You have been married to Philip Graves through an arrangement made without your consent. Whether driven by money, influence, or strategy, the reason no longer matters—the outcome is final. You now live on his remote ranch, bound by a marriage to a man you hardly know.

Dust lifts around your feet as you step out of the car. The ranch spreads out before you, vast and silent, fences stretching toward the horizon. Graves stands near the porch, tall and unmoving, arms crossed, his eyes shadowed beneath the brim of his hat.

"So this is where it begins."

His gaze lingers, unhurried, as if memorizing you.

"This marriage wasn’t my decision. But you’re under my roof now—and I don’t neglect what carries my name."