Chapter 3

Right there on the street, Jonathan and Grace.

A handsome man and a beautiful woman, wrapped around each other, kissing like no one else existed. It was almost cinematic. Almost.

So that was why he took so long.

I walked toward them. The sound of my footsteps must have caught Jonathan's attention. He looked up, and the moment he saw me, his eyes widened with shock. Instinctively, he shoved Grace away, panic written all over his face.

He tried to explain. His mouth opened, then closed. Opened again. Nothing came out.

I watched him for a few seconds, long enough for it to really sink in, then turned around and walked away.

"Lauren!" He chased after me and grabbed my wrist in desperation. "It's not what you think!"

I turned back and looked straight at him, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "How is it not? You were holding her. You were kissing her. And I saw everything. Go ahead. Argue with me."

He fell silent, just staring at me, his eyes full of pleading.

"Let go," I said.

He didn't.

People on the street were staring at us, and through the crowd, I could spot a few folks holding up their phones, probably filming the whole thing.

I really didn't want to end up on the news.

So I yanked Jonathan with me and headed straight for the underground parking lot.

I got into the driver's seat, and when he tried to get in, I just hit the lock.

"Get yourself a cab home. Think you can handle that?" I said.

I didn't wait for an answer. I honked twice and drove away.

I didn't go back to the apartment I'd arranged for him either.

I disappeared from his world entirely.

A few blurry videos did make their way onto the internet.

Thankfully, they were shot from far away and out of focus. Nothing gained traction.

After the PR department reached out and had a few contacts remove them, the issue quietly died down.

Still, the incident put me on edge.

My career was thriving. Six months earlier, the Adams family had officially acknowledged me and brought me back into the fold. I was in the spotlight, and reputation mattered. I couldn't afford mistakes.

Getting tangled up with Jonathan again was out of the question.

It was time to put an end to this little trip down memory lane.

Almost on cue, my parents messaged me, asking when I planned to finally move forward with the marriage alliance with the Reed family, the one I'd been dodging for three months.

I thought about it for a second, then told my secretary to reach out to Jonathan, take care of the apartment handover, and let him know I was done with that place.

Then I looked down and replied, "Anytime."

*****

My first meeting with Joshua was scheduled at a café.

To be honest, I already knew who he was. When he was twenty, his father fell seriously ill, and Joshua entered the family business early.

He worked his way up from the ground level to general manager, later joining the board with his father's support. By now, he was firmly in control. When he spoke, people listened.

On paper, he was perfect. Well matched families. Young. Capable. Successful. I was genuinely satisfied with this arrangement. When we greeted each other, I casually complimented him a few times.

Joshua responded warmly. "I've heard a great deal about Miss Adams. I was lucky enough to see you once at an event years ago. I was instantly taken."

I assumed it was polite small talk and didn't take it seriously.

He just smiled and didn't push the point.

He was considerate in a way that felt effortless.

The coffee the server brought was exactly what I liked, a caramel macchiato. Every topic I brought up, he followed smoothly, never missing a beat.

He was gentle, polite, and totally at ease. Honestly, if I had to pick a partner, he'd be my top choice.

If I had to be honest, though, my gaze lingered on his ever present faint smile.

Maybe he was a little too… safe. A little dull.

But no one got everything. The thought passed quickly, and I let it go.