The Winter's Warmth

Prologue

"Love melts even the coldest of hearts... or so they say."

I never believed in things like that.

People always talked about love like it was this magical thing that could fix everything-like it could heal wounds, erase the past, and make everything feel warm again. But I knew better. Love was unpredictable, dangerous. It made people reckless, made them hope for things that never lasted.

I had spent years building walls around myself, learning how to survive without needing anyone. And then, *he* came along.

Aidan Grey.

A world-famous model. The man every brand wanted. The man every woman wanted. He had everything-looks, charm, success. But instead of chasing after fame or fortune, he was chasing after me.

I was his manager, nothing more. I handled his schedules, booked his shoots, made sure he didn't get into trouble. But from the moment we met, he had been doing everything he could to break past my walls.

He was clingy. Annoyingly persistent. Always smiling, always teasing, always acting like my coldness didn't affect him.

But he didn't understand.

I wasn't like him. I wasn't the kind of person who could easily let people in.

So why... why did it feel like no matter how much I pushed him away, he was already too close?

I didn't know it then, but Aidan Grey was about to ruin everything I thought I knew about love.

And maybe... just maybe... I was going to let him.