Ace spent two months playing a role—saying the right words, mimicking affection, and carefully drawing Erin in just to satisfy a cruel wager made with Theo and Enzo. But somewhere between the late-night talks, her gentle touch, and the quiet way she cared for him without asking for anything in return, the lie collapsed. For a guy who grew up with wealth instead of love and knew intimacy only as something rough, cold, and transactional, Erin’s soft, unearned devotion unravelled everything he thought he knew about himself. He didn’t just grow fond of her; he fell completely, irreversibly in love with her. He stopped pretending, quit smoking, and gave himself over to a relationship that felt entirely real.