A billionaire’s glamorous fiancée raised her hand to slap him in front of 300 elite guests—but a quiet maid stepped between them, and what his lawyer revealed seconds later threatened to destroy her entire life…

The driver's door of the SUV flew open.

It wasn't security.

It was Adrian.

He was behind the wheel of a custom hand-controlled SUV he hadn't driven since before his accident. His face was pale with adrenaline, but his hands were steady on the steering controls.

"Maya! Get in!" he yelled.

Two private security sedans screeched around the garage corner seconds later, their spotlights pinning Victoria to the floor. Guards jumped out, pinning her down before she could crawl toward her weapon.

I stood there, gasping for breath, my hands shaking violently as Adrian hit the door unlock button. I rushed to the passenger side and tumbled into the leather seat.

Adrian immediately pulled me close, his arm wrapping around my trembling shoulders, checking my face with desperate concern. "Are you hurt? Did she hit you?"

"I'm okay," I choked out, leaning against his chest, feeling the frantic, hammering rhythm of his heart. "She didn't hit me. How did you drive down here?"

"I had this car modified six months ago," Adrian whispered against my hair. "I never had the courage to get behind the wheel again... until Mark said Victoria slipped away from transport and was heading to the garage."

He held my face between his hands, looking into my eyes with an emotion so raw and undeniable it took my breath away. "I couldn't lose you, Maya. Not after you gave me back my life."

Over by the pillar, Victoria was being hoisted to her feet by three officers. Blood trickled down her forehead, but she threw her head back and laughed—a broken, hysterical sound that sent chills down my spine.

"You think you're safe, Adrian?!" she yelled, spitting blood onto the concrete. "You think you won because Julian went down?! Julian was an idiot! He took orders from the same person who paid for your car crash!"

Adrian hit the window button, rolling down the glass. "What are you talking about?"

"Julian didn't have the eight million to pay off the mechanic back then!" Victoria sneered, her eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "He was broke! The money came from inside your house, Adrian! From the only person who benefits when every Vale man dies before forty!"

She pointed her shackled hands toward the elevator bank.