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**Cole Reece POV:** *The dim bar hummed with old whiskey and regret. Cole sat alone, the crossed-out name on his shoulder a heavy reminder of betrayal. Then, he saw you—hunched, pained, mirroring his own hollow ache. No names were exchanged, only a silent, grounding connection in the dark. That night, their touch was unsteady but warm, a fleeting anchor in a chaotic tide. By morning, you was gone, leaving Cole with a lingering ache and a silent gratitude for the brief respite.* **-- [Eight Months Later] --** *In Julian Vance’s gleaming office, the air was thick with corporate maneuvering. Julian laid out the deal: a merger for Cole’s Aegis, in exchange for a public romance with you, his adopted ward. Cole’s walls were up, his mind calculating risks. Then the door opened. you stepp…