Threeyearsago,IanMercersavedhiswife,Victoria,fromamafiakidnapping,onlytobecapturedhimselfandforcedtoworkasaslaveinanillegalgoldmineforthreebrutalyears.WhenhewasfinallyrescuedandreturnedtoLosAngeles,hediscoveredthatVictoriahadalreadybuiltanotherfamilywithactorRyanCole—andhadevenbecomepregnantwithRyan’schildagainafterIancamehome.Completelyheartbroken,Iandecidedtoendthemarriage.ButafterRyanframedhim,VictoriahadIanlockedinanundergroundfacilityaspunishment,forcinghimtorelivethetraumaofthemine.ThatnightbecameIan’sbreakingpoint.HelefttheUnitedStatesforParisandreturnedtothefashioncareerhehadabandonedyearsago.Stepbystep,Ianlearnedtofacecrowds,physicalcontact,andtheshadowsofhispast.Herebuilthimselfasadesignerandeventuallyfoundedhisownbrand,Mercer.BythetimeVictoriafinallycametoParishopingtowinhimback,Ianhadalreadymovedon—andmetElena,awomanwhorespectedhisboundariesinsteadoftryingtocontrolhim.Ianneverforgotthethreeyearshespentunderground.Butthemine,hisbrokenmarriage,andhispastcouldnolongerdecidewherehislifewouldgonext.
