Chapter 1

Months later, my husband, Adrian, would look at me and ask,

"She was willing to risk her life for me. Would you?"

But the story really began with me speaking up for Sophie Carter.

It was Adrian's company anniversary. I came straight from an evening shift at the hospital, with faint creases from my white coat still pressed into my dress. The ballroom glittered with champagne glasses and warm lights. Adrian stood surrounded by executives when I saw a young woman collapse beside the buffet.

Her glass hit the floor first.

Then her knees gave out.

I crossed the room almost automatically and crouched beside her. Her face was pale, her forehead damp, her fingers trembling.

"Can you hear me?"

She opened her eyes weakly. I checked her condition and asked someone to bring juice and something to eat. Ten minutes later, color finally began returning to her cheeks.

Her name was Sophie. She was a new intern at Adrian's company.

Outside the ballroom, she sat on a bench with both hands wrapped around a paper cup. She was gripping it so tightly that the sides had buckled.

"I just forgot to eat dinner," she murmured.

An unused company meal voucher lay beside her shoe.

I didn't press her. But from the little she admitted, I understood enough. She was saving money wherever she could, sometimes eating only once a day. She had no connections in the industry and no one influential willing to speak for her. Her project team already thought she couldn't keep up, and someone had recommended ending her internship early.

Adrian found me after Sophie returned to the party.

"She's not suited for this environment," he said, glancing toward the ballroom. "She's capable, but she doesn't handle pressure well."

I folded the empty glucose wrapper between my fingers. A trace of syrup clung to my skin.

"Low blood sugar isn't a measure of competence."

His eyebrow lifted.

"If she truly can't do the work, let her go. But give her a fair chance to prove it first."

He didn't answer immediately.

Across the room, Sophie stood near the edge of the crowd, clutching a folder to her chest. People talked in easy circles around her, leaving a small empty space where she stood.

The next evening, Adrian told me he had decided to keep her.

Not just keep her.

He had transferred Sophie onto one of his core projects.

"If we're going to find out what she can do, she needs real work," he said. "I'll supervise her myself for a while."

I was removing my earrings. My hand paused.

"You'll supervise her personally?"

"It's the fastest way."

Adrian took the earrings from my palm and placed them in my jewelry box. The two pieces touched with a small, bright click.

"Besides, isn't this what you wanted?" He smiled. "A fair chance."

At the time, I was almost relieved.

What I didn't know was that Adrian never told Sophie I had spoken for her.

So from Sophie's point of view, the most powerful person in the company had noticed her on his own. He had chosen to keep her. He had brought her onto an important project because he saw something in her that no one else did.

"Don't worry," Adrian said before turning off the bedside lamp. "I'm only giving her one chance to prove herself."

Later, I would understand.

He gave her far more than one.