Chapter 3

Once outside, the summer heat hit me like a physical blow.

But my body was still ice-cold. I couldn't feel any of it.

I hailed a cab and headed for the city hospital.

Only when the car was far away from the office did I finally let my guard down. The pain instantly flooded my entire body.

I tried to distract myself, but memories of Sterling and me played in my head like a movie I couldn't turn off.

I remembered how we met.

It was at a high-profile business gala.

He was still young and his company was just starting out. Many people didn't believe in him.

But he was tough and determined, and he managed to collect business cards from the assistants of several big shots.

At the time, I was fighting with my brother, Caleb, and was sitting in a corner in casual clothes, sipping juice, completely out of place.

Some asshole saw me alone and dressed down and decided to start mocking me.

Ordinarily, no one would dare. The Morrow family practically owned this city, and I was the boss's little sister.

But I hate drama, so while everyone knew Caleb Morrow had a sister, they didn't know it was me.

Just as my brother was about to step in, Sterling got there first, shielding me with his body.

He was tall and handsome, and in that moment, it felt like fireworks exploded in my brain.

I fell for him, just like that.

Against my brother's wishes, I went to his side and threw myself into helping him secure one major contract after another.

It's no exaggeration to say that Royce Industries wouldn't be where it is today without me.

And through my selfless devotion, Sterling slowly started to develop feelings for me.

After one party, I’d had a few too many drinks and couldn't control myself anymore. I pushed him down onto the bed.

That night, Sterling didn't push me away. We entered a whole new world together.

Afterward, he didn't say much, just asked me to move in with him.

He was so good to me. So good that I truly believed he considered me his girlfriend.

But I later learned that I was just a bed warmer. His heart had always belonged to someone else.

His childhood sweetheart, Poppy Lowe.