The heroine and her irresponsible 18 year old brother on "vacation" for the heroine to help her brother break away from his gambling habits that have caused him to be in debt with some unsavory characters. During this time, they run into the hero and his young son with their dirty dog. The heroine's sweet response to the dog's pawprints all over her coat enchants both son and hero at first look. They strike up conversation to from public to private about the opera and then how the hero lost his first wife in childbirth and the heroine lost her parents, becoming the sister/mom to her brother. Right after, the heroine get assaulted by one of her brother's debtors with the brother being a coward and hiding whereas the little boy attacks the man to protect the heroine but she gets hurt. The hero in furious about the whole thing and pays off the little brother's debts (I hope the man made him sign an agreement that he's paying it off). The heroine tries to give it back but the hero offers the alternative of the heroine working as his son's tutor to pay off with brother working at the hotel as well to pay it off. This is because the son has grown quickly attached to the heroine and needs her as emotional support then his divorce with the boy's stepmother. It's because the woman never loved the little boy and only loved the hero's wealth and title. During this time, the heroine learns more and more about the hero's past from his brother of his on and off relationship with his first wife then his second wife cheating on him. She also helps the little boy with a bully problem. Then when the notion of the heroine leaving sends the hero into proposing a marriage of convenience for their loved one's sakes. The heroine agrees to the whole thing, despite being in love with the hero. Then on their wedding day, the heroine is cornered by the ex-OW and lot of things are said like the heroine stating she doesn't love the hero. Unfortunately, the hero hears it and puts up the love barrier. The heroine knows she's hurt the hero but not how much since his brother said that the hero stated in a drunken stupor he would only love his first wife. I did like that what the heroine did with asking the hero to speak about the first wife to bringing flowers with them when they visited her grave. The heroine realizes that she loves the hero but believes he doesn't since his heart belongs to the first. That is until the masquerade ball where things get steamy. Then the OW makes her final appearance with a crushing discovery: the hero isn't the son's biological father. The first wife was with an actor who died in an accident. She became desperate to provide for her child and ran to the hero. The hero is able to maintain face long enough to scare her off before he collapses onto his seat. He says that he suspected but never pushed it. The heroine reassures him that he's the boy's father with all the love he has for him and more. The two confess their love and kiss. Then they go to see the little boy who's in tears and rejecting the hero as his father since the viper of OW told the little boy as her last effort to hurt the hero. The heroine assures the little boy that the hero loves him as his own and always will. It's a very heartwarming moment for them all. They put the boy to bed and it ends very well.