In this game, there's a dangerous line between duty and desire...

Daphne Delphine fled Chicago's elite Gold Coast, determined to forge her own path away from her family's powerful empire. But when her father dies and her marriage crumbles, she's forced to return home to a family business teetering on the brink of irrelevance.

Cal Markham, Chicago's billionaire charismatic mayor and her late father's closest friend, steps in with a plan to save Delphine Holdings. What starts as a strategic partnership quickly becomes something more complicated—and dangerous. Their history is tricky: a wild weekend a decade ago, unresolved tensions, and a growing attraction that could destroy everything they've worked for.

As a political scandal from Daphne's past threatens to unravel her family's future, Cal must choose between his political career and the woman he can't forget. With her ex's retaliation looming and the family business at stake, Daphne is fighting for more than just survival—she's fighting for redemption.

The first installment in the Lakeshore Empire Series, this sizzling political romance blends family drama, corporate intrigue, and forbidden passion—perfect for fans of primetime prestige dramas like Rivals and Succession and high-stakes love stories.

Note: This is an adult age-gap, second chance, forbidden romance.