The Hourglass Requiem

Lenaia Markovic was once a prodigy in horological restoration, a lazy genius content with the quiet ticking of antique clocks. One desperate decision led her to become a surrogate, and for five years, she has raised her son, Miro, in peaceful anonymity. But when Miro is diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder that only a bone marrow transplant from his biological father can cure, Lenaia's carefully constructed world shatters. She must track down the anonymous client: Krystian Kosciuszko, the heir to a ruthless industrial empire she has every reason to fear. Forced into an uneasy co-parenting truce, Lenaia and Krystian navigate a minefield of clashing values and simmering attraction. Yet as she investigates the 'accident' that ruined her mentor years ago - a tragedy that pushed her towards surrogacy in the first place - she uncovers a chilling connection to Krystian's family. Can she learn to trust the man who represents everything she hates, or will their shared past destroy any chance of a future for their son?