Chapter 1

Pain.

That was the first thing Evelyn Vanderbilt registered as consciousness slowly returned. A sharp, throbbing ache pulsed through her skull, radiating down her spine. Her entire body felt heavy, bruised—as if she'd been tossed into a storm and battered by its fury.

She groaned, struggling to open her eyes.

Darkness.

Then—warmth. A solid weight pressed against her, the scent of expensive cologne—something woody and rich—filling the air. A man’s breath ghosted over her bare shoulder, his lips tracing the curve of her neck.

Her stomach twisted.

Dawn light seeped through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the rumpled sheets. Evelyn jolted upright, heart hammering.

She was naked.

And so was the stranger beside her, his back turned, his breathing deep and even.

Memories crashed into her—fragmented, hazy.

Her birthday.

Vivian’s smug smile.

A glass of sangria, handed to her with false sweetness.

Then—nothing.

Until now.

Her fingers dug into the sheets. She had been drugged.

Evelyn swallowed hard, forcing herself to move. She dressed quickly, hands trembling, refusing to look back at the bed. She needed to get home. Needed answers.

The Vanderbilt mansion loomed before her, its grandeur mocking her disheveled state.

Inside, her father, Richard Vanderbilt, sat rigid on the sofa, his expression thunderous.

"Where were you last night?" His voice was dangerously calm.

Evelyn’s throat tightened. "I—I stayed at a friend’s."

Slam.

A photograph hit the coffee table.

Evelyn’s blood turned to ice.

There she was—unconscious, being half-carried into a hotel room by a man she didn’t recognize.

Vivian descended the stairs, heels clicking, her face the picture of concern. "Dad, don’t be too hard on her." She turned to Evelyn, lips curving in a saccharine smile. "Zoe, really, couldn’t you at least be discreet? Even if you’re in love, you should know better than to—"

Evelyn’s nails bit into her palms. "I was unconscious. Vivian drugged me."

Richard shot to his feet. "Enough! Your sister would never do such a thing!"

Sister.

The word was a knife.

Her mother had barely been gone a year before Richard remarried—to Laura Scott. And Vivian, his precious secret daughter, had slithered into their lives like a viper.

Now, she’d struck.

"I was going to give you Viana Jewelry," Richard snarled. "But you’ve disgraced this family. Get out."

Evelyn’s breath hitched. "You’re… kicking me out?"

A porcelain mug shattered at her feet. "Now!"

Vivian followed her outside, her mask slipping. "I did spike your drink," she purred. "How does it feel? Knowing some stranger had you while you were helpless?"

Evelyn’s voice was steel. "You and Laura got everything. What more do you want?"

"Your place." Vivian’s eyes gleamed. "Why should you be the Vanderbilt heiress while I’m the bastard?" She waved her phone. "Leave, or this video goes public. Ruin your life forever."

Evelyn turned away, jaw clenched.

Just as she reached her car, a Rolls-Royce pulled up.

A man stepped out—tall, commanding, his presence like a storm.

Nathan Goldmann.

CEO of Blackgold Group. The most powerful man in Bassburgh.

His gaze locked onto Vivian. "Are you Vivian Vanderbilt?"

Vivian’s breath caught. "Y-yes."

"Were you the woman in Empyrean Hotel, Room 6228?"

Evelyn froze.

That was her room.

Vivian’s lips curved. "Yes. That was me."

Nathan’s expression darkened.

And Evelyn realized—

Vivian had just made the biggest mistake of her life.