She was Joy Fitzgerald: the sheltered only daughter, heir to a legacy—and engaged to the city’s golden son. Then one night in a dark alley, two drunk men tried to ruin her life. He stepped out of the shadows and smashed their world. That stranger—Adrian Hartmann—was a cold, dangerous developer with a reputation for taking what he wanted. He also had a habit of turning scandal into leverage. When Joy’s fiancé Marco Becker’s infidelities explode across the tabloids, Joy’s family teeters and her reputation is shredded. Instead of hiding, Joy makes a shock decision: she’ll marry Adrian to seal the scandal, reclaim her family’s footing, and take back control—on her terms. This is a story about a pragmatic marriage that starts as a contract and becomes a battlefield of power, jealousy, and unexpected tenderness. Joy will learn to fight, Adrian will learn to soften, and the man who betrayed her will regret underestimating her. Who will win when marriage becomes the ultimate play for respect, influence, and the right to be happy?

22 Chapters