Chapter 3

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that the very first day I ran into Asher again would end with him making off with my cat.

"Asher, you jerk. Stop right there," I shouted, stumbling in my heels as I chased after him.

But it was like he had eyes in the back of his head. Every time I was about to catch up, he'd just sidestep with effortless ease, leaving me grasping at air.

Averie was trailing behind, recording the whole thing and laughing so hard she could barely breathe. "Go, Chloe. Hey, handsome in the suit, don't run. Give back your daughter. Wait, no, give back your ex-girlfriend's daughter."

I wanted to march right back there and shut her smug mouth for good.

Asher strode over, casually popped Millie into the back seat of his Cullinan, slammed the door, then leaned against the car, watching me with that smug, relaxed look of his.

"Want to see your daughter?" Asher raised an eyebrow, looking for all the world like some villain straight out of a fairy tale, holding the princess hostage and waiting for the king to beg.

"She's my daughter," I gasped, trying to set him straight.

"She's a Kane," Asher shot back, cool and concise.

I was speechless.

Seeing that cocky look on his face made my blood boil.

Five years, and Asher still knew exactly how to hit where it hurt. He knew just how much Millie meant to me.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Asher, let's talk. What do you want?"

"Nothing much," Asher said, straightening up and fixing his tie with that effortless elegance, like he hadn't just been a childish idiot stealing my cat. "I just think, as Millie's real dad, I have the right to be involved in her upbringing."

I felt my eye twitch. "She's just a cat."

"Cats need a father, too," Asher said with a straight face, as if he actually believed that nonsense. Then he pulled a gold-embossed business card from his suit pocket and handed it to me.

"Here's my address and number. If you want to see your daughter, you can come by anytime. Of course," he paused, that infuriating smirk growing even wider, "only if I'm home."

So basically, if I wanted to see Millie, I'd have to work around Asher's schedule and mood.

I stared at the business card, so pissed I wanted to slap it onto his ridiculously handsome face. But Millie was still in his car.

I gritted my teeth, snatched the card out of his hand, and squeezed it tight in my palm.

"Fine, you win," I muttered.

He looked pretty satisfied with my reaction, and for the first time since we'd run into each other, he gave me a real smile. It was subtle, but it lit up the night like fireworks, leaving me a little dazed.

I quickly turned away, unable to bring myself to look at him again.

Asher was my poison. I knew getting close to him would only lead to disaster, but I just couldn't help myself.

Back then, I knew he was Averie's little brother, three years younger than me, and there were so many things standing between us.

But on his birthday, after a few drinks, he dragged me into a dimly lit corner of a college bar, grabbed my hand, and looked up at me with those glistening eyes, like a sad little puppy.

He buried his face in the crook of my neck, his breath hot against my skin, his voice soft and hurt as he whispered, "Chloe, everyone says you don't like me. Do you also think I'm too young?"

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might jump right out of my throat. Before I knew it, I reached out and gave his back a gentle pat.

But instead of letting go, he just squeezed me even tighter, clinging to me like I was his only lifeline.

That night, he walked me home. When we got to my building, he suddenly stopped, giving me that intense, tipsy look.

He nervously drummed his fingers on his thigh, his go-to nervous tic whenever he was deep in thought or on edge.

"Chloe," he blurted out, finally working up the nerve, "I don't want to just be your kid brother. Can I be your boyfriend?"

Under the moonlight, his crush was so real and intense. I just couldn't turn him down.

And just like that, we started sneaking around together.

"What are you thinking about?" Asher asked. His icy voice yanked me out of my daydream.

I blinked, suddenly realizing Asher was right in front of me, so close I could practically feel his breath.

I took a quick step back, putting some space between us, but my heart still skipped a beat.

"N-nothing," I mumbled, awkwardly looking away.

He gave me a deep, lingering look, but didn't push it. Then he turned, opened the car door, and slid into the driver's seat.

The black Cullinan slipped into traffic like a wild animal, vanishing without a trace.

All that was left was me and Averie, who was laughing so hard she was almost convulsing.

"Come on, quit laughing already." I gave her a look.

"No way. I need a few more minutes." Averie braced herself against the wall, wiping away tears. "Chloe, I totally underestimated my brother. Five years and his crazy skills have leveled up. He actually pulled off a cat heist."

I couldn't even crack a smile.

I looked down at the business card in my hand. It read: [Asher, CEO of Kane Group.]

Five years, and he was a whole different person. He wasn't the kid I used to protect anymore. Now he was someone I had to look up to.

But I was rooted to the spot, even taking an involuntary step back.

A heavy sense of powerlessness wrapped around me, suffocating. The gulf between Asher and me seemed bigger than ever.