked her innocent, doe-like eyes, twirling around to show off her new dress.

"Chloe, Asher said you have the best taste in fashion. Do you think this dress looks good on me?"