Chapter 4

Moments later, Timothy called.

"Babe, a client just came up out of nowhere. I've been chasing this one for the better part of a year. If I close this deal, I'm made."

"Babe, I know I should be there with you right now, but I'm not a doctor. Even if I came, there's nothing I could do."

"Babe, I'm so sorry, this deal is just too important. I'll send a colleague over, okay? Don't be scared. The second I'm done with work, I'll come see you."

I said nothing and hung up.

"Looks like he's made his choice."

"My name is Winona Tanner. Timothy Chavez's wife. President of Tanner Group."

Winona dropped a business card at my feet and turned to leave.

"Babe, once the company takes off, we'll call it Fletcher Group."

My name is... Moira Fletcher.

Every promise he made to me and to our child, he'd given to someone else.

Pain stabbed through my elbow, but it couldn't touch the clench in my chest.

More than ten hours on a hard seat, and this was what I'd traveled for. A joke.

I watched the Continental shrink into the distance. If I wanted one, I could buy one.

But I'd wanted Timothy to be the one who made that happen.

Now I didn't.

I checked my balance. Half a year of saving. Thirty thousand.

I'd come to hand it to Timothy in person. Now I could spend it on myself.

I booked the earliest flight. The high altitude he'd never lifted me to, I'd reach on my own.

The southern city kept shrinking beneath my feet, until it vanished.

About two hours later, I walked out of the airport. A man was already waiting.

A few doctors stood with him, and they hurried forward.

I didn't refuse. They tended the wound on my elbow, careful with every move.

The man watched me, ache plain on his face. "I've had people keeping an eye on you the whole time. I know everything that happened over there."

"Moira, I really do know I was wrong. I've already torn up that non-compete. Even if you don't come back to the research lab, you can take a job anywhere you like."

"I don't want to see you living this hard anymore."

Ten years ago, because I'd chosen to be with Timothy, this man had blacklisted me across the industry.

And I'd signed the non-compete anyway, just to stay with Timothy.

The knowledge in my head couldn't be turned into money, but I did it gladly.

"Can I still come back to the research lab?" I asked.

"What?"

He caught up to my meaning and said quickly, "Yes. Of course you can."

"What's the salary?"

"How about ten million? If it's not enough, I'll take it up with the board."

"That's enough."

"Am I worth that much?"

"You haven't worked in the field these ten years, that's true. But I know you never stopped studying. Your work speaks for itself in this industry. You're worth it."

I got into the car he'd arranged, and exhaustion rolled over me. I hadn't let myself relax like this in so long. I fell asleep in the back seat.

I don't know when we reached home. When I opened my eyes, he quickly looked away from me.

"Thank you." I pushed the door open and got out.

He got out after me. "Moira, do I still have a chance to be part of your world?"

"When you liked me, I chose Timothy."

"Just like when I liked him, he chose Winona."

"He's scum, and I'm no better. Jordan Perez..." I looked at him. "Don't wait for me. I'm not worth it."

"You are." He was almost shouting. "You're not like him."

"You turned me down straight, and then chose Timothy. But Timothy kept two women. He betrayed you."

"Moira Fletcher, I love you. I loved you before, I love you now, and I'll love you after."

I didn't know how to face Jordan's fervor, didn't know how to answer him. I went up the stairs in silence.

I'd barely reached the landing when my phone rang.

Timothy. I'd forgotten to block him.

Not too late to do it now.

When his calls wouldn't go through, he started messaging me.

He stared at the red exclamation mark, and the color drained from his face.

My phone had been on for him twenty-four hours a day. No matter when he called, I always picked up on the first try.

Whatever he messaged, I always answered right away.

Rejecting him, blocking him. Both firsts.

"Chairman Chavez, there really was an accident over on Seacloud Avenue. The one who caused it was your wife."

Timothy opened the photos I'd sent him the night before and zoomed in, bit by bit, and his face went whiter and whiter.

In that moment something inside him felt hollowed out.

"Get the car ready. Airport. Book the earliest flight."