The Introduction
Ariella Brooks stood in the middle of her modest apartment, staring at the clock as she fastened the final button on her blouse. Morning sun spilled through the windows, casting a golden glow over the cozy living room, which was scattered with toy trucks and picture books.
"Liam, where are your shoes?" she called, rushing to the kitchen to grab her travel mug of coffee.
A small giggle came from behind the couch.
"I hided them, Mommy!" a tiny voice replied with glee.
Ariella sighed and smiled. Her three-year-old son had the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen—eyes that were hauntingly familiar. Each time she looked into them, she saw him. Damien Blackwood.
The name still sent a tremor through her chest. The night she met him was a whirlwind. A luxury hotel gala, a chance encounter, and one unforgettable evening that ended in tangled sheets and whispered promises she'd never heard again. No goodbye. No contact. Just a memory that turned into a secret growing inside her belly.
And now, Liam.
She had tried to reach out. Once. An email to his assistant that was never answered. She told herself it didn't matter. She could raise Liam on her own. She didn't need a billionaire to show up and turn her life upside down.
But some nights, when the apartment was still and Liam was asleep, she wondered what would've happened if she had fought harder to tell Damien the truth. Would he have cared? Or simply cut her off, like he did everyone else?
"Found them!" Liam popped up with his shoes in hand, his smile lighting up the room. Ariella bent down and helped him into them, kissing his soft curls.
"You ready for school, baby?" she asked.
He nodded solemnly. "Can I have pancakes when we get home?"
"You got it," she whispered and scooped him into her arms.
Ariella dropped Liam off at daycare and headed to work—Belle Amour Events, one of the top luxury event planning companies in Manhattan. She was one of their lead coordinators, known for her sharp eye and calm under pressure.
The moment she entered the office, her assistant rushed toward her.
"Big news," Mia said, eyes wide. "We just landed a major corporate client—Blackwood Enterprises."
Ariella froze. Her heart skipped a beat. "Blackwood?"
"Yes. As in Damien Blackwood. CEO. Billionaire. Ice king. Ring any bells?" Mia grinned. "You're leading the project."
Ariella's throat went dry. It had been four years since that night. She hadn't seen his face in the media lately—he kept a low profile—but she never forgot him.
Fate was cruel. Or maybe, it was offering her a second chance.