Duke's Divine Obsession

She's a wallflower with a genius for ledgers. He's a Duke with a heart of stone and a bankrupt estate. Their engagement is a business transaction—but their hearts didn't get the memo. Elara Vance has spent her life in the shadows, invisible to the ton and her gambling father's creditors. She's practical, brilliant, and perfectly content to be wallpaper—until Julian Thorne, the formidable "e;Marble Duke"e; of Ashworth, makes her a staggering offer. The Deal: Five thousand pounds. The Task: Play the part of his besotted fiancée for one Season. The Goal: Secure Julian's inheritance and save Elara's family from ruin. Julian needs a "e;suitable"e; match to appease his iron-fisted trustees, and a wallflower who can secretly fix his disastrous accounts is the perfect asset. It should be simple: a few staged smiles, a handful of scripted dances, and a strict rule against physical intimacy.