Chapter 1

The day I was cleared and set free, I saw the man who threw me behind bars, right outside the courthouse.

Michael Stone wore a perfectly tailored dark gray suit and still had that untouchable CEO vibe.

And me? I was someone fresh out of prison, too scared to go by my real name anymore.

I kept my head down, acted like I didn't see him, and walked away.

But the next second, I heard a hoarse, almost broken voice call out from behind me. "Anna!"

I froze.

His eyes were rimmed red, his voice shaky. "I've been looking for you for so many years. Why didn't you ever try to contact me? Not once?"

That was when it hit me. Seven years ago, he threw me into that dark, hellish cell, all for my late brother's wife, Lauren Rivers.

But now, here he was, standing right in front of me, like a repentant soul, years too late.

*****

The day I got out of prison, I didn't go home. Instead, I went straight to the courthouse and changed my name.

Then I bought a ticket to go abroad, and without a single glance back at the city that shattered me, I left for good.

Time flew by, and eight years passed in the blink of an eye.

The first thing I did when I came back was visit the grave of my brother, David Lane.

But I never thought I'd see Michael Stone again here.

The moment our eyes met, he was wiping David's tombstone with a rag. His hand froze, and a mix of emotions flickered in his eyes.

There was shock, there was joy, and guilt so heavy that it nearly crushed him.

Michael's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "Anna, I've been searching for you for years. I thought you were gone for good."

"Where have you been all these years? Why didn't you ever contact me, not once?" He asked urgently, his gaze fixed on me, like he was trying to read my soul.

When I stayed silent, he quickly wiped at the corner of his eye, panic written all over his face. "Are you avoiding me on purpose? Is it because you resent me for what happened back then?"

His voice dropped lower. "I had my reasons."

I scoffed inwardly.

Michael got David killed, slept with his woman, and pushed me to the edge of collapse. Now he had the nerve to say such things in front of David's tombstone.

But love and hate were luxuries I couldn't afford anymore.

He meant nothing to me now.

When I saw him again, my heart didn't flinch slightly.

Michael saw I wasn't going to respond, so with a heavy heart, he turned and walked away, defeated.

I bent down and gently placed the white roses I'd been holding in front of David's tombstone.

David's photo on the stone showed him with that warm smile, forever frozen at twenty-six.

I crouched, gently tracing his features on the tombstone with my fingertips, and whispered, "If you were still here, you'd be at the airport today to pick me up.

"Like when we were kids, you'd ruffle my hair and laugh, 'Anna, why the long face again?'"

No, if he were still here, he'd never have let anyone hurt me this badly. He'd never have let me leave home and disappear.

I crouched in front of the tombstone, wrapped up in memories, and whispered, "David, I've got some good news for you."

Before I could say more, Michael returned.

He was holding a heavy bag and offered it to me.

His hands shook a little as he spoke in a low voice, "I promised I'd make you a birthday gift every year. All these years, I couldn't find you, so I saved them all up for you."

I peeked inside the bag.

There were tiny earrings, a beret stitched with camellias, and a plush cashmere scarf.

Anyone could tell he really put his heart into it.

But I felt nothing. My eyes were icy, like he was some random guy to me.

His hand froze mid-air, embarrassment and disappointment written all over his face.

"Don't like them? I can get something else for you. Maybe we could have lunch together?" He asked, trying to win me over.

"No, I've got things to do." I shut him down without hesitation.

He was about to keep pestering me, but his phone suddenly rang in his pocket.

On the other end, a woman's teasing voice came through. "Honey, when are you coming home? Don't forget, it's our eighth anniversary today. I've already made a reservation."

My fingers froze for a second, then I gently brushed away a yellow leaf carried by the wind.

This was the one David fought so hard to protect.

He misjudged her, and I did, too.

An itch tickled my throat, and I let out a couple of soft coughs.

The woman on the other end instantly snapped, her voice sharp, "Honey, where are you? Who's that woman I heard with you?"

Michael didn't say a word and hung up.

Michael pulled a face mask from his coat pocket and handed it to me, speaking softly. "You always get a cough when the weather turns chilly in autumn. Don't forget to wear a mask."

I turned my head, avoiding his hand, my voice cold. "That's long gone."

After saying goodbye to David, I turned and walked away.

Michael hurried after me.

I couldn't make sense of it.

Eight years ago, he'd warned me never to show up in front of him again.

Now he was clingy as hell.

At the cemetery gate, there was a row of Lime bike share rides lined up.

I grabbed my phone, scanned the code, and unlocked a bike, ready to leave.

Just then, Michael's black Maybach rolled up next to me.

He lowered the window, giving me a hopeful, almost nervous look. "Anna, have you really been on your own all this time?"