Chapter 2

My top priority was making sure Ethan couldn't find me.

First, I needed to change my phone number, wipe all my social media, and stay away from every spot I used to hang out at.

The old me worked as an admin assistant at a tiny company, pulling in 1,500 dollars a month. There was no way I was going back there.

If Ethan wanted to track me down, the first thing he would do was check where I worked.

So, what was I supposed to do? I wondered, rubbing my chin.

The old me had a tough life, but she had one thing going for her. She was a total whiz at Egarian. Back in college, she even snagged second place in a national interpreting competition.

After graduation, family drama kept her from landing a job at a big company, so her skills gathered dust. But those skills were still locked away in my head.

Freelance translation. I could pick up gigs online, no need to show up at an office, and no one would ever know where I was. Perfect.

That very day, I signed up for three translation platforms, using the old me's certificates to get verified.

My first gig was translating a business contract: 800 words for 60 dollars. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

*****

Three days later, my old phone buzzed. It was Margaret. "Nora, where have you been? You haven't come home in three days, and your cousin's laundry is piling up like crazy!"

Clutching my phone, I took a steadying breath. "Margaret, I've moved out."

"What?" Her voice shot up. "You moved out? Where did you move to? Nora, don't forget who took you in..."

"Thank you for taking care of me these past two years," I cut her off calmly. "From now on, I'll send you 300 dollars a month for rent and food. As for everything else, I won't trouble you anymore."

"You..."

I hung up and blocked her number.

Kept the old phone in case, but my new one was already in play. A new number, a fresh start.

*****

On the fourth day, my old phone buzzed again. It was an unknown number. I didn't pick up.

Then a text popped up: "Nora, this is Zachary Quinn, Ethan's assistant. Mr. Langley needs to see you. Please be at the 42nd floor of Langley Tower by 3 PM today."

I stared at the message, a smirk tugging at my lips.

Here we went. As the book said, he showed up right on schedule, on day three.

But here was the thing: the old Nora would've freaked out and gone running to him, like he wanted.

Then she'd get forced to sign a confidentiality agreement, handed a box of birth control pills, and get completely humiliated.

Me? I powered off the old phone and buried it deep in the drawer.

Looking for me? Not a chance. I was not playing your game.

*****

A week went by, and Ethan still hadn't found me.

I knew that with his resources, if he really wanted to find someone, he'd never miss.

But Ashford is massive, and I was paying rent in cash; my new number was basically invisible, and all the translation gigs were under an alias.

His people probably hit up Margaret's place and my old office, but they found nothing.

That gave me time. Precious time.

I went all out, snapping up every job I could find: translation, copywriting, proofreading subtitles, anything that brought in cash.

First week, I pulled in 1,000 dollars. Second week, that jumped to 2,000 dollars.

Then an import-export company hit me up, offering a guaranteed monthly output and 3,000 dollars a month. That was more than the old me ever made at her job. I signed.

Life was finally getting back on track.

On the twelfth day, I went downstairs to grab some instant food from the corner supermarket. As I rounded the block, a sleek black Maybach was idling at the curb.

The tinted window slid down.

A cold, sharp face came into view. It was Ethan. So, he finally tracked me down.

My heart lurched, but I forced myself to keep moving.

I acted like I hadn't seen him and kept walking toward the store.

"Nora," Ethan's voice came from behind me, low, cold, and carrying a pressure that demanded attention.

I stopped, not out of fear, but because I knew there was no way out. It was time to face him.

In the book, whenever Nora faced Ethan, she'd always be trembling, with her head bowed, never daring to speak.

That was exactly what led to her downfall. Showing weakness only made the wolf show its fangs even more.

I turned around and looked at him, calm and steady. "What do you want?"

He clearly hadn't expected this attitude from me. His eyes narrowed, studying me like I was some wild animal that had suddenly learned a new trick. "Get in the car."

"No," I said, crisp and clear.

His eyes grew colder. "I don't like repeating myself."

"Then don't," I said, shoving my hands into my coat pockets, my tone flat. "If you've got something to say, Mr. Langley, say it here. I'm in a hurry."

I was in a hurry to buy instant food. But he didn't need to know that.

The car door swung open from the inside.

Ethan stepped out. He was tall, over six feet, dressed in a black coat, his presence so overwhelming it felt like the air itself was heavy with his authority. But I didn't back down.

He stopped right in front of me, towering over me. "About that night."

I knew exactly what he was getting at.

"What night?" I tilted my head, giving him my most innocent look.

His jaw tightened. "Don't play dumb."

"I'm not playing dumb," I shrugged. "Mr. Langley, you were drugged that night, and so was I.

"When I came to, I was literally on top of you. But nothing actually happened."

He clearly didn't buy it. "You expect me to believe nothing happened?"

"That's right," I replied.

"Do you take me for a fool?"

"Go ahead and check," I said, locking eyes with him, not flinching for a second. "The hotel cameras will show I left alone at 3 AM, nothing out of place. My clothes were untouched.

"If you still don't trust me, get yourself checked or look up the water usage in the bathroom. I spent three hours in there, letting the cold water run over me."

His gaze shifted from icy suspicion to something more complicated, like he was sizing me up.

He stayed quiet. The silence stretched on and on. Then he called, "Zachary."

Zachary, his assistant, moved up without hesitation.

"Go check," Ethan ordered.

"Yes, sir," Zachary replied.

Ethan didn't spare me another glance. He turned and got back into the car.

As the door shut, I heard him murmur something from inside. It was barely above a whisper, but I caught it. "Interesting."

The Maybach pulled away. I stood there, and my hands clenched tight in my pockets, palms slick with sweat.

First showdown, done. But I knew this was the beginning.

Ethan was the kind of guy who had to be in charge. If he wasn't the one kicking me out, I had no right to leave on my own.

My disappearing and ignoring him wasn't a relief. It was an insult. It was the kind of disrespect he'd never had to deal with before.

I had to hurry. Before his curiosity turned into a need to control me, I needed to cut off every single connection between us.