Wallflower's Wicked Wager

A ruined reputation. A desperate debt. And a fake engagement that feels dangerously real.Elara Vance has spent three Seasons as the "e;Invisible Vance,"e; a wallflower hiding in the shadows of London's glittering ballrooms. But when her father's gambling debts threaten to sell her to a monstrous creditor, Elara must make a deal with the devil himself.Enter Julian Thorne, the notorious Marquess of Vane. Known as the "e;Wicked Marquess,"e; Julian is a man of cold steel and silver-tongued cynicism. He needs a respectable fiancée to secure his inheritance from his iron-willed grandfather, and Elara—quiet, observant, and desperate—is the perfect candidate.The Contract is simple:No emotional entanglements.A public performance of devotion.A clean break once the inheritance is settled.But as the pair retreats to the rain-drenched moors of the Vane estate, the lines between performance and passion begin to blur. Behind Julian's arrogant mask lies a man haunted by betrayal, and beneath Elara's shy exterior beats the heart of a woman who refuses to be ignored.When a dangerous blackmailer uncovers a family secret that could send Elara's father to the gallows, the fake engagement becomes a high-stakes game of survival. In a world of strict etiquette and social friction, can a wallflower and a rogue stop playing their parts long enough to save each other?