I Am the Stand-In Chapter 1

Seraphina Hanover and I were both stolen children. When her family—the Hanovers, titans of industry—finally found her, she clung to my wrist, her grip like iron.

"I want him as my brother," she declared. "I'll protect him for the rest of my life."

But as the years passed, I didn't want to be her brother anymore. I was desperately in love with her.

"That's not on the table," Seraphina told me, her voice gentle but firm.

The burgeoning love became a torment I couldn't bear, so I left, tearing myself away from the only home I’d ever known.

Five years later, we met again. My boss, Mr. Wallace, shoved me into the seat next to her.

"You're a dead ringer for the guy on Seraphina Hanover's lock screen," he hissed in my ear.

"She's been searching for him like a madwoman."

"This is your shot. The look-alike gambit? You were made for it."

I shook my head so frantically my neck ached, wishing the ground would swallow me whole. "No, seriously, this is a bad idea. She's not into my type."

* * *

I never, in my wildest dreams, imagined I’d run into Seraphina Hanover like this.

I was with my boss, Wallace, at a dinner for potential investors. He’d told me there was a billionaire investor, notoriously hard to please, and that I was the only one who could crack her. He’d even dangled a promotion and a hefty raise.

I thought he valued my negotiation skills. I didn't realize he was planning on pimping me out.

The moment we stepped into the private dining room, he pointed at the back of a woman seated at the head of the table, his eyes glinting with manic opportunity.

"That's her. Tonight's deal hinges on you, Sam."

"I've done my homework," he continued in a low whisper. "You look exactly like the man on her phone's lock screen. This look-alike gambit is a sure thing."

Even from behind, I knew her instantly.

Seraphina Hanover. The youngest heir to the Hanover fortune. And my sister, in name only.

I started backing away, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Absolutely not, boss. She's not interested in me. I… I suddenly have a stomach ache. I have to go. Don't try to stop me."

But Wallace's hand shot out, faster than my escape attempt. He grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward Seraphina, his voice a conspiratorial hiss.

"What are you running for? How do you know it won't work if you don't even try?"

"I've got the inside scoop. Miss Hanover is famous for being an ice queen. Men have been throwing themselves at her for years, and she doesn't even bat an eye."

"It was her best friend, Chloe, who spilled the beans one night when she was drunk. She said, 'You idiots don't know the first thing about getting her attention. If you want to give her a gift, give her the man on her lock screen. Seraphina’s been looking for him for years, even calling his name in her sleep.'"

"If you weren't his spitting image, you wouldn't be getting this golden opportunity. Now, go seal this deal for us."

For a man who only drank herbal wellness teas and never worked out, Wallace had a grip like a vise. He propelled me forward and shoved me into the chair to Seraphina’s left.

He clamped a hand on my shoulder, his face plastered with a salesman’s smile as he presented me to her like a prize. "Miss Hanover, this is our company's rising star, Sam Cole."

"He may be young, but his talent is off the charts. He's the one who's closed all our toughest projects."

My heart leaped into my throat. I cursed myself for not checking my horoscope this morning. My eyes, betraying my will, darted toward the woman I had spent five years trying to forget.

Her face was still as captivating as ever, a single glance enough to undo me completely. Framed by a pair of elegant, gold-rimmed glasses, she exuded an air of controlled power, a quiet intensity that was both ascetic and alluring. My resolve crumbled in an instant.

As I wrestled with how to greet her after all this time, Seraphina's assistant, a severe-looking woman to her right, shot to her feet and rounded on me.

"Mr. Wallace, what is the meaning of this?" she snapped.

"Are you unaware of Miss Hanover's rules? No man sits next to her. Especially not one who's clearly had work done to look like… him."

"Are you that desperate to be a substitute? Get out!"