ine was laced with surprise, then a hi

Last I heard, you were happily ensconced in marital bliss

e undercurrent was sharp.

my voice even. "I need your help with a

itive

ith Olivia. Specifically

xpected. And potentially very lucrative for one of u

substantial settlement and a significant

you cash out? Or perhaps, help you

Maya. And I want to ensure AuraTech doesn't suffer

get the shares, I help you structure a deal, maybe make a play for a

he shares would give yo

target, Ethan. Olivia's built somethin

s. "The point is, I need a clean break. And

Maya said. "What

funds from the settlement, or a commitment for them, within twenty-four hours o

fty million liquid is a big ask on short notice, even for me

ng you, a known competitor, ready to make a move with my shares will force her

an? I'm impressed. And a litt

st comment. "Are

I live for. Send me the prenup detail

es

inner. On me. We have

ase swirling inside me. Maya was a shark,

evitable corporate maneuvering force Olivia to accept the financial terms of

ary to the freedom,

returned from a short "

tment, all smiles and a

She kissed me, a light, fleeting

me with a gi

ething I pick

del I'd admired in a shop window years ago when we were

e, how beautiful it

I said, my voice

a symbol of a time I th

as the most perfect watch ever made. I wanted you to have it. A reminder, Ethan, that no matter how busy

rock of my world, now s

t felt heavy on my wrist,

livia. It's..

was in the shower, her phon

om Signal, a priv

er: Leo

of hear

and just last week, "Oh, I blocked him on everythin

rently, the app they were using for the

n my wrist suddenly

ed more than a private message. I need

f, placing it caref

, I had my own "

py of our pre-nu

ant gift bag, the kind

this until our anniversary dinner next week.

It was the instrum

it, to have it in her pos

I gave it to h

idea! I've already booked that little place in Napa, the one w

has been a whirlwind with AuraTech,

a blade twis

dinner she was

ay I planned to give her th

pa was tense, a

ndow, the Californi

me, excited about the

ed my hand. "You okay, h

," I lied.

d to the car's Blue

shed on the dashb

inst my ribs. He wasn

ightened on the

" I said, m

too quickly. "Probably jus

then immediately buzzed wit

ain. Pe

les were white

ered, her eyes flic

nore him

breath. "You're r

wn on the accelerator.

in. This time, she glanc

d," she w

t is

ather is in trouble. Loan sharks. Th

. She was speeding, we

's his problem, not your

ue, Ethan? What if h

d. The car was go

ivi

red. Tires

sickening crunch of me

nding, se

dar

smelling gasolin

ry breath was agony.

her face streaked with dir

han, can y

a... w

n accident.

forehead, her

ulously intact on the

's

snapped t

m," she said, her voice rushed, distracted. "I...

ing bleeding in the

her phone, a

rom his place," she said, already b

n, she

nn

metal, the smell of blood

im. Over me

l understanding that settled deep in my