FORTUNE SECRETS WITH THE BILLIONAIRE

was not what

in a messy bun, wearing jeans and a blazer, no makeup except a swipe of lipstick. Her handshake was

er into Damien's office. "I know this must be difficult, wit

aught Damien's warning glance. She was supposed to be contr

appreciate honesty. I'm not here to write a hit piece, M

I'm Ivy Sutton. I changed my name five years ago after my fat

order, setting it on the

manda across from them in an armchair. Damien's thigh pressed against Ivy's, a solid warmt

ers ambushed you yesterday at the hospital, claiming you're a gol

enty-one, I believed I was in love with him. When my father's crimes became public, Reese's family held a press conference denouncing me. Reese stood beside his mother and said being with me was the biggest mi

est men in New York," Amanda said neutrally.

too. But the truth is simpler and less dramatic than people want to believe. I met Damien while working at a charit

to Damien. "You could have anyone. Why

thing she's not. In my world, everyone has an agenda, everyone's performing. But Ivy is real. She's been through hell and came out stronger

ies. But Damien delivered them with such

udying them both. "The pregnancy.

amien sa

herwise. That Ivy was pregnant

y gossip with a response beyond this: Ivy is carrying my child. We're thril

ine Sutton-now Catherine Monroe. She's at Mount Sinai receiving treatment

Damien insisted on getting her the best care available. My mother was dying, and I cou

of the people who matter to the person you love

requirement that you be married with a child by your thirty-fifth birthday or lose control of your company-that's

ight of responsibility, not just to shareholders but to the people depending on us-employees, their families, the communities we operate in. Did her will accelerate my timeline for ma

vy's chest ached with

ple who think you're using M

the contract sitting in a safe somewhere, legally binding her to this performance. She thought about how none of this was real,

oney can't buy what we have. It can't buy the way he makes me feel safe for the first time in five years. It can't buy the way he looked at Reese yesterday when he was trying to destroy me,

t some of them were true. She did feel safer with Damien, despite everything. He had go

glanced at him, something complicated flicke

eir different backgrounds. Damien answered with smooth competence, painting a picture of a couple bui

, exhausted from maintaining the performance. She sagged

pour himself a scotch from the bar cart.

Ivy said quietly. "

his back to her

nly needing to move. "I don't understand you, Damien. You claim this is

. "Don't confuse protection of my in

at you have no feelings about any of this? That threatening Reese, funding my mother's

e was flat. "That's

t belie

time ago that feelings are liabilities. Serena taught me that lesson thoroughl

nerabilities," Iv

y terms. A clean transaction, no emotional entanglements. If you're develo

h embarrassment and anger. "You're right. My mistake. I

, but Damien's voic

ceiling windows, the city lights making him look like a dar

. The protection, the defense of you-that's not entirely strategic. But that doesn'

not trusting he

ding blurred together i

r a wedding reception that would host two hundred of Manhattan's elite. Guest list reviews where Ivy recogni

his board of directors where Ivy smiled and said little, the site visit to the Plaza where their "intimate ceremony" wo

ut how people shouldn't be defined by their worst moments or their family's sins, about the complicated reality of love crossing class boundaries. The comments section was st

ment favorably. The hospital photos of you with your mother helped-People magazine's headline was 'Devoted Daughter, Devote

visiting her mother. She frowned.

ng with Dr. Chen, your mother's oncologist, reviewing treatme

n Ivy's chest. She shoved it down ruth

our mother's health directly affects your emotional state, which affects

sonally," Ivy pressed. "That's not deleg

diligence," Damien replied, n

k by the windows to handle the endless emails and social media messages flooding her accounts

at you remind her of my father before he became corrupted

ked up, something sharp in his expr

o genuinely wanted to help people. The corruption came later, slowly. My mother sa

ou telling

u're harder, colder. But you're honest about what you are. My fathe

a long moment. Then: "

I'm just saying you're consistently te

een amusement flickered acr

hat, the city glittering below them, the dis

e wedding, Carter

g when Margot's phone buzzed. The assistant's f

ayers of silk and lace. It was a stunning gown-simple, elegant, with a high neck and long sl

enthouse," Margot said. "He's

e man who'd ghosted her after one night and whose mother had fired

m unavailabl

he won't leave until he speaks with yo

d her eyes, forcing herself

one. He's

ss,there'd been no time to change. Margot had thrown a coat over it, but there w

lushed with anger. Damien faced him, utterly still, radiating

old digger who's trying to trap my uncle into marriag

. Beside her, she f

idn't change. "Get ou

n Ivy, and Damien moved faster than thought, interc

your hand," Damien said softly, and the

up. She was all over me, saying she loved me, that we could be together. Then suddenl

it shook. "I'm not lying to

yes widene

th a shove. "I know the timing of the pregnancy. I don't care. Ivy is marry

een them wildly. "You're actually o

irrelevant. Ivy is my fiancée. This is my family. You're nothing bu

e so desperate to keep the company that you'll marry some lying hous

Carter's throat, shoving him against the wall. "My grandmother wanted me to understand family and loy

is face reddening.

er speak to her again, if you ever approach her, if you ever tell anyone about your supposed paternity, I will destroy you. Not your trust fund-you specifically. I'll ru

Damien turned to security. "Escort Mr. Carter Blackwood out.

straightened, his eyes full of i

d him with a glance. "Goodbye, Ca

sed. Silence fell over the penthouse. Ivy stood frozen, still wrapped

ning, and he'd still defended her. Still claimed the bab

she asked quietly. "About

ployment history, which included working at events Carter attended. I knew about your night with him,security footage from the Morrison hou

u didn'

peration makes people do things they normally wouldn't. And honestly?" He took a drink.

ddenly weak. "You've been protectin

es

hy

rotection, Ivy. Because you'd been abandoned by everyone who should have stood by you. Because..." He stopped, jaw tightening. "Because I know

h meaning. Ivy stood, walking toward h

his than what it is. I'm fulfilling my end of our

throat, dropped to where the coat had fallen open to reveal the wedding dress underne

dress," Damien said, his

lace clung to her body, the high neck and long sleeves someho

down his glass, moving clos

" Ivy whispered

nough that she could feel his body heat, s

ngerous. This was crossing lines they'd agreed not to cross. But

mie

k immediately, the mask slamming back into place. "I ne

eaving Ivy standing alone in her wedding dress, her heart raci

would have happened. This is a transaction

idn't believe it. And nei