She was ruined. He was resigned. Neither believed in happy endings—until they met. Lady Eugenie never expected her fall from grace. Alone, unwed, and carrying scandal, she's certain she'll be discarded by the world she once knew. But when Adrian Brooks, the reclusive Earl of Remsemere, offers her his name without judgment or demand, she accepts—not for love, but for survival.

He lives in shadows. She walks gently toward the light. Scarred by tragedy and guilt, Adrian believes happiness is a luxury he forfeited long ago. Ravengrove is his refuge—and his prison. But Eugenie's quiet strength begins to shift the air. She never asks for more than he can give, and yet somehow... he finds himself wanting to give her everything.

Their pasts tell them love isn't for people like them. But their hearts disagree. In the silence between grief and tenderness, something begins to grow. Not just love, but permission: to laugh, to live, to believe that they are more than the worst thing that ever happened to them. Together, they learn that healing doesn't demand heroics—just patience, kindness, and someone who stays.

She was never anyone's first choice. Now she's the reason he chooses to begin again.

🌙 If you've ever felt trapped by sorrow or shame—and still hoped you might find someone who sees you, stays with you, and dares to love you anyway... this story is yours.