Chapter 1

I was abducted and claimed by a ruthless mob boss, while my best friend was forced into an arranged marriage with a billionaire CEO.

The day we attended their family banquet, my best friend and I stared at each other in utter shock.

The underworld kingpin and the corporate mogul were brothers. Biological brothers.

The brothers were busy making billions.

My best friend and I were equally busy spending their money.

Then their family's adopted daughter returned from abroad.

The maids whispered that she was the untouchable first love both brothers had fought over for years.

Josie leaned in and whispered, "I pooled some emergency cash. Want to make a run for it?"

I replied instantly, "Good thing I've been hoarding gold bars. Let's do it together."

Yet when I walked down the jet bridge, I found myself stepping onto the mob boss's private jet.

He gave a wicked smirk.

"Sweetheart, what am I going to do with you?"

1

"Josie, why did you touch my things without asking?"

"...I'm sorry. I thought it was a gift for me. I didn't know you bought it for Vivienne."

Standing down the hall, I could hear my best friend, Josie, arguing with her husband, Ezra.

"Vivienne is my sister. I don't care what you do usually, but you are not allowed to plot against her."

"Ezra, you don't trust me... and you're being this harsh with me because of her."

Ezra's tone was icy and completely flat.

Josie whimpered softly, choking back her tears.

I wanted to eavesdrop some more, but Ezra suddenly yanked the door open.

"...Hey! Good evening." I waved awkwardly.

His face instantly snapped back to his usual polished, polite mask.

"Good evening, sister-in-law."

...

"Josie, what happened? I could hear you two from down the hall."

I slipped inside, shut the door, and dragged my best friend to the sofa for the tea.

The heartbroken expression on Josie's face vanished, instantly replaced by pure disgust.

"That jerk showed his true colors the second I tested him."

I gasped. "You found out too?"

"Of course! Even the girl cleaning the litter boxes knows that the adopted golden girl, Vivienne, is flying back to the States."

I slammed my hand on the table. "She's the ultimate ex they both obsessed over!"

Josie rolled her eyes. "They almost killed each other for her back in the day."

We exchanged a knowing look.

Josie leaned in conspiratorially, "I scraped together some cash. Want to run?"

I gave a sly grin, "You can always count on me. I've stashed away plenty of gold bars. Let's bounce together."

She looked at me intently, "What, you're really willing to ditch your possessive, brooding bad-boy husband for me?"

"Gross!"

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.

"Does he think I'm stupid? He only chased me down because I look a bit like Vivienne. Now that the real deal is back, why would I stay here as a disposable stand-in?"

We clicked immediately.

Channeling the energy of pulling an all-nighter for a college finals project, we drafted an escape plan.

Everything was set. All we needed was the right moment.