Chapter 2

Three days later, Jessica stood outside the door of the "home" she and Fabian had once shared, dragging a suitcase behind her.

The lock had been changed.

She rang the bell, and the door opened to reveal a pretty young woman.

The girl was wearing Jessica's slippers, tied into Jessica's apron, and when she saw her, a smug, taunting little smile crossed her face.

"You must be Jessica. I'm Zoe Perry, Fabian's fiancée."

Something in Jessica's chest pinched, like a needle going in.

So he'd already lined up her replacement.

"Where are my things?" Her voice came out rough.

Zoe pointed to a few black trash bags heaped in the corner by the door. "They're all right there. Some old clothes, old shoes. Didn't look like anything worth keeping, so I packed it up for you. If you don't want it, I'll have the cleaning lady toss it in a bit."

That was every year of her youth in those bags.

Jessica didn't say a word. She walked over quietly, picked up the trash bags, turned, and left.

No shouting. No tears, no scene.

Because she knew, to someone who doesn't love you, every last one of your tears is worth nothing.

Dragging her suitcase and the trash bags, Jessica drifted along the street with no idea where to go.

In this city, she no longer had a home.

Her phone rang. It was Alexis Pruitt, her best friend.

"Jess, how are you holding up? I heard. Fabian, that piece of garbage, he isn't even human!" On the other end, Alexis was practically spitting with rage.

And that was when Jessica's tears finally broke loose.

"I'm okay… Lexi, I just… I've got nowhere to go."

"Come to my place! I'm coming to get you right now!"

Half an hour later, Alexis pulled up to the curb in her little red Beetle and found Jessica standing there, hollowed out.

Seeing her friend's pale face and swollen, red eyes, Alexis's heart ached.

"A scumbag like that isn't worth it!" Alexis scolded as she loaded the luggage into the car. "Good riddance! You're this amazing, what kind of man couldn't you land? And listen, I came here today specifically to set you up with a truly incredible guy!"

Jessica gave a bitter little laugh. "Lexi, look at me. I'm in no state to be thinking about any of that."

"No, you're going, no arguments!" Alexis started the car before Jessica could protest. "Think of it as a farewell dinner. A way to say goodbye to the past!"

The car stopped outside an exclusive private club.

Alexis dragged her in, straight into a quiet, elegant private room.

A man was already seated inside.

He wore a sharply tailored black suit, his back to them, looking out at the night skyline through the window.

His frame was tall and straight, and even from behind, he radiated a powerful presence that warned strangers to keep their distance.

At the sound of them entering, he turned around.

The moment Jessica saw his face, her breath caught.

It was a face handsome to the edge of perfection: sharp brows, bright eyes, a high nose, thin lips. Only his complexion was too pale, and his eyes ran deep, like an old well, giving nothing away.

Him?

Jessica recognized him.

Gerard Roman, president of Roman Group.

A man you only ever saw in the business magazines. Cold and merciless by reputation, ruthless in his methods, an undisputed king of the corporate world.

And more than that, there was a secret about him that the whole city knew. An accident years ago had left him unable to father children.

"Mr… Mr. Roman?" Alexis was stunned too. She'd never dreamed the "quality catch" a friend had arranged would turn out to be this legend himself.

Gerard's gaze settled on Jessica. He spoke lightly, his voice low, with a faint metallic edge to it.

"Miss Fox?"

"Yes."

"Sit."

Jessica sat down stiffly.

Gerard came straight to the point, sliding a document across the table.

"Marry me."

Both Jessica and Alexis froze.

Gerard explained without hurry: "I need a wife. To handle my family, to shut down all the talk out there. And you, Miss Fox, just got divorced. The reason being… you can't have children. For me, that works out perfectly. It saves a great deal of unnecessary trouble."

His words cut like a knife, striking her wound again.

But she didn't let it show.

"And what do I get out of it?" She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eye.

Gerard seemed a little surprised by her reaction, the corner of his mouth curving into a faint, barely-there arc.

"One, a black card with no limit. Two, that villa on the west side is yours. Three, I'll help you take back everything you're owed." He paused, then added, "Including making your ex-husband's company disappear from this city."