Empire of Hearts Series by Cassidy Vale

I'm trapped in a billionaire's penthouse with him and his daughter for the next 24 hours. I've been his daughter's speech therapist ever since her mom passed. She hasn't said a full sentence in nine months, but she's making progress. By the time I got to his penthouse, the power in the building had gone out. He opened the door shirtless, barefoot, and holding a candle. Before I could say anything, his daughter came running and jumped straight into my arms... moreI'm trapped in a billionaire's penthouse with him and his daughter for the next 24 hours. I've been his daughter's speech therapist ever since her mom passed. She hasn't said a full sentence in nine months, but she's making progress. By the time I got to his penthouse, the power in the building had gone out. He opened the door shirtless, barefoot, and holding a candle. Before I could say anything, his daughter came running and jumped straight into my arms. He checked his phone and said the power company wasn't sending anyone until morning. She started bouncing in my arms, looked up at him and said, "Can Sarah stay tonight? Please, Daddy? ". We both froze. I watched his face change, then his eyes went glassy, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He nodded, just barely, like he didn't trust his voice. She slid out of my arms and skipped down the hall. He turned to me, stepped closer, his voice low and rough,. "Her first sentence in nine months, and she used it to ask for you. ". less

My father always used to tell me that I would change the world…. When I finally started law school, he was so excited. He kept my acceptance letter in his wallet. Showed it to strangers on the subway. Even told his coworkers that his little girl was going to be a world-class lawyer one day. Six weeks later, he had a heart attack. The development company who owned our building decided it was worth more with us gone. I found him on the fourth-floor landing. Still in his work boots... moreMy father always used to tell me that I would change the world…. When I finally started law school, he was so excited. He kept my acceptance letter in his wallet. Showed it to strangers on the subway. Even told his coworkers that his little girl was going to be a world-class lawyer one day. Six weeks later, he had a heart attack. The development company who owned our building decided it was worth more with us gone. I found him on the fourth-floor landing. Still in his work boots. Still carrying the letter he'd written begging them for more time. But they never wrote back. I buried him four days before we had to be out. I was forced to drop out of law school. Work three jobs. And hold my mother through countless panic attacks. I spent the next ten years rebuilding my life from the wreckage of that notice. Now I'm one semester away from finishing what I started. And I'm in love with a man who looks at me like I'm the best thing that ever happened to him…. Someone who makes me believe I deserve something good. Then a case file lands on my desk…. Thirty-seven families facing the same nightmare I did. Same tactics. Same company name. Devlin Holdings. I open the documents ready to fight—and find Archer’s signature on the authorization memos. The man who tells me he loves me everyday, is the same man who signed my father's life away. And he knew who I was the entire time. less