Emery Vaughn was about to hand over a billion–dor empire–and she couldn’t stop smiling.

“On a scale of one to ‘please p some sense into you, this ranks somewhere around full–blown insanity.”

Emery ignored her friend Nina’s words as she finished signing the transfer of shares that she prepared for her boyfriend, Samuel.

“Really… Em… Do you want me to p you in case that would wake you up, or something?”

“Five years,” Emery said, signing the final page. “I tested him for five years he passed.”

Nina grabbed the folder. “These will make him thergest shareholder of your father’spany, which is worth millions. Are you hearing yourself?”

“Worth billions,” Emery said with a grin. “And he stayed with me when he thought I was just an orphan intern. That kind of love deserves everything. Don’t you think so?”

Samuel owned.

She started walking out of the bcafé /band marched towards the opposite building the very building that San

Nina jogged a step ahead to catch up. “Em, seriously. You need to think this through.”

“I already did. Five years, Nina. Five years of hiding who I really am. And he never once made me feel like I wasn’t tightening her grip on her purseb. /b“It’s time that I pay him back.”

Nina looked down at the folder in her hands. “You’re giving him everything.”

enough,” Emery said,

Emery nodded. “Because he earned it. Tomorrow, he’s going to meet my father and we can get married bin /bsecret. This bis /bmy dream, alright?b” /b

They reached the building entrance when a sudden screech of tires made them stop. A sleek ck bcar /bpulled up at the curb.

Before they could react, a wave of people swarmed the sidewalk. Reporters shoved their way forward, cameras shing, mics shoved ahead. One of them clipped Emery’s shoulder, nearly knocking her off bnce.

“Whoa!” Nina grabbed her, steadying her before she could fall.

“What the hell–” Emery started, but her words were drowned out by screams.

Fans were pushing past them nowb, /bshouting a woman’s name.

“Talia! Is Talia here?b” /b

“Talia! We love youb!/b”

“Talia, Look at me!”

Security immediately rushed to create ba /bbarrier, but the crowd kept moving forward. Because of thisb, /bEmery and Nina were pushed against the bss /bdoors of the building. One of the security guards shoved a fan bback/b, and in the chaos, both Emery and Nina stumbled to the ground.

Emery grabbed Nina’s arm and tried to bstand/b, but another bwave /bof screaming fans pressed toward the car. Her heart pounded as she pulled herself up. What the bheck /bbis /bgoing on? She turned her head just in time to see the door of the car bopen/b.

Then ba /bfamiliar face stepped out.

Samuel Dwight. Her Samuel.

bA /bwoman got out iof /ithe bcar /band stood next to him. It was another familiar faceb. /b

Almost immediately, the reporters shouted over bone /banother.

“Mr. Samuel Dwight! Is it true you’re bmarrying /bTalia bArden/bb?/bb” /b

He bpaused /bfor a second, adjusted his bcoat/bb, /bthen nodded. b“/bYes, it’s true. bWe’ll /bbe holding bthe /bengagement bceremony /bbvery /bsoon.

Emery blinked.

b1/3 /b

12:34 AM PP.

Another reporter pushed forward. “bIs /bit true she’s pregnant?”

Samuel looked straight ahead. “That’s a very personal matter. I hope you can respect our privacy.”

He had barely finished speaking when another PR handler beside him handed out printed invitations. “The ceremony will be held this Saturday at the Azure Grand Hotel. A formal press conference will follow.”

That set the crowd off. More fans rushed forward, shouting Talia’s name. Phones were lifted, shes blinding. Several people shoved against each other, trying to get closer. It was almost impossible to move.“?”

Emery held on to Nina tightly as they were pushed backward. One of the cameras hit her shoulder, hard enough to sting. Yet she ignored it as she looked at Samuel again.

H

He didn’t even nce in her direction. However, this was not enough to stop her. She marched inside the building, fuming followed behind Samuel.

“What the hell are you doing?b” /bNina asked, pulling her back.

bas /bshe

“Did you hear that?” Emery asked, her face paling. At first, she wasn’t sure if she heard it correctly, but that was clearly Samuel. She wasn’t blind or deaf. That was him! “He’s marrying someone.”

Nina grabbed Emery’s arm. “Em, stop. Don’t do this. Not here.”

Emery yanked her arm free. “He’s marrying someoneb,/bb” /bshe said. “Someone that’s not me!”

She moved fast, weaving through the lobby and heading straight for the elevators. Samuel had just stepped inside with Talia and his secretary. Seeing this, Emery quickened her pace, but one of the guards blocked her path.

“Mr. Dwight asked not to be disturbed,” the guard said. “He wants to be alone with Miss Arden.”

Emery didn’t stop. “Do you know who I am?” she snapped, her voice loud enough for some people to notice.

That got Samuel’s attention. He looked at her–just for a moment. His eyes lingered, filled with something unreadable. But he said nothing, letting the elevator doors close.

“Oh, hell no.” Emery didn’t wait. She turned sharply and bolted toward the stairwell. She could hear Nina shout her name behind her, but Emery didn’t slow down.

“Emery! Emery, stop!”

Emery didn’t slow down. She yanked off her heels and clutched them in one hand, feet pounding up the stairs. Her breath came hard and fast. Her legs burned her chest squeezed tight–but hey, all that cardio was finally paying off.

“Wait–just wait!” Nina called again, struggling behind her. Emery nced back once to see Nina leaning against the railing on the sixth floor, gasping for air.

“Go,” Nina said between breaths. “Just go.”

Emery didn’t look back again.

By the tenth floor, her knees buckled slightly, her chest rising and falling bfast/b. She pushed the door open and stepped into the hallway. Two men in ck stood outside Samuel’s officeb. /bShe recognized them–his personal security. Familiar faces. Faces that used to nod at her when she brought coffee when she left in the mornings when bshe /bstayed over,

She marched straight toward the door, heels still in hand.

“You can’t go in,” bone /bof them said, stepping forward. “You’re not allowed on this floor without clearance.”

“Does he know I’m out hereb?/b” she asked.

“We’re following instructions,” the other guard said. “Please bstep /bbaway/b.”

“I’m not leaving,” Emery said. “Tell him I’m out hereb!/b”

Just as she expectedb, /bbthey /bdidn’t move.

b“/bSamuel!b” /bshe shoutedb, /bher voice echoing down the hallwayb. /bb“/bSamuelb, /bbopen /bthe damn doorb!/bb” /b

12:34 AM P p

The two guards stepped in immediately. One of them reached for her arm.

“I said don’t touch me!” Emery snapped, backing away from the guards.

Before either of them could respond, the office door swung open.

Emery turned toward it, expecting Samuel.

Instead, Vanessa Dwight–Samuel’s motherb–/bstepped out.

mudahy and

Emery barely had time to register the older woman’s expression before a hand shot out and struck her across the face.

The p was sharp and fast, her cheek instantly stinging as her head jerked to the side. She stumbled back, heels slipping from her grip and hitting the floor with a dull thud. Her hand flew up to her cheek, but she didn’t speak. Not yet.

“Hold her down!” Vanessa barked.

Emery’s heart pounded as the guards hesitated. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak–not from fear, but from the pure shock of it.

Then she heard him.

Mom, what are you doing!?” Samuel’s voice cut through the noiseb. /b

Emery’s eyes snapped toward himb, /bbut her bface /bburned too much to form a reply.

Vanessa didn’t pause. “I don’t understand why you would actually think my son would marry someone like you. You I said hold her down! Today, I will teach this woman a lesson she will never forget!”

b3/3 /b