His Clockwork Heart's Deceit

Pavel Orlov is a prodigy in the world of Lumina, intricate clockwork dioramas that capture dreams in light and brass. But his heart is a machine of cold vengeance, wound tight for seven years, ever since his childhood sweetheart, Olenka, vanished after the Solstice competition, leaving only a cruel note. Pavel blames one person: Anika Koslova, his brilliant and enigmatic rival, whose ambition he believes shattered his world. Now, on the day of his engagement to another, Pavel enacts his revenge. He systematically dismantles Anika's career, buys her debt-ridden workshop, and forces her into servitude as his assistant, compelling her to help him win the very prize she allegedly stole from him. Trapped in close quarters, Pavel is disarmed by Anika's quiet resilience and breathtaking talent. He finds his perfectly calibrated hatred thrown into chaos by an infuriating, undeniable affection. But as the truth of that long-ago night begins to surface, Pavel will discover his revenge was built on a devastating lie. Can he atone for destroying the one woman who could truly mend his clockwork heart?