"You can't abruptly quit a game, especially when it's personal; there are only two outcomes: victory or defeat," Vasili had reminded her eight years prior. Fast forward, and now she corrected him with, "Incorrect. Allow me to introduce you to the concept of a tie." Emily Moralez felt like the universe was conspiring against her. Caught in the middle of two rival factions, her father arranged for her to marry a crime lord much older than herself, despite knowing she was already involved with someone. To top it all off, her boyfriend betrayed her just the day before their engagement announcement. The situation escalated further still. Vasili Romanov, a name synonymous with fear, admiration, respect, and hatred, had returned with a vengeance, targeting her family, herself, and everything she cherished. The intensity of his animosity matched the passion he once stirred within her heart.