At twenty-nine, Adrian Knox had already built an empire. As the CEO of a fast-rising fintech company, his name commanded respect, fear, and constant comparison to one man—Victor Hale, his fiercest rival. Their competition was ruthless, public, and deeply personal, fueled by years of hostile takeovers and silent wars fought in boardrooms.
Adrian never expected love to find him in the middle of it.
He met her in a quiet café far from glass towers and business suits. She was reading a novel, her laughter soft, unguarded. Her name was Liana. She didn't care about stock prices or market shares. She asked him questions no one else did—about why he worked so hard, what he feared losing, and who he was when the world wasn't watching.
Weeks passed before the truth surfaced.
Liana was Victor Hale's daughter.
The revelation shook Adrian. Everything in his life had been built on winning against her father. Loving her felt like betrayal—to his ambition, his company, and the rivalry that defined him. But walking away felt worse. Liana refused to be a pawn in a war she never chose. "I won't inherit his enemies," she told him.