A Strategic Alliance with the Stone Duke

He needs a flawless reputation to save his empire. She needs a miracle to save her family from ruin. Can a cold-blooded contract lead to a once-in-a-century love? Benedict St. John, the Duke of Ashworth, is known as the "Stone Boy"-a man of iron, logic, and glass who has no room for the messy unpredictability of love. But with a treacherous uncle plotting to seize his shipping empire, Benedict needs more than just architectural blueprints to secure his legacy; he needs a Duchess. Not for love, but for show. Enter Elara Vance. A perpetual wallflower who has spent her life hiding in the shadows of London's libraries, Elara is invisible to the Ton-until she becomes the only woman smart enough to out-negotiate a Duke. With her family's survival on the line, she signs a scandalous contract: six months of a fake engagement, a generous stipend, and a series of "strategic" public displays of affection.