Chapter 3

Morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Ethan's penthouse kitchen, casting everything in a golden glow that felt at odds with the cold atmosphere between us. I sat at the marble island counter, watching him prepare coffee with methodical precision. Two days in this sterile luxury, and I still felt like an intruder in a museum rather than a guest in a home.

I cradled the mug he silently placed before me, inhaling the rich aroma. Perfect timing to start my innocent questioning.

"So," I began, my voice deliberately soft and hesitant, "did I live in Seattle my whole life?"

Ethan's shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly as he poured his own coffee. "Yes."

I stirred a spoonful of sugar into my cup, watching the crystals dissolve. "And Brandon... he said we were close. Were we dating?"

The slight flinch when I mentioned Brandon's name didn't escape my notice. His fingers tightened around his mug, knuckles whitening briefly before he controlled himself.

"Yes," he answered after a pause that lasted a beat too long. "For three years."

"Three years," I echoed, allowing my eyes to widen with appropriate surprise. "That's... a long time. And now I'm here with you instead. Why is that?"

Ethan took a deliberate sip of his coffee before meeting my gaze. Those gray eyes revealed nothing, but something flickered in their depths—something that looked suspiciously like guilt.

"The doctors thought a change of environment would be beneficial for your recovery," he said, the practiced line sounding hollow even to my ears.

"And you agreed to this because...?"

"We have a... business arrangement."

I let confusion wash over my features. "A business arrangement that involves taking care of a woman with amnesia?"

He set his mug down with careful precision. "Something like that."

"And Ashley? The woman at the hospital? She's my friend?"

This time, his reaction was more pronounced—a tightening of his jaw, a flash of something dark crossing his face. "She claims to be."

Interesting choice of words. I filed that away for later examination.

"I think I'd like to go out today," I said, abruptly changing the subject. "Maybe to a coffee shop? Something familiar might help trigger my memories."

Ethan looked like he wanted to refuse, but after a moment's consideration, he nodded. "There's a place downtown. We can go after breakfast."

Two hours later, we stepped into a bustling Manhattan café. The scent of freshly ground beans and pastries filled the air as curious glances followed us to a corner table. Ethan Blackwood was clearly someone people recognized—or at least, his aura of wealth and power was.

I waited until the barista had delivered our order before making my move. With deliberate slowness, I reached across the table and placed my hand over his. His skin was warm, his fingers long and elegant against mine. I felt him stiffen immediately.

"Thank you," I said, my voice loud enough to carry to nearby tables. "For being my anchor through all this."

Ethan's expression remained impassive, but I could feel the tension radiating from him. He was trapped—unable to pull away without seeming cruel to a woman who supposedly couldn't remember her own life.

"You're welcome," he managed, his voice strained.

I leaned closer, aware of the curious stares around us. "I may not remember our connection," I continued, playing my role to perfection, "but I feel safe with you. That must mean something, right?"

His gray eyes locked with mine, and for a moment, I glimpsed something beneath the cold exterior—a flash of genuine emotion that I couldn't quite decipher. Confusion? Guilt? Or something else entirely?

"Perhaps," he said carefully, but he didn't withdraw his hand.

As we sat there, locked in this strange tableau of false intimacy, I couldn't help but wonder what game Ethan Blackwood was playing. Because one thing was becoming increasingly clear—he had his own agenda where Brandon Sterling was concerned. And I intended to discover exactly what it was.

What I didn't expect was the slight tremor in his fingers beneath mine, or the way his gaze softened almost imperceptibly when he thought I wasn't looking. There was more to this man than cold calculation. And that realization was more unsettling than anything else.