Chapter 18

The moment Ethan hung up, he threw off his covers and tried to stand, desperate to go find Claire. But the instant his feet touched the floor, his legs buckled and he collapsed.

Years of refusing to eat, surviving on nothing but IV fluids, had left his body devastated.

Margaret rushed to catch him, her face twisted with anguish as she helped him back onto the bed. "Sweetheart, now that we know where she is, she's not going anywhere. The most important thing right now is getting your strength back. If Claire saw you like this, she'd be appalled."

The thought of Claire finding him repulsive sent a spike of panic through him. He glared at the photo, at the impossibly handsome man beside her, and his voice came out sharp as a blade. "I will not be outdone by him."

He started eating again. He worked out obsessively. Before long, Julian called with an update, his tone grave. "Ethan. The man in the photo — he's an Ashford."

A cold glint flashed through Ethan's eyes. "Don't tell me it's the Ashford heir. Dominic Ashford."

Julian's voice was ice. "He's been based in London for years. No wonder our people could never find Claire. He's been hiding her this whole time."

Ethan's expression darkened with menace. He let out a cold laugh. "So what if he's an Ashford? He took my fiancée. I'll make him pay for that."

Meanwhile, Claire and Dominic had just arrived back in New York. As their car wound through the familiar streets toward Ashford Manor, Claire found herself momentarily lost in a daze.

Two years ago, she'd bought a one-way ticket to London, partly to escape everyone from her old life, partly to start fresh abroad.

Then she'd met her boss — Dominic Ashford. He'd recognized her immediately. At the time, the internet was flooded with posts searching for her.

Terrified that he would reveal her location, she'd pleaded with him. He'd simply smiled. "Don't worry. I would never give you away."

What Claire hadn't anticipated was that Ethan and Julian would offer a multimillion-dollar bounty for information on her whereabouts. That period had been the worst of her life. She was harassed constantly, unable to even hold down a job.

She took to wearing a mask every time she left the house, but people still recognized her. They staked out her apartment, trying to film her, and some even attempted to kidnap her.

It was Dominic who had shut it all down. When she'd been too afraid to step outside her own door, he was the one who kept her safe and hidden, constantly looking out for her.

When her landlord eventually evicted her because the harassment was disturbing the other tenants, she'd had nowhere to go. She drifted from hiding spot to hiding spot, even sleeping on the streets, until Dominic found out and took her in.

Looking back on it all, Claire's eyes glistened with tears. She couldn't understand why they wouldn't just let her go. She'd already left — why did they have to push her to that point?

Without Dominic, she might not have survived.

The thought made her glance at the man beside her, warmth flooding her chest. After Ethan's betrayal, she'd sworn off marriage entirely. But Dominic had helped her again and again.

He was attentive and gentle, and he'd confessed his feelings more times than she could count. Each time she turned him down, he'd simply show up the next day and tell her he loved her all over again. She had feelings for him — she knew that — but what she felt more than anything was fear.

Because of Ethan, she no longer trusted herself to be with anyone. After yet another rejection, guilt ate at her. But Dominic remained calm, even managing a warm smile.

"It's okay. You have every right to say no. But Claire — I think you do have feelings for me. So why won't you give us a chance?"

She hadn't been able to answer him then. Later, one night when he'd had too much to drink, he'd pulled her into his arms, his voice raw with hurt. "Claire, can't you just trust me? I know someone let you down before. But you can't make me pay for what your ex did. That's not fair to me."

The words hit her like a thunderclap. She couldn't speak. Because of Ethan, she'd become terrified of love. Every time Dominic reached for her, all she could do was flinch and pull away.

But after that night, she thought it through carefully and decided to be with him. And from their very first day together, Dominic told her he loved her — every single day without fail.

He never put her down. He only ever lifted her up. "Claire, don't let the people who hurt you keep you from moving forward."

"You are wonderful. You deserve to be loved. And we're going to be happy together for the rest of our lives."

Over the course of two years, they'd gone from boss and employee, to friends, to lovers. A few months ago, they'd gotten married abroad.

And now, she had finally let go of the past. She was carrying Dominic's child.

With that thought, she gathered herself. So what if she ran into people from her old life? Neither Ethan nor Julian could touch her anymore.