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Mariane thought she had lost everything the day her mother was found dead by the roadside. Grief consumed her, leaving her with no choice but to accept a loveless marriage to Heinrich Volkov—a powerful, ruthless man with secrets as dark as his cold green eyes.

But just when she begins to accept her fate, the truth unravels.

Her mother’s death wasn’t an accident. The investigation takes a shocking turn, revealing clues that suggest she might still be alive. The deeper Mariane digs, the more the shadows close in around her. And the worst part?

Heinrich might have known all along.

Betrayal cuts deeper than any blade, and as Mariane pieces together the puzzle, she realizes that the man she shares a bed with—the man who watches her every move—is keeping far more than just business secrets.

Was she forced into this marriage to be protected? Or was she trapped to be controlled?

And if her mother is alive…

Why hasn’t she come back for her?

As Mariane’s world spirals into a web of deceit, power, and deadly desire, she’s left with only one choice: trust Heinrich, or destroy him.

But how do you fight the devil when you’re already falling for him?



THE HAUNTED HEART OF LIES

I sat curled up on the couch, my eyes scanning the pages of a novel I had pulled from the bookshelf. It was the only book that had caught my interest—the rest were so… Heinrich. Politics, finance, war strategy. Not a single romance or mystery in sight. Of course, that was expected. Heinrich wasn’t exactly the type to indulge in love stories or thrilling whodunits. I smirked at the thought of him reading one of my favorite books. 


I flipped a page, sighing. The house was quiet, almost too quiet. Heinrich was in his study, doing God knows what. I still hadn’t seen the inside of that room because of his stupid rule that banned me from entering. Sometimes I considered sneaking in just to see what he was hiding, but I held back. Who knew what I’d find in there? I wasn’t in the mood for more surprises. 


As I settled back into the novel, the sound of approaching footsteps pulled me from my thoughts. My grip on the book tightened when I looked up and saw who it was. 


CHAPTER 23