Chapter 1

The day my car was T-boned and I miscarried, Ashton Sterling happened to be driving past in his Range Rover with his assistant in the passenger seat.

He saw me in my white dress, soaked in blood. He reached over and covered Juliet's curious eyes, tossed out a single cold line—"Bad luck. Don't look"—and hit the gas.

Late that night, in the corner of our walk-in closet, I found a piece of lingerie that wasn't mine.

I closed the closet door and calmly dialed a number.

"Mr. Calloway. I've made up my mind. I can leave the city next week and join your firm."

"That's wonderful news, Rowan. Welcome aboard."

The second I hung up, Ashton walked out of the bathroom.

His hair was half-dry. A faint mist of steam still clung to his shoulders.

He used to be in and out of the shower in under five minutes. Lately he took his phone in with him and lingered for at least half an hour.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked, eyes still glued to his screen.

I told him the truth—I'd just gotten off the phone with Mr. Calloway.

He gave a vague "hm." I could tell he hadn't actually heard a word I said.

And I, for once, didn't make a scene.

I opened my laptop and started drafting my resignation letter.

When Ashton reached for his water glass and didn't find the chamomile sleep tea I brewed for him every night, his gaze finally drifted over, almost charitably.

"Rowan, I showed your CT scan to an orthopedic specialist. He said it's superficial. Just keep the wound dry."

I kept typing. "Got it."

That afternoon, the gash in my calf had taken eight stitches.

That afternoon, I'd also been told I was four weeks pregnant—and that I was losing the baby. The ER doctor had said, with genuine regret, that if I'd gotten there sooner, they might have saved it.

Noticing how eerily calm I was, Ashton frowned and started toward me to see what I was doing.

Then his phone buzzed.

His mouth curved up instantly. He turned and disappeared into his study.

The moment he was gone, I opened my burner Instagram account and pulled up his story.

A fresh post, visible to everyone except me.

An Official Apology. Filed by: Ashton Sterling.

I should not have broken my promise to the cutest assistant in the entire universe.

I said I would clock out on time and take her to dinner. Instead, work held me up, and she went hungry for a full ten minutes.

I am a terrible boss. From this day forward, I swear to do better.

I liked the post. Right as I did, Gregory Calloway's contract landed in my inbox.

I clicked through the link and signed my name without hesitation.