Chapter 1

It was 11 PM, late at night, in an abandoned warehouse on the city's edge.

As flames shot into the sky, Nina Sterling heard Hugh Frost's voice behind her, cold and almost ruthless. "Get her out."

Before Nina could react, a hand clamped around her wrist and yanked her toward the warehouse door.

It was Hugh's personal assistant. His grip was so tight that Nina thought her bones might snap.

"Mr. Frost." Nina instinctively turned back, hoping for some explanation.

But all she saw was Hugh's back.

Hugh was bending down, cradling Sophie Lynn in his arms.

The Sophie who was always so aloof and out of reach now looked frail and helpless in his embrace, tears streaking her face as she clung tightly to his neck.

"Hugh, I'm so scared." Sophie's voice was barely a whisper.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here," Hugh replied.

His voice was softer than Nina had ever heard it.

In three years, she'd heard him say countless things to her: "Just leave the oatmeal there"; "I won't be back tonight"; "Go to bed without me", but not once had he spoken to her like this.

"Mr. Frost, they shoved her in," the assistant reported as he returned.

Hugh didn't look back. He strode toward the ambulance with Sophie in his arms, the flames casting a golden outline around his silhouette.

Nina stood at the warehouse entrance, about sixty-five feet away, and saw Hugh turn his head slightly to say something to his assistant.

The wind carried his words to her ears.

Hugh said, "If she doesn't make it out, transfer 700 thousand in death benefits."

Then he got into the ambulance.

As the doors slammed shut, a burning beam inside the warehouse suddenly crashed down, landing at Nina's feet. Sparks scattered onto her calf, the sting of the burn jolting her back to her senses.

She turned around, staring at the warehouse behind her, now swallowed by roaring flames.

Ten minutes ago, Hugh brought Nina here. He said Sophie had been kidnapped, and the kidnappers wanted a hostage in exchange. Nina thought she was here to help rescue Sophie, wondering what she could do to help.

But then she was shoved straight into the inferno.

"Don't stand there. Get in." The kidnapper shoved Nina forward.

Nina stumbled into the warehouse, her eyes landing on Sophie tied up in the corner.

To her surprise, Sophie looked up and gave her a faint, almost unexpected smile.

"You are here." Sophie's voice was calm, like she'd been waiting for an old friend.

Then Hugh's men rushed in and untied Sophie. They passed by Nina without a second glance.

Another beam crashed down with a deafening boom.

Nina tried to run, only to realize something was weighing down on her right leg. She looked down. It was a burning piece of wood, pressing squarely against her calf.

The pain was so intense that her vision went dark. She nearly blacked out.

She pushed as hard as she could, but the wood wouldn't move. She tried to yank her leg free, but it was stuck. Flames were already licking at her skirt, and she caught the scent of burning flesh.

She lifted her head, peering through the blaze. There wasn't a soul at the warehouse entrance.

Hugh was gone. He'd taken Sophie and abandoned Nina right there in the fire.

Suddenly, Nina remembered so many things.

She remembered three years ago, when the Frost family had just sponsored her through college, and she met Hugh for the first time.

Hugh stood in the living room of the Frost residence, backlit, looking like he'd stepped right out of a painting. He glanced at her and asked the butler, "Is this the orphan?"

His tone held neither contempt nor sympathy, only a simple statement of fact.

Nina nodded, timidly greeting him, "Hello, Mr. Frost."

Hugh didn't answer. He went straight upstairs.

It wasn't until later that Nina learned Sophie, the girl Hugh had grown up with, had just gone abroad that day, and he wasn't in the mood for anything.

Yet in that moment, Nina still lost her heart to Hugh.

Nina remembered how, after moving into the Frost residence, she began learning to make oatmeal.

Hugh had a weak stomach and always stayed up late working, never eating breakfast. Every morning, Nina would get up at five, spend two hours making oatmeal, and place a bowl of it on the table for him, hoping he'd eat it when he came downstairs.

The first day, Hugh didn't touch it.

The second day, he still didn't touch it.

But on the third day, the bowl was empty.

Nina was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling all day.

For three years, Hugh ate the oatmeal every morning. She'd thought he liked it, but in truth, he'd only gotten used to it.