et side street. The doctor, a no-nonsense woman in h

r iron levels are far too low. Proceeding with any kind of surgical procedure right now would

k. Another week trapped in that apartment, in that life. But she kne

t, her mind already calculating. A week was

she scanned the doctor's notes. She turned the cor

and smelled faintly of expens

e papers in her hand scattered across the polishe

seemed to absorb the light around him. He had sharp, aristocratic features and eyes the color

unreadable, and then his gaze fell to

ng fingers moved with an unnerving precision. Chloe's breath caught in her throat as his eyes

cker of judgment, of pity, of

against his hand, and held them out to her. His grey-blue eyes met hers for a fractio

ng," he said. His voice

a marble column. Chloe stood there for a moment, strangely calmed by the encounter. He hadn't cared.

earing the moment away

nt felt different. She wasn't returning to h

tly. The apartment was silent, but she could hear a fa

ng from Jul

on the marble floor. She crept toward the study, the door of

personal desk, the one Julian never used. The bottom drawer was open. And in her hand was Chloe's privat

white-hot, surg

n. It slammed against t

one and the journal. The phone landed wi

hand flew to her chest, her face a mask of

into the room, her eyes locked on the housekeeper. She deliberately

"Does your version of dusting involve opening

rself up, her loyalty clear. "Mr. Sterling hired me. He told

shield. The old Chloe would have b

f prenatal vitamins she'd bought at CVS. She slammed it down on

g to an icy whisper as she advanced on the woman

t. If you are not gone in ten minutes, I will call the police and report you for corporate espionage. I'm sure Mr. Sterling w

candal, was more than she'd bargained for. She stared at Chloe, at the stranger sta

d practically

rvant's quarters. Exactly nine minutes later, Mrs. Rodriguez scurri

ent the door clicked shut, Chloe walked to the smart home con

rprints, her entry code, and all associated access

nk onto the sofa, the vast, empty apartment

ptop, opened it, and