Chapter 1 - The Last Five MinutesThe Plaza Hotel glittered beneath a cold Manhattan night, its marble floors reflecting chandeliers that cost more than most families earned in a lifetime.
Three hundred guests had gathered to witness what New York society called the wedding of the decade.
Alivia Vance stood alone inside a private bridal room, staring at herself in the mirror.
The woman reflected there looked flawless.
The ivory gown. The diamond earrings. The carefully pinned dark hair.
But beneath the silk, Alivia was trembling.
Not from fear of marriage.
From fear of the man waiting downstairs.
Preston Sterling was handsome, wealthy, educated, and adored by the financial press. He was heir to Sterling Enterprises, a multinational empire valued in the billions.
He was also dangerous.
For months, Alivia had watched small pieces of his mask fall away.
The unexplained transfers.
The secret meetings.
The missing money.
And, most recently, the way his voice changed whenever she questioned him.
Tonight, she had finally confronted him.
And Preston had shown her exactly who he was.
The door opened.
Preston stepped inside.
His smile was gone.
“You're embarrassing me,” he said.
Alivia slowly turned.
“I asked you where the four hundred million dollars went.”
His jaw tightened.
“You think you can interrogate me on my wedding day?”
“I think I deserve the truth.”
Preston stepped closer.
His voice became dangerously quiet.
“You're going to marry me, Alivia.”
She looked into his eyes.
“No matter what?”
His smile returned.
“No matter what.”
And somewhere beneath the music, the champagne, and the laughter downstairs, Alivia realized something terrifying.
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She wasn't walking toward a marriage.
She was walking into a war.
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