Chapter 1
Three years into our secret marriage, Henry Carter pulled out all the stops and handed me a huge Valentine's Day gift.
Three years of advanced training in Saldovia, fully funded. For my career growth, he said.
I was so happy I couldn't sleep all night. I kept tossing and turning, wondering if we'd finally go public once I came back.
The next day, I overheard him in the break room, sweet-talking the new intern, Sophia Reed.
"Once I ship her off to Saldovia for three years, the credit on every big project will be yours alone."
"Mr. Carter, what if she finds out?" The intern's voice came out small.
Henry was quiet for two seconds. His tone went flat.
"I gave her a 170 thousand dollars scholarship. Whatever guilt I'm supposed to feel, I've already paid for it in cash."
I leaned against the wall, and I suddenly wanted to laugh.
Three years of secret marriage. A thousand nights of working until 2 AM.
Turns out I had a price tag—less than 60 thousand dollars a year.
I didn't walk in to confront him. I opened my phone and returned the missed call from the rival company's headhunter, the one I'd been ignoring for six months.
"Hello. I've thought it over. I can start whenever you need me."
*****
Henry pushed open the break room door and stepped out. The moment he saw me in the hallway, his gaze caught on my face for a beat.
"What are you doing out here?"
"Just came over." I held up the empty cup, walked past him into the break room, and turned on the dispenser myself.
Henry stayed put, leaning against the doorframe, watching me.
Once, he would have filled the cup for me. That stopped about six months ago.
Sophia stepped out behind him and stopped short when she saw me.
"Ms. Lane." Her voice was small, her head bowed, her fingers fidgeting with the badge lanyard.
"Sophia." I gave her a small nod.
"Sophia had a few mistakes in her data earlier. I helped her clean them up."
His voice had slid back into the flat, even tone he used with everyone else, as if the soft murmuring inside the break room a minute ago had belonged to someone else entirely.
I took a sip of water and said nothing.
"How's the visa paperwork going?" Henry asked.
"Still working through it," I said.
"Don't drag your feet."
He drew a card from the inside pocket of his suit and laid it on the counter between us.
"Your apartment in Saldovia is set, close to the business school. The secretary's taken care of it. This is your training bonus, 170 thousand dollars."
"Thank you, Mr. Carter." I picked up the card and slipped it into my pocket. He was waiting for me to ask about dinner the way I used to.
I walked out, cup still in hand.
Back in my private office, I locked the door behind me.
I flicked the 170 thousand dollar card onto the desk, where it landed with a sharp clatter.
The chat window from Atlas Enterprises was still open on my screen.
[Ms. Lane. Glad you've finally come around. Our President has spent six months waiting for those words.]
I texted: [Next Monday, I'll fly straight to the Saldovia HQ to report in.]
I closed the chat and started sorting through the project files on my computer.
The Starlight Initiative had cost me countless sleepless nights, and every line of core code, every client name, was already backed up to my private cloud drive.
A knock on the door cut through my thoughts. "Come in."
Henry's secretary stepped in with a stack of files cradled in her arms.
"Ms. Lane, Mr. Carter would like a handover list for the Starlight Initiative."
"Already?"
I glanced at the files. They were source documents I had marked up myself.
"Mr. Carter said you're flying out next week, so the sooner you wrap up the handover, the sooner you can take a breather."
She couldn't quite meet my eyes. Her gaze kept sliding off mine.
"Who's taking over?" I asked.
"Mr. Carter put Sophia Reed on it."
My finger stilled on the mouse for a second.
"Mr. Carter said he'd be training her himself..." Her voice grew smaller.
"Got it. Just leave them there." I pointed to the corner of my desk.
She set the files down, exhaled in relief, and all but fled the room.
By the end of the workday, the office floor outside had gone quiet.
Henry pushed the door open and walked in with a takeout box in hand. "Still at it?" He stepped behind me, set his hands on my shoulders, and started rubbing the tension out.
"Handover list's longer than I thought. Let me keep going." I didn't turn around, kept my eyes on the screen.
"Don't burn out. Eat something first."
He opened the takeout box. Inside was the seafood chowder I used to love from that little place.
"I've got a dinner I can't get out of tonight. I won't be able to sit down with you."
"Sure." I picked up a spoon and started stirring the chowder.
"I know this hasn't been easy on you." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "Once things settle, I'll make it up to you properly."
I forced a spoonful down, and my stomach lurched.
"It's fine."
Henry walked out of the office looking pleased with himself.
Ten minutes later, I stood at the floor-to-ceiling window and watched the Maybach roll out of the underground garage.
The passenger window rolled halfway down. Sophia poked her head out, grinning.
Henry leaned across and clipped her seatbelt in for her.