it sat on Jasper's d

g from some discreet medical company that promised "99.9% accuracy and complete confiden

had called him

hild. You want a pro

ittering behind him through floor-to-ceiling windows. Fort

he kit. Hadn't eve

office and now, a traitorous thought

quisition. Another board meeting he was missing while he obsessed over a

n't finish t

ed. "Mr. Sterling?

urned to ice. "M

meant your... Ms. Vivian S

hs after his mother's funeral, then proceeded to redecorate their c

I'm in a

a pregnant woman yo

rse sh

-

a smile that could cut glass. She swept into his office like she owned it, whi

ling. You lo

idn't stand. Didn't offer her a s

She settled into the chair across from him uninvited, crossing her legs with practiced elegance. "Then you dragged some poor girl to Robert Chen's office?

ened. "This is non

me may not mean much to you, but it means everything to the foundation, the board, the shareholders." She lea

g in the air

t o

spe

voice deadly quiet. "Before I

her eyes. "Your father would be ashamed of you. Throwing away e

my school plays. He missed my high school graduation for a ribbon-cutting in Dubai. He wasn't there when my mother died because he was too busy securin

come crying to the board when this scandal tanks our stock price." She pau

ice felt too large and

ow, the city moved on, indifferent. Millions of people living their lives, non

with Lily Rodriguez. Hadn't been

body, and for the first time in years, Jasper had felt... untethered. Like he could be someone other than Ric

asper. And she'd

ect night, that

rang. Unkn

r Ster

ospital. There was some bleeding, and the doctor wants to run tests, and I know I said I didn't want you

bing his coat. "I'm on

spe

nt, toward the elevators. "Do you hear me? Don't move, don't

ious. The doctor sai

r button repeatedly, uselessly

uiet except for

loor. Maternity

ator din

e said again, s

ne was alr

polished steel-a man who'd spent his entire life building wall