A Contract of Seduction

atel's penthouse office, like a diamond-studded carpet, its facet reflecting his own rapid ascent. He loomed at the floor-to-ceiling window, with an epic view as his ba

ad constructed a cinematic empire with astute deals, audacious risks and a winning charm that never withered even the most curdled critics. H

llionaire was a man whose past romantic entanglement had hau

ended with a grand, public explosion. The breakup had been messy, and played out in the

lly placed awards – all symbols of his success, yet they offered little comfort. He felt a restlessness, a sense of unease that had bee

call with his London lawyers, a headache throbbing behind his temples, and all he wanted was a stiff sc

s. Ruby is her

almost dismissed it out of hand. But something in her email, a raw vulnerability that belied her determined tone, had piqued his interest.

his voice cool and co

ast to the manufactured glamour that permeated Hollywood. Her warm, expressive eyes held a quiet determination, a vulnerability that was both disarm

the same subtle curve of her lips. It was uncanny, a ghost from his past materialized in his present. A wave of anger, sharp a

e eyes. He k

clenched aro

ed, the name a

ening further. "No, Mr. Patel. I'm Sop

st

an who'd left a trail of broken promises and shattered trust in her wake. Ethan hadn't uttered her name in years, had banished her

entirely, a desperate attempt by a young woman to carve her own path in a world that thrived on connections and manipulation? He would find out. He would play this game, but on h

asked, his voice laced with a skep

I know I'm not... well-known. But I've been

e to finish what your sister started?" He leaned forward, the polished surface of his desk a barrier between them. "Beca

he said, her voice sha

a low, humo

I'm not Lena," she repeated, her voice firm. "I'm no

ugged at him, a spark of defiance that intrigued him. And then, a dark, dangerous idea began to form in

e that." He gestured to the empty space in front of his desk. "Show me what you've got, Miss Ru

with a determination that was almost frightening. He handed her a script, a scene he

her lips, Ethan Patel felt a shiver run down his s

eart laid bare. She moved with a subtle grace, her hands gesturing with an almost unconscious eloquence. Ethan watched, his skepticism slowly erodi

chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, her eyes still shimmering with the resi

ed, her voice b

led beneath his chin. "Impressive," he admitted,

he hadn't realized she'd

isn't enough in this city. You need more than just a pretty

issive. "But nothing that stands out. Nothing that

t wash over her. She had known it w

is voice suddenly sha

ipped a beat

rigued by your resemblance to your sister. And intrigued by the fact that y

t I'm looking for something...

a predator. "Tell me, Miss Ruby, what ar