She creates perfect lives. He strips them away.Elena Vane is Chicago's most sought-after "Life Architect." She can spin a scandal into a success story, curate a billionaire's public image, and turn a nervous debutante into a queen. To the world, she is the epitome of poise, polish, and perfection.But Elena Vane is a lie.Her identity is a carefully constructed fortress built to hide a childhood of poverty and a father who stole millions. She lives by one rule: Never let the mask slip.Kaelen Thorne prefers paintings to people. As the lead restorer at the historic Obsidian Gallery, he spends his days in the basement, removing centuries of dirt and varnish to find the brutal, honest history beneath. He has zero patience for pretension, and even less for the icy, high-maintenance consultant who just invaded his sanctuary.When a high-stakes gallery renovation forces them into a partnership, the friction is immediate. Elena tries to manage Kaelen's image; Kaelen tries to dismantle Elena's defenses. He is the first man to look at her and not see the glamour-he sees the cracks. And he's the only one who thinks the cracks are the best part.But as late nights in the studio turn into a dangerous intimacy, the outside world threatens to shatter their fragile truce. When a reporter unearths the secrets of Elena's past, she is faced with a choice: Run and reinvent herself again, or stand still and let the one man who knows the truth love the woman in the mirror.