Scarlett was right. Gabe Patterson couldn't sleep that night. Gabe returned to his suite to find the random blonde he had met that night at the club and fucked several times on his bed. The whore as he liked to call them was still sleeping naked on his bed. But Gabe couldn't help but wish it was someone else. The woman he'd just met at the pool. She was definitely any man's wet dream with the body of a pornstar.

He'd never seen anyone as beautiful as her. That woman was a goddess. His goddess.

Gabe couldn't get the mysterious woman out of his mind, and he couldn't stop thinking about how he could meet her again. She definitely didn't seem like any random woman. She had to be someone important. He hadn't seen any woman carry herself with so much grace and class. No woman had ever spoken to him that way. He was always a lady's man. With one charming smile from him and a little bit of attention, the women always fell to his feet. At least Emily Saunders did. And even that worthless human, Diana Tate did.

Gabe rolled his eyes, stepping out onto his balcony. He hated thinking of his ex-wife Diana. Not because he had loved her or missed her, but because he just didn't want to remember someone so insignificant. She was nothing but a means to an end for him and the Saunders. Because of her he had everything he wanted and was so happy when the news had confirmed Diana's death in the prison. She died like the dog she was, and he was glad.

His phone rang out loud, bringing him out of his thoughts. He let out a curse as he saw it was his fiancee Emily. She'd left him with almost thirty missed calls in the last three hours. Emily Saunders didn't fucking own him, but times like this felt she did. And he didn't like that. And that was one of the reasons he still wasn't ready to expose their secret love affair, because then, Emily would want them to get engaged.

Gabe had known Emily since they were old enough in high school to fuck and date. They were partners in mostly everything seeing the kind of things they'd done together, but that didn't mean she was the kind of woman he wanted to marry. She had no brains, no class, no beauty. Unlike her. His goddess.

No woman had ever infiltrated his mind in a matter of minutes as his goddess had. She was perfect for him and he could only imagine how good she'd taste in bed. He had to find her, and soon.

In the meantime, he sent a text to Richard, his PA at the company, reminding him to prepare everything needed for tomorrow's exhibition. A new museum was opening up in town tomorrow night by the famous artist, S. Johnson. And what was surprising was Tate Group wasn't invited when many influential companies and figures from the business and political world were invited, including the almighty Mr Blackford of the Ford empire, and that would be the perfect opportunity to speak to him regarding the Bardin project.

For three years now, even before Gabe became president, he had always sent proposals on behalf of the company to the Ford empire, but it was rejected every time, and the same happened a few months ago.

Mr Blackford wasn't the kind of person one had the opportunity to see often, almost everyone was surprised the man who owned New York confirmed his attendance at the Glam party. He'd always missed it in the past, but this time was different and Gabe couldn't help but see it as the universe trying to help him. Hopefully, he'd be able to see Killian Blackford and then have a few minutes to speak to him about the Bardin project proposal, and finally, he'd see a reason why Tate Group and Ford Empire should partner together.

Gabe could feel it; tomorrow's night exhibition was going to be one he'd never forget. If only he knew, that couldn't be far from the truth.

*****

It was now morning in the Ford's mansion and as usual, Scarlett and little Ava were in the kitchen preparing breakfast. This was something they loved doing together, and Scarlett loved it more because it always made the little one happy.

Everyone could see the change in six-year-old Ava over the past year. The first time Scarlett met Ava as Killian's fiancee, the little angel barely spoke to anyone. The only person she'd occasionally trade words with was Killian, but it was at a minimum. Ava rarely smiled or loved having anyone around. She was like a lost puppy who was always stuck in her own world and was haunted by nightmares from the night she witnessed her parents die.

Scarlett understood the child's pain and made it her mission to always make her happy. Ava was a lovable child, and soon she became so fond of Scarlett and Scarlett loved Ava as though she was her real mother.

Sometimes she wondered how Ava would take it when she and Killian put an end to their fake relationship after their revenge was complete. Regardless, she made a promise to always be by her side.

“How are my angels doing?” The deep timbre of Killian's voice traveled into the large kitchen, and he scooped Ava into his arms the second the little one ran to him.

“We're just preparing breakfast,” Ava said, and Killian's gaze finally traveled to Scarlett. The woman who had snuck her way into his life and into the life of the little girl the world now recognized as his daughter.

Killian didn't know how Scarlett managed to do it, but the second she stepped into the Ford’s mansion everything changed. No, it had changed before that, and he knew it.

The moment he saw her cuffed and confined in that prison cell, everything had changed. The almighty Killian Blackford's heart, which hadn't moved in forever, did for the first time at the sight of a woman he didn't know or hadn't met before.

That night when Killian received a call from the prison warden that Scarlett hadn't returned to her cell and couldn't be found, he couldn't even describe how he felt… all for a woman he barely knew. He didn't even think twice when he rushed back to the prison, risking his life and searching for her even when the prison had caught fire.

At that time, he convinced himself he was doing that for her because she was the only one who could bring the Saunders to their knees along with him.

But all that thought vanished from his mind the several months he watched her fight for her life in a coma. Suddenly, the urge and desire to protect her, to help her, grew strongly within him. Maybe that was when he finally recognized what he felt for her. Something he definitely shouldn't.

Killian couldn't deny it; he wasn't blind; Scarlett was a beauty then as Diana and even more now as Scarlett. And she has helped Ava so much already. His little angel, who barely smiled now, laughed at all times, and this was because of Scarlett. Killian didn't want to imagine what would happen to Ava when their revenge was complete, and he had to unwillingly let go of Scarlett. After all, this was just a fake relationship.

“Last night went well,” Killian said after breakfast as he and Scarlett walked out to the balcony of his office in the Ford's mansion.

“Better than expected,” She smiled, sipping from her cup of coffee. “Gabe hasn't changed. He’s still, well, the same. It makes me so happy Emily will get to experience exactly what I did, seeing the man she loves fall for someone else who isn't her,”

Killian leaned slightly on the railings, studying her. “Seeing your husband last night must have felt different. Do you still love him?”

Scarlett remained silent for a second. “Ex-husband,” She corrected. “And yes, it felt different being close to him than it did in the photos and footage, but the only thing I felt for that man was hatred for everything he's done. I'll break him, Killian,” She met Killian's blue eyes. “I'll make him know what it feels like to love someone you shouldn't,”

Killian looked away from her, mainly because her words pierced him in a way he didn't like. She may not know it yet, but he knew exactly what it felt like to love someone he shouldn't.

“Killian,” He felt Scarlett's touch on his arm, as her soft call made him look into those green eyes again. “Are you okay?” Her hand was still on his arm igniting a spark he wished she could also feel. He wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss her but he also knew that would be a terrible idea.

“I'm good,” He lied beautifully. “You need to get ready for tonight. Everyone will be there,”

“Except Antonia,” Scarlett sighed, leaning against the railing.

“Unfortunately, but tonight will be the first time everyone will be meeting the beautiful woman I'm engaged to. The whole world will be talking about you,”

Scarlett knew he was right. Only a few people knew her as Killian's fiancee, but tonight, the world will be finding out.

“Don't worry, everything will go as planned,” A smile tugged her lips, and she took another sip of her coffee. She couldn't wait.

*****

Gabe Patterson was a little bit nervous; he wasn't sure why exactly, but he was. And the woman next to him didn't make the night any better. Emily was suffocating. He hadn't realized how he didn't notice this before. Tate Group wasn't invited to the exhibition but somehow, they had found a way to get in.

Stylishly, Gabe detached her hand around his arm, walking around to greet a few familiar faces and also to make new connections. The exhibition would probably be the most talked about tonight, and tonight, the hall was full of so many wealthy guests. But he wished he could talk to the most important, Mr Killian Blackford.

The man who was at the top of the hierarchy for the rich and powerful had arrived but before the press could even get a handful of his photos, he excused himself into the VIP lounge. Gabe couldn't just walk in there and demand he needed a few minutes with Mr Blackford in hopes he could talk him into approving the next proposal for the Bardin project he'd been working on for years.

So instead, Gabe mingled with those of his class, and soon the party finally started as the hall grew more with guests.

It was almost an hour into the party and Mr Blackford still hadn't left the VIP lounge. All of a sudden, a loud ruckus was heard just outside the hall. It looked like another guest had arrived, one who was definitely gaining so much attention.

The guests in the hall had started to wonder who the new guest was when the large double doors swung open and a beautiful woman in a red dress walked in, standing at the top entrance of the stairs.

The hall that had more than a hundred guests suddenly became as quiet as a graveyard; only the sound of music filled the hall, and everyone's gaze was on the beautiful woman.

Scarlett looked beautiful. Too beautiful in her red dress and diamond accessories as stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at the large multitude that stared up at her. Even in the crowd, she could spot her cheater asshole of a husband and her scheming step-sister, but she couldn't see Killian even though he'd arrived hours earlier. They could have easily gone together, but she wanted to make quite an entrance, giving the press enough headlines for tomorrow and, at the same time, ensuring it was a night neither Gabe nor Emily would forget in a hurry.

Gabe at once recognized her. How couldn't he, when she had been the only thing he could think about? He tried to ask around the hotel for her, but unfortunately, no one knew her, and he was denied access to check the CCTV footage. But now, here she stood, right in front of him in her dazzling sirenic beauty, placing every male in the hall under her spell.

Slowly she began to descend the stairs, and as she approached the last staircase, Gabe could see almost every man in the room ready to walk to her and offer a hand, helping her down the last staircase as a true gentleman would. And he wanted to be that man. He had to be.

Gabe was already on the move, his eyes never leaving his beautiful goddess and he could tell her eyes were on him too. But before he could give his hand out someone beat him to it. Someone he didn't expect. Someone he didn't realize he could start to hate. The almighty Killian Blackford.

Scarlett's smile deepened as she took a deep inhale, placing her hand on Killian's arms stretched out to her. She could feel the gaze of everyone that was there. Their hushed whispers and confused gazes on her. Only a few knew exactly who she was and that made almost everyone curious. They were dying to find out just who she was to Mr Blackford.

Scarlett ignored them all, her only focus was on Gabe. From the storm of emotions in his eyes, Scarlett could tell he'd been thinking of her. Slowly, her gaze traveled behind and rested on her stepsister's face. Emily was standing right there in the crowd, her face completely void of emotion, but the anger in her eyes was evident as she stared at Gabe.

She ignored them both, moving with Killian to say hello to guests who had honored her invitation. After a brief speech from her, everyone in the museum soon learned she was Killian's fiancee.

Scarlett had just moved on from speaking with one of the wealthy clients interested in her work, she glanced around the room for Killian only to find him in a conversation with some businessmen, but his attention was on her.

Their gaze locked, and she smiled, taking a step in his direction when suddenly she felt the presence behind her and got a whiff of his familiar cologne.

She turned around to meet Gabe's gaze.

“We meet again, Miss Scarlett Johnson,” Gabe said with a smile, one that she was definitely not returning. “If you remember, and I hope you do, I'm Gabe—”

“Peterson,” She finished taking a sip from her champagne but her cold gaze on him.

“It's Patterson,” Gabe's smile never faltered.

“And I remember telling you I do not care,” She held his gaze. “You weren't invited,”

“And that's surprising. My company—” Gabe started and Scarlett fought the urge not to roll her eyes. She couldn't believe Gabe's audacity in calling the company her father worked hard to build, her very own legacy his company. It was infuriating. “is one of the leading successful companies, and yet we weren't invited even though,”

“That tells you what?” She could barely keep her anger away from her voice.

“I'm not quite sure—”

“It means neither me nor Ford Empire Group wishes to do any business with you,”

Her words shocked him and he furrowed his brow, about to speak but she beat him to it.

“Isn't it one of the reasons you are here?” Scarlett raised a brow. “To meet my fiance, in hopes of talking to him regarding the Bardin project?”

Gabe wasn't really surprised how she knew that information. He'd called Richard and asked him to get everything he could on the woman before him. One of the pieces of information he'd learned was she held a high position at Empire group and was part of the board.

He was beyond happy to hear this. He had tried to get Killian Blackford to listen to his proposal in the last hour, but that proved impossible.

“You know about the project?” He knew it was a stupid question but he needed to know how much she knew and how he could play his card right. Maybe, just maybe Scarlett was what he needed to get the contract.

“Of course, I was the one who rejected it thrice in the past year,”

Gabe parted his lips to speak but was interrupted by the woman walking over to them.

“Gabe, I was wondering where you were,” Emily stopped right next to Gabe, her gaze shifting to Scarlett. And she did her best to hide her anger but Scarlett could see through her mask.

Emily was furious. Beyond furious. For the last hour, she'd watched Gabe unable to remove his eyes from this woman before her. She could recognize that look in her lover's eyes. That look of excitement. Gabe was interested in this woman.

Emily wasn't stupid, she had been well aware of Gabe's man whoring ways. With the help of the men she had always tailing him, she knew he still slept around with random whores, but she had let it slide. At least he didn't bring them to the Tate mansion. And Emily was certain once Gabe and she made their relationship official in a month, he'd stop his man whoring affairs. She'd make him. He'd only have eyes for her and only her. But now watching him pine publicly for another woman made her furious.

Emily carefully scanned the woman before her, before pulling her gaze to meet her, and involuntarily, she felt s familiar sickening feeling in her guts and she froze

Her entire body froze, her eyes unable to move away from those blue eyes of the woman before her. They felt so familiar. Too familiar. It was almost as if she was staring at someone else. Someone who’d been long dead and forgotten. Someone she shouldn't even be thinking about. But here she was thinking about the one and only woman she despised so much, Diana Tate.

“Emily?” Gabe cleared his throat, his gaze flickering from Scarlett to Emily. She was completely frozen, staring at Scarlett almost like she'd seen a ghost. “What the hell is wrong with you? You're staring,” He whispered stylishly in Emily's ear, nudging her slightly.

Emily recovered herself completely, but somehow her eyes couldn't leave Scarlett who stared back coldly.

“I'm sorry, have we met before?” Emily asked, gripping her fingers tightly around the stem of her champagne glass.

“I don't know, have we?” Do I somehow look familiar to you?”