Prologue

Cassandra Willis, for once in her life, woke up with a smile on her face. Who knew sex could be so great? Much less losing her virginity. She'd dreaded the event so much that, now that it's over, she wondered why it had ever made her so anxious. Maybe it was her general inexperience. Or maybe it had more of do with knowing who her partner would be. Regardless, she easy glad she had given in to the man beside her—

Wait. He's gone. She pushed herself up, pulling the sheet to her chest— still uncomfortable with exposing herself despite the many carnal acts she'd indulged in last night— looking, in disbelief, at the empty spot beside her. He's gone. Her mind couldn't process it. Why? Did he not like her? Was it too soon? She'd just met him that night. But he was the most wonderful man she'd ever met. Refusing to go down that unhealthy spiral again, she forced herself to think positively.

Then the door burst open, making her jump and hold the sheet even tighter to her chest. And she paled when she saw who it was. It couldn't be. How did they know where to find her? She wasn't in her room. But from their eyes, she saw that they weren't surprised to find her there.

'You little whore,'her fiancée, Bryan Adams, roared as he slapped her. She cried in pain, moving to soothe the bruise. But he wouldn't allow that. He grabbed her hair and lifted her face up to him.

'She's exactly where he said she'll be,'her father, Garrett, said in disgust. He? Who was the he? It couldn't be him. But even as her heart rejected the implication, her mind had accepted it.What surprised her was the betrayal washing over her. Why was she so surprised? All her life it'd been one betrayal after the other. Her father, mother, sisters. So why wouldn't an utter stranger betray her?

'I want him dead,'Bryan growled, casually tossing her away. She bounced slightly, her scalp still screaming in pain. But it was all drowned out by the roaring wound in her heart. Once again, she had entrusted her faith in the wrong person. Someone she thought she could trust. Someone she was coming to think did not exist.

'He's most probably gone,'Garett speculated, barely batting an eye at her treatment. Which was no different to any normal day. 'Do you still want this worthless bag of bones?'

Both of them turned their eyes on her, scouring every nook and cranny of what she considered her body but what they considered a commodity. She felt like an experiment being studied by a scientist. There was no emotion in their eyes. Well, not in Garett's. Bryan's depicted another story.

He was practically salivating, despite being old enough to be here father. His eyes gliding over her pale, narrow shoulders, the delicate arms, the upper swell of her breasts exposed over the sheet. He was like a hungry dog eyeing a bone. And he looked ready to pounce.

'I'll take you up on your offer. But the amount will have to be lower. Since I'm only getting spoiled goods,'Bryan finally said, filling in the anxious silence.

Cassie, who'd been lying lifelessly, her emotions dead, suddenly felt a flurry of panic in her chest. No. Surely he wouldn't still want her. Why did he want her in the first place? Why not Veronica? She's much prettier and voluptuous than her. She'd be a better match to his refined, patrician, blond good looks.

'We'll have to agree on a new price then,'Garett said through gritted teeth. He needed the influx of cash to save the company, Willis Shipping. And Bryan was the only one willing to offer it. With the condition that Cassie be his wife. The amount offered was barely able to get the company out of debt. Any smaller amount would still jeorpadise Willis Shipping. 'Let's move to my office.'

'Wait. Before we go, I have to make sure that bastard's seed hasn't taken root,'Bryan said darkly, advancing to the bed. Cassie's eyes widened and she inched away from him.

'I'll get a morning—after pill—'

'What better way to push it all out,'he continued lasciviously, ignoring Garett. Realising he was unbuckling his belt, Garett hurriedly left. Leaving his eldest daughter to the tender ministrations of a monster.

*****

6 years later...

Daniel Hunter hid the triumph behind an impassive facade as his rival read through the papers. The satisfaction he felt at his nemesis's barely concealed anger far exceeded any orgasm he'd ever achieved.

Except for that one night—