"Mommy, is Mr. Knight going to be my daddy now?"

Leo's question hangs in the air of our hotel suite, his blue eyes—so like Ethan's—wide with curiosity and something else. Hope, perhaps. The hope of a child who has secretly wondered about his missing father for years.


I glance at Ethan, seated across from us on the sofa. He arrived precisely at nine, bearing chocolate chip pancakes from the city's best breakfast spot and a small gift-wrapped package for Leo. Now the remains of breakfast sit forgotten on the coffee table as we navigate this delicate conversation.

"Yes, sweetheart," I say carefully. "Mr. Knight is your father. He didn't know about you before, but now he does, and he wants very much to be part of our family."

"That's right," Ethan adds, his voice gentler than I've ever heard it. "I'm very happy to meet you, Leo. I've been looking forward to it for a long time."


Leo tilts his head, considering this. "But you didn't know about me before?"

"No," Ethan admits. "Sometimes grown-ups make mistakes and get confused about things. But I'm here now, and I'd like to get to know you better."


Leo nods solemnly, processing this information with the serious concentration he brings to everything. Then he asks the question I've been dreading: "Why are you marrying Mommy if you just met her again?"

I freeze, unprepared for my five-year-old's perceptiveness. Ethan, however, doesn't miss a beat.

"Because that's what families do," he says simply. "They live together and take care of each other. Your mom and I want to give you a home with both of us in it."

"Will you read me stories?" Leo asks, his priorities clear. "Mommy does all the voices, but she says daddies are better at monster voices."

Ethan laughs, a warm sound that transforms his usually serious face. "I'll practice my monster voices every day."

Leo seems satisfied with this answer and turns his attention to the wrapped package Ethan brought. "Can I open it now?"

At my nod, he tears into the paper, revealing a custom-made stuffed dinosaur—a Triceratops wearing a tiny business suit.

"His name is Trike," Ethan explains. "He's a business dinosaur, like you'll be someday if you want."

Leo's face lights up with delight. "He looks like you! But with horns!"

The innocent observation startles a laugh out of me. Ethan in dinosaur form—it's an image I'll treasure.

"Why don't you take Trike to your room and show him your other dinosaurs?" I suggest, needing a moment alone with Ethan.

When Leo disappears into the bedroom, clutching his new toy, I turn to Ethan. "That went better than expected."

"Children are remarkably adaptable," he replies. "Especially when they're getting something they've wanted."

"And what makes you think Leo has wanted a father?" I challenge, keeping my voice low.

"Every child without a father wonders about him," Ethan says simply. "I should know. My own father was physically present but emotionally absent my entire childhood."

This glimpse into Ethan's past surprises me. In all my research on him, I found little about his childhood beyond the basic facts: only son of Jonathan and Vivienne Knight, educated at exclusive private schools, groomed from birth to take over Knight Industries.

"Is that why you're so determined to be part of Leo's life?" I ask. "To avoid repeating your father's mistakes?"

"Partly," he admits. "But mostly because he's my son. That's reason enough."

I study him, searching for signs of deception. But his expression is open, his desire to know Leo seemingly genuine. It complicates my narrative of him as either villain or pawn in my destruction.

"The papers," I say, changing the subject. "I've reviewed them with Caroline. They're acceptable with one addition—I want a clause specifying that if you ever attempt to take Leo from me, the entire prenuptial agreement is void and I receive triple the settlement amount."

Ethan's eyebrows rise. "You really think I would kidnap my own son?"

"I think you're a man accustomed to getting what you want," I reply coolly. "And I'm protecting my interests."

He considers this, then nods. "Fair enough. I'll have the clause added before the ceremony."

"Speaking of which," I continue, "I'll need time to pack our things and explain to Leo that we're moving."

"Already taken care of," Ethan says. "While we've been talking, my staff has been packing your belongings. They'll be delivered to the penthouse this afternoon. Professional, discreet, and thorough."

I stare at him, momentarily speechless. "You had people pack our things without my permission?"

"I had people pack your things with the hotel's cooperation, to make the transition smoother for everyone," he corrects. "Nothing will be missing or damaged."

The casual display of power—of assuming control over my possessions, my space—sends a chill down my spine. This is what I'm agreeing to: life with a man who rearranges the world to suit his preferences without consultation.

"Don't ever do that again," I say, my voice low and dangerous. "My things, my son's things—they're not yours to manage without my consent."

Something flickers in Ethan's eyes—surprise, perhaps, at being challenged. "Noted," he says after a moment. "I apologize for overstepping."

The apology, unexpected from a man like him, momentarily disarms me. Before I can respond, my phone buzzes with a text from Marcus:

*"Lunch reservation confirmed at Lumière for 1 PM. Zhang will be there."*

Perfect timing. My lunch with Marcus serves multiple purposes—a final meeting before my life changes dramatically, and an opportunity to make Ethan just a little bit jealous. To remind him that while he may be gaining a wife on paper, he has no claim on my affections or loyalty.

"I have a business lunch," I tell Ethan, rising from the sofa. "And then several meetings this afternoon. I'll meet you at your penthouse at six for the ceremony."

"Our penthouse," he corrects. "And I thought we might spend the day together, the three of us. Help Leo adjust to the idea of our new family."

"That's not possible," I reply. "I have commitments I can't break."

Ethan's jaw tightens slightly. "What commitments could be more important than helping our son transition to this major life change?"

"My business commitments," I say firmly. "Ascendant Group doesn't run itself, and the Morgan Group acquisition is at a critical stage. Surely you of all people understand that."

He studies me for a long moment. "You're using work to keep me at arm's length."

"I'm maintaining the boundaries of our arrangement," I counter. "This is a marriage of convenience, remember? Not a love match."

"The arrangement includes presenting a united front for Leo's benefit," he reminds me. "Starting today."

I'm saved from responding by Leo's return, Trike the dinosaur clutched in one hand and his favorite picture book in the other.

"Can you read to me?" he asks Ethan, his expression hopeful.

Ethan's face softens immediately. "Of course."

I watch as my son climbs onto the sofa beside this virtual stranger, completely at ease in a way that both warms and terrifies me. Leo has never known his father, yet some primal recognition seems to draw him to Ethan.

"I'll leave you two to get acquainted," I say, gathering my purse and phone. "Leo, be good for... for your father. I'll be back this afternoon to take you to our new home."

"Okay, Mommy!" Leo replies cheerfully, already engrossed in showing Ethan the pictures in his book.

As I head for the door, Ethan calls after me: "Olivia? Wear the ring."

I glance down at my bare left hand, having removed the enormous diamond before bed last night. With deliberate slowness, I retrieve it from my purse and slide it onto my finger, feeling its weight—both physical and symbolic.

"Better?" I ask, a hint of challenge in my voice.

"Much," he replies, his eyes holding mine for a beat too long before returning to the book Leo is showing him.

I leave them there, this tableau of father and son that looks so natural it's unsettling. In the elevator, I examine the diamond on my finger—a perfect stone, expertly cut, blindingly expensive. A statement of ownership as much as commitment.

By tonight, I'll be Olivia Knight, wife of one of New York's most powerful men. The irony isn't lost on me—five years ago, I fled this city in disgrace. Now I return as a conqueror, using Ethan's name and resources to execute my revenge.

But as the elevator descends, a small voice in my head whispers a warning: Who's using whom?