The day I lost our baby in a car wreck, Vincent Costello was driving by in his bulletproof Cadillac with his new assistant.
He saw the blood spreading across my white dress.
He covered the girl’s curious eyes with his hand.
“Just some trash on the side of the road,” he said, his voice cold as ice. “Don’t look.”
Then he hit the gas and left me in his dust.
That night, in the corner of the walk-in closet in our penthouse, I found a piece of lace lingerie that wasn’t mine.
I closed the door and calmly made an encrypted call.
“Mr. Kruger,” I said. “I’ve made my decision. I can leave New York next week and come work for you in Chicago.”
“That’s wonderful news, Lina. We’ll be glad to have you.”
The moment I hung up, Vincent walked out of the master bathroom.
His hair was half-dry, and he was wrapped in a faint cloud of steam.
He used to take five-minute showers.
Lately, he’d been taking his encrypted phone in with him, staying for at least half an hour.
“Who were you talking to?”
He didn’t even look up from his phone as he asked.
I told him the truth, that I’d just spoken with Mr. Kruger.
He just grunted, “Mm.”
I knew he hadn’t really heard me. He never did.
But for the first time, I didn't argue. I didn't ask questions.
I just opened my laptop and started typing an email.
It was only when Vincent picked up his glass and didn't find the chamomile tea I made every night for his headaches that his gaze finally fell on me, like he was doing me a favor.
“Lina, I showed your CT scan to the Family doctor. He said it’s just superficial wounds. Just keep them dry.”
My eyes never left the screen. “Got it.”
That afternoon, I’d gotten eight stitches in my leg from the crash.
But that wasn’t all. The doctor told me I’d been four weeks along, and that I had lost it.
He said with regret that if I had gotten to the hospital sooner, they might have been able to save it.
Seeing my unusually cold expression, Vincent frowned and started to walk over to see what I was doing.
Just then, his phone buzzed.
A smile instantly spread across his face, and he turned and walked into his study.
I immediately opened Instagram on my burner account.
I saw a new post—one he'd blocked me from seeing, but was visible to everyone else in the Family. It was a picture of a handwritten note:
【An Apology】
【From: V.C.】
【I shouldn't have broken my promise to the cutest girl in the universe, Ava.】
【I said I'd leave work on time to get her the best lobster roll in town.】
【But because of some errands, I made her wait a whole ten minutes while she was hungry.】
【I am a terrible person. From now on, I will do better and be a good boss.】
I liked the post.
Just then, the contract from Mr. Kruger arrived.
I opened the encrypted link and signed my name without a second thought.
The next morning, Vincent brought home bagels and croissants from a famous bakery.
As I reached for the bag with the crab salad bagel, he slapped my hand away.
“Don't you like croissants? I got that almond one specifically for you.”
I froze for a second. I realized the crab salad bagel was for Ava.
I couldn't stop myself. “We've been together for seven years, Vincent. Did you forget I'm severely allergic to shellfish?”
His expression hardened. He shot up from his chair. “You're just looking for a fight,” he said coldly. “Eat it or don’t. I don’t give a damn.”
As he was about to leave, I walked into the bedroom and came back with a small paper bag.
“When you see Ava, please give this back to her for me.”
When he saw the lace lingerie inside, a flash of shock crossed his face.
He opened his mouth, as if to explain.
But seeing my completely indifferent expression—my refusal to start a fight—he just said, “I'll tell Ava to be more careful with her things.”
“Okay.”
Noticing my mood, Vincent offered to drive me to work.
We'd been together for seven years. Even if it was raining bullets outside, as the Don of the Family, he was always so professional that he'd never once driven me to or from work.
But Ava had gotten his personal chauffeur service on her very first day.