Elena Carter stood in front of the mirror, staring at the woman in the wedding dress.

The dress was beautiful—white lace, long sleeves, fitted perfectly to her body. It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.

Instead, her mother was whispering in a panicked voice behind her.

"Nathan is gone."

Elena turned slowly. "What?"

Margaret Carter, always composed, looked shaken. "He left. His things are gone. His phone is off. He—" She stopped, pressing a hand to her chest. "He’s not coming, Elena."

Elena felt the words hit her like a slap.

Nathan, the man she had agreed to marry, the man she had planned a future with, had run away.

The guests were arriving. The ceremony was set. The Carter family had spent months planning this wedding.

And now?

Now, there was no groom.

Elena sank into the chair.

"This can’t be happening."

Her mother started pacing. "We can’t cancel now. The guests, the press, the investors—" She pressed a hand to her forehead. "It will ruin us."

That was Margaret Carter’s biggest fear: ruin.

The Carters weren’t just a wealthy family—they were a powerful one. This wedding was supposed to merge two families, two businesses, two futures.

Nathan Carter’s disappearance would turn them into a joke.

"We have to fix this," Margaret whispered.

Elena looked up. "How? Nathan is gone."

Margaret didn’t answer right away.

Then, slowly, she turned toward the door.

"There is one man who can fix this."

Elena followed her mother out of the dressing room, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

In the main hall, Damien Vance stood waiting.

Tall. Dark suit. Cold expression. The last person Elena wanted to see on her wedding day.

Damien wasn’t a Carter. He wasn’t family. He wasn’t even a close friend.

He was Nathan’s business associate. A man known for being ruthless, unreadable, and dangerously powerful.

Elena’s stomach twisted. "Why is he here?"

Margaret took a slow breath. "Because we need him."

Elena’s heart pounded. "For what?"

Her mother turned to Damien.

"Mr. Vance," she said carefully. "We need a groom."

Elena froze.

Damien’s expression didn’t change. He simply tilted his head, studying her.

Then, in a voice low and unreadable, he said:

"And what do I get in return?"