"Curiosity can be dangerous, Miss Armstrong." My body instantly stiffened. Slowly, I turned around only to find Mr. Sarocha standing a few steps away, his hands casually tucked into his trouser pockets. I pressed my lips together, expecting anger, but his expression remained cold and unreadable. He started walking toward me, and instinctively, I stepped back. Again and again, until my back hit the door behind me. Freen placed one hand beside me against the wall, leaning slightly closer. "What was rule number three, Miss Armstrong?" he asked calmly. His face was only inches away from mine, making my breath hitch. I wanted to answer, but my mind refused to cooperate. I was too distracted by how close he was. "I asked you a question," he repeated, his voice lower this time. "T-That there are restricted areas in the house... places I'm not supposed to enter." "So you do remember the rules," he said. "This room happens to be one of them. Next time, think carefully before getting yourself into trouble." I couldn't pull my eyes away from his. Those sea-colored eyes held something dangerous and impossible to ignore. No man had ever affected me the way Freen Sarocha did. Around him, my heart raced uncontrollably, and every feeling inside me became unfamiliar. "Understood?" he asked once more. I quickly nodded. "Yes, Mr. Sarocha." Freen Sarocha - twenty-seven years old, billionaire, powerful, arrogant, and ruthless. The only things that truly matter to him are his son and the empire he built. Becky Armstrong - twenty-four years old, cheerful, kind-hearted, and raised in an orphanage with the woman she considers family. What happens when Becky enters Freen's world as the babysitter for his son? A story filled with tension, secrets, and unexpected emotions begins.

When Becky Armstrong's wedding day ends in tragedy-her fiancé presumed dead in a car crash just moments before their vows-her life is thrown into disarray. Six months pregnant and emotionally shattered, Becky finds herself drowning in grief, disbelief, and the impossible weight of raising a child alone. Enter Freen Sarocha Chankimha-the Armstrong brothers' best friend, Seattle's most renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, and the one woman Becky has never been able to tolerate. Raised under the same roof but always kept at arm's length, Freen has loved Becky silently, unconditionally, and without hope for years. When Becky's parents propose an unexpected solution-a marriage between Becky and Freen to protect both mother and child-Freen agrees, asking for nothing in return. Becky, hardened and heartbroken, makes it clear she can never love her. But marriage has a way of unraveling the truth-about grief, about loyalty, and about the kind of love that survives in silence. "In the Absence of Love" is a story of slow-burn healing, unspoken promises, and the quiet ways someone can save your heart... even when you've given up on it.