Chapter 1
Tanya
Rain hammered against the cracked windows of my rundown apartment, matching the frantic rhythm of my heartbeat.
"BANG BANG BANG!"
The violent pounding on my door made my body freeze instantly as I huddled on the couch.
I knew exactly who was standing outside—those debt collector demons, making their fifth visit in three days.
"Tanya Brooks! I know you're in there!" A man's gravelly voice cut through the thin wooden door. "Pay up within three days or you'll be hearing from our lawyers! Your parents' debts don't just disappear because they're dead!"
I bit down hard on my lip, not daring to make a sound.
As a 22-year-old low-ranking Omega, I had nothing but this fragile body that any Alpha could tear apart in seconds. The two hundred thousand dollars my parents left behind in debt might as well have been a billion.
"Listen here, sweetheart, hiding won't make this go away! Where's a bottom-tier Omega like you gonna run? No Alpha would want damaged goods like you!"
Every word cut through me like a blade. I reached for the remote with trembling hands, hoping the TV noise would mask my presence.
The screen flickered to life, showing the evening news.
"...Sterling Corporation heir Raymond Sterling's engagement has been officially called off. According to reliable sources, Miss Erica Whitman has formally announced the termination of her engagement to Mr. Sterling, reportedly due to concerns regarding Mr. Sterling's recent medical condition..."
Sterling? I blinked. That Sterling family—Seattle's wealthiest Alpha dynasty?
The news cut to an interview with a blonde bombshell, her perfect face radiating arrogance and disdain: "I, Erica Whitman, refuse to marry a broken man. Sterling family? Century-old legacy? What's the point of an Alpha who can't even sense Omega pheromones?"
I stared in shock. The Sterling heir was... broken?
"WHAM!" Another violent crash against my door. "Last warning, Tanya Brooks! Got our money ready?"
I jumped, dropping the remote. The TV volume blasted suddenly. The hallway went dead silent.
Shit, they know I'm home now.
Just as I was about to bolt for the bedroom, different sounds came from outside—the sharp click of heels on concrete, and an elegant, commanding female voice: "What exactly are you gentlemen doing here?"
"Ma'am, we're legally collecting debt. Please don't interfere..."
"I asked what you're doing here." The voice turned ice-cold, carrying undeniable authority.
I crept to the peephole and peered out. A middle-aged woman in an expensive tailored suit stood in the hallway, radiating the overwhelming presence of a high-ranking Alpha. Those burly debt collectors cowered before her like scared puppies.
"Leave. Now." Her command was crisp and final.
"Y-yes, ma'am."
Footsteps retreated down the hall, leaving silence in their wake.
I was still wondering who this mysterious woman was when gentle knocking began.
"Miss Tanya Brooks, I'm Karlie Sterling. Please open the door. I'd like to speak with you."
Sterling? My breath caught. Someone from that family I'd just seen on the news?
I opened the door with shaking hands to find myself face-to-face with perfection. Karlie Sterling was even more intimidating in person than on TV, every expression radiating the authority of someone born to rule.
"You are Tanya Brooks?" She studied me, and I caught a flash of satisfaction in her eyes.
"Y-yes. Mrs. Sterling, how did you..."
"I need a favor." She cut straight to the point. "I've heard your voice. It's nearly identical to my son's former fiancée."
What does that mean? I stared at her in confusion.
Karlie Sterling glanced around my shabby apartment and frowned. "Let's discuss this inside."
I numbly stepped aside, watching this society queen glide into my hovel. She settled onto my ratty couch as if it were a throne in her mansion.
"One million dollars." She spoke suddenly. "Would you be willing to temporarily pose as my son's wife?"
I nearly choked on my own spit. "Excuse me?"
"Raymond lost his eyesight and his ability to sense Omega pheromones in a business attack. He's extremely unstable now." Karlie Sterling's expression grew grave. "The doctors say only familiar Omega pheromones can help him recover."
"So you need me to pretend to be his wife to calm him down?" My voice shook—whether from fear or excitement, I couldn't tell.
Karlie Sterling pulled an elegant small vial from her purse. "This masking agent will make you emit high-ranking Omega pheromones. You'd only need to maintain the charade until he recovers."
I stared at the vial, my mind spinning. This is insane... but two hundred thousand in debt...
"Of course, there are risks." Her voice dropped lower. "Raymond isn't an ordinary Alpha. His senses are extraordinarily sharp. If you're discovered..."
"What would happen?" I swallowed hard.
"It would be... unpleasant." Her gaze became unreadable. "But the compensation is substantial. Beyond the million dollars, I'll handle all your debt problems."
My heart hammered against my ribs. One million dollars! That's enough to completely change my life!
"Do you need time to consider?" Karlie Sterling stood. "I can give you ten minutes."
I looked at the photograph in her hand—an devastatingly handsome man who radiated dangerous, lethal Alpha energy even in a still image. Raymond Sterling, Seattle's most feared business emperor.
And me, a low-ranking Omega who couldn't even make rent, about to become his "wife."
This is like playing Russian roulette, but I'm already out of options.
"I accept." I heard myself say with surprising firmness.
A satisfied smile curved Karlie Sterling's lips. "Excellent. Starting tomorrow, you'll be Erica Whitman. Remember—once this begins, there's no turning back."
She left the mysterious vial and a thick stack of files, then glided out as elegantly as she'd arrived.
I held the masking agent with trembling hands, staring out at the rainy night through my window. I had no idea what kind of abyss I was about to step into, but at least I wouldn't have to fear those debt collector demons anymore.
But when I actually face Raymond Sterling, will I regret today's decision?
The rain kept falling, but my fate had completely changed from this moment forward.