Chapter 2

2

To care for Lacey's minor injury, Soren turned down several high-profile, multi-million dollar cases.

The shallow cut on her arm healed completely within a few days.

Eventually, the backlog of work at his firm forced him to return to the office.

Lacey walked into the building like she owned the place, broadcasting her status to everyone.

To everyone's shock, Soren introduced her to the entire staff.

A bitter taste filled my mouth. I remembered the times I had brought him clean clothes when he worked late.

He had always made me use the back entrance.

His excuse was that he didn't want to mix his private life with work. In reality, he was just ashamed of me.

Back in his private office, Lacey leaned over to look at his confidential files.

Normally, Soren would have snapped at anyone for touching his desk.

"Interested in this one?" he asked with a smile. "Since your background is in finance, why don't you help me look it over?"

I stood there, invisible and stunned. Every case had a strict non-disclosure agreement.

He was handing sensitive information to an outsider without a second thought.

His principles and boundaries meant nothing when it came to Lacey.

Lacey leaned down, her head nearly touching his. The air in the room grew thick with a sudden, suffocating intimacy.

Just as they leaned closer, a frantic knock interrupted them. The assistant rushed in and whispered something into Soren's ear.

Soren slammed the mouse onto the desk, his expression instantly turning cold.

"Tessa's parents have a lot of nerve coming here. I should be the one hunting them down!"

He threw on his blazer and marched out like a soldier going to war.

Before we even reached the lobby, I heard my mother's screams.

"This firm is helping a murderer! There is no justice!"

"Soren Miller, give me back my daughter!"

My father had passed away years ago, leaving my mother to raise me alone.

Since the day I married Soren, he had treated my family with nothing but cold indifference.

To avoid conflict, I had distanced myself from her, only sending her money every month.

Looking at her now, her hair was almost entirely white. Grief had carved deep lines into her face.

This was my fault. My cowardice had pushed her into this nightmare.

Soren looked down at her from the top of the stairs. "The court found Lacey innocent! If you keep harassing us, I won't hesitate to call the cops."

"Did Tessa put you up to this?"

A crowd had gathered. Soren, who used to value his reputation above all else, felt emboldened by the court's ruling.

"My daughter was framed! She gave you everything, and you're still sleeping with that woman!"

If it were just a legal case, the crowd might have moved on. But juicy gossip kept them rooted to the spot.

Soren's eyes flickered as he noticed the judgmental whispers. "Watch your mouth!"

"Your daughter is too cowardly to even show her face. She still owes Lacey an apology!"

Lacey hid behind Soren's shoulder, playing the victim. "Maybe we should just let it go, Soren. Don't make it hard on the poor woman."

Her fake kindness only made Soren more stubborn.

"This is Tessa's fault. I won't let her or her family humiliate you anymore."