Dominic de Salvatore never believed that marriage was something to strive for.

Now in his thirties, he has almost everything most people desire: power, wealth, a respected—or rather, feared—family name, and a position that makes most people think twice before defying him.

But there’s one thing Dominic has never managed to acquire: the desire to share his life with someone else.

For Dominic, life was always simpler when he was alone.

There was nothing to consider besides his family and his own interests. There were no other people’s feelings he had to be mindful of. There was no one who could use him to control or threaten him.

Especially someone he loved.

Dominic had grown up in a family that taught him that love is the weakness most easily exploited.

As the heir to the de Salvatore family, he was never truly given the chance to live the life of an ordinary man. From childhood onward, his every move was scrutinized. Every decision he made was weighed carefully. Even the smallest mistake could become fodder for gossip among those waiting for the de Salvatore family to fall.

So Dominic learned not to reveal too much of himself to anyone.

Including women.

His mother had never been happy with that reality.

Isabella de Salvatore had always considered her son too talented in every way—except when it came to his personal life.

Over the past few years, she had introduced Dominic to many women.

The daughter of a prominent family.

Women from the business world.

The daughters of her close friends.

Even a few women whom Isabella believed were a perfect match for him.

Dominic rejected them all.

For various reasons.

She talked too much.

She was too interested in his family.

She was too curious about his work.

She tried too hard to impress him.

Or sometimes— There was no reason at all.

He just wasn’t interested. For Dominic, that should have been enough.

But Isabella never stopped trying.

Every time he said he didn’t need a wife, his mother would just look at him in a way that made Dominic feel as if he’d just said something deeply disappointing.

Dominic didn’t understand why marriage was such a big deal to his mother.

He was fine.

Their family was fine.

Their business didn’t need a wife to keep running.

So, what’s the point?

To him, marriage would only add someone to a life that had been going perfectly all along.

Someone who might want something from him.

Someone who might expect more than he could give.

Dominic wasn’t interested.

Until one night, his mother introduced him to a woman who didn’t even seem interested in him.