Meliza Lizondra had spent years on the run, hiding from a powerful man she had dared to cross all because of her first love. She blamed her foolish heart for the choices that had cost her everything: her family, friends, and the security of a normal life. Now, she lived in the shadows, moving from city to city, constantly looking over her shoulder, trapped in a relentless cycle of regret and survival.

Ethan Almendraz was more than just the country's most eligible bachelor. He wasn't famous for his striking looks or sharp intellect alone; he was the formidable CEO of one of the nation's most powerful conglomerates. Ruthless in business and even more merciless when it came to matters of the heart, he had spent years hunting down the woman who had betrayed him.

Iza.

The only woman he had ever loved. The one who had shattered his heart and disappeared without a trace.

He couldn't forgive her. He wouldn't. His only goal was to make her suffer, to make her realize exactly what she had lost. And when he found her, he would ensure she paid the price for her deception.

But fate had other plans.

When Meliza received an invitation to her best friend's wedding, she hesitated. The idea of stepping back into familiar territory, of surrounding herself with ghosts from a life she had abandoned, sent a shiver of fear down her spine. But loneliness was a cruel companion, and despite the risk, she longed for a taste of the past, if only for two days.

She convinced herself she would be careful.

She was wrong.

Because Ethan was there too.

The moment their eyes met for the first time after five years, the past came crashing down. For Meliza, it was like being thrust into a nightmare, the suffocating reminder of the man who had destroyed her, the one she had once loved so desperately. Hatred burned through her veins, but underneath it, buried beneath layers of pain and regret, was something far more dangerous. Something she refused to name.

For Ethan, the sight of her was a spark to a fire that had never truly died. Years of fury and betrayal reignited in his chest, fueling the storm that had driven him to search for her all this time. He had waited too long for this moment. Now, she was within reach, and there would be no escape this time.

She had once brought him to his knees. Now, it was his turn to make her beg.

As their worlds collided once more, hatred and desire tangled in a dangerous game of vengeance and longing.

Would they destroy each other, or would the fire consume them both again?

I lifted my chin, forcing myself to meet his gaze with unwavering resolve. "Why?" I asked Elijah.


Eli's smirk didn't fade. If anything, he looked even more pleased than I had asked


. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as if he were entertaining a fascinating thought.


"Consider it part of her transition back to the real world," he said casually. "Meliza needs stability. A structured environment. And, of course, someone to guide her."


"And lastly, you better admit now that you want her badly, Ethan," he challenged. I shook my head as my stomach twisted. He was enjoying this.


He was putting me in the position of being her so-called "guide."


He was taking every ounce of restraint I had left and testing it to its limit.


I ran a hand over my face, exhaling through my nose. "You don't get to decide what she needs, Elijah."


His brow lifted slightly. "Oh? And you do?"


I clenched my jaw so hard it ached. Damn him.


Chapter 111 - Terrifying Truth