It was supposed to be one anonymous night in a Soho bar.

Lily Evans survives on colour-coded spreadsheets, impossible event schedules, and the constant arithmetic of London rent. She does not have time for rich men, reckless choices, or strangers who order whisky like hostile takeovers.

Then she meets Felix Montgomery.

One night. No surnames. No promises. No debt.

By morning, Lily slips out of his hotel room before he can turn the night into something tidy.

By Monday, she discovers he is not just a stranger.

He is the billionaire CEO behind the high-stakes charity gala she has just been hired to run.

Felix Montgomery is used to control. He controls rooms, companies, headlines, and the people trying to damage what belongs to him. But Lily Evans refuses to be managed. She will take his contract, his impossible gala, and his infuriating attention ? but she will not take his money, his protection, or his right to rearrange her life.

When paparazzi catch them together, Lily and Felix agree to a public arrangement to protect the gala and kill the rumours before they destroy her career. Fake dating should be simple. Terms. Boundaries. No interference.

But Felix does not know how to care without trying to fix.

And Lily does not know how to accept care without fearing the bill that comes after.

As staged smiles become real desire and sharp banter turns into something far more dangerous, Felix makes the one mistake Lily cannot forgive: he secretly buys his way into her professional life to protect her.

Then the tabloids strike.

Private messages leak. Her face becomes a headline. Her flatmate's betrayal cuts deeper than any paparazzi photo.

And two pink lines on a plastic stick change everything.

Felix can buy companies, silence rooms, and move the world before breakfast.

But if he wants Lily back, he will have to do the one thing wealth has never taught him.

Let go.

Because Lily Evans will not be rescued into another debt.

And Felix Montgomery will have to prove he can love her without owning her.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Billionaire / working-class romance
• One-night stand to workplace proximity
• Fake dating under public pressure
• Surprise pregnancy
• Fiercely independent heroines
• Protective heroes who learn to give up control
• Sharp banter, class tension, tabloids, and earned HEA warmth