The Ash Court Contract Bride

The execution flame is already licking at her feet when Gu Wantang wakes inside the body of a condemned noble bride. To survive, the crisis negotiator must make a bargain with the one man who might be more dangerous than the fire: Rowan Vale, the ruthless frontier heir. He offers her thirty days—but only as his fake wife. In a court where flames burn anyone who believes their own lie, Wantang must dismantle twisted testimonies, uncover a switched poison vial, and prove she never meant to kill the queen’s favorite. But Rowan was supposed to be her enemy, and every cold touch threatens to shatter the walls protecting her heart. When their marriage contract expires, Rowan will either expose the royal conspiracy—or stand in the flames and take her sentence for himself. Will Wantang save his bloodline before the fire decides which of them is guilty?