Emily's Thorned Rose

She sold her first night. He bought his. Neither expected it to define the rest of their lives. Candice never imagined her desperation would lead her to The Hole, a place where innocence is a commodity and survival comes with a price tag. Shawn never meant to be the man who paid for her virginity — especially when it cost him his own. One-night binds them, then fate tears them apart. Years later, their worlds collide again in the last place either expects: the college classroom. Professor Shawn. Student Candice. The past buried, the attraction undeniable. When she auditions to become his assistant, neither can resist the pull that never died. But passion comes with consequences, and when a tragic incident puts Candice in the hospital, Shawn becomes the one who refuses to leave her side. In a moment of reckless devotion, he offers her a deal: Six months. One million dollars. Pretend to be his wife. She accepts—until pride, fear, and heartbreak tear them apart once more. A year later, Shawn discovers the truth: Candice had his child. And she wants nothing to do with him. Now she’s vanished into the world again, this time reemerging as an author exposing the darkest corners of The Hole. Shawn recognizes her voice instantly. Their story. Their pain. Their love. And he’ll move heaven and earth to find her again. Because their first night bound them. Their choices broke them. But their love? It might be the one thing strong enough to save them.