Chapter 1 Episode 1

The rain came down hard against the sleek glass windows of the Hartman family estate, the steady patter filling the silence of the room. Lily stood near the grand fireplace, her back stiff, eyes trained on the flames that danced and flickered, casting long shadows across the high ceilings and marble floors. The fire was too warm for her, too suffocating, but it was nothing compared to the tension rolling off her mother as she paced behind her.

"I just don't understand why you can't let things be," her mother, Evelyn Hartman, snapped, her heels clicking with each angry step. "Your sister's life is already complicated enough without you dragging this out."

Lily didn't flinch, though she wanted to. The weight of her mother's words pressed against her spine, heavy and unrelenting. She could feel Evelyn's eyes burning into the back of her head, sharp and accusing. It was always this way-Alana was the star, and Lily the inconvenient afterthought.

"I'm not dragging anything out," Lily replied evenly, keeping her voice calm. "It's a business deal. Nothing more."

Evelyn's scoff was loud enough to echo in the vast room. "You think I'm a fool? You think your sister won't see right through this? She knows how you've always felt about Adam."

The mention of his name caused a tight knot to form in Lily's chest, one she fought hard to swallow down. Adam Westbrook-tall, dark, and far too handsome for his own good-wasn't just a business partner now. He was her sister's husband. The man who had been off-limits the moment Alana had set her sights on him, even though Lily had met him first.

"Whatever happened between Adam and me was a long time ago," Lily said, her tone clipped. "We're both professionals. I'm not going to jeopardize this deal over some... ancient history."

Her mother stopped pacing, her voice lowering as she spoke. "This isn't just about a deal, Lily. This is about your sister's marriage. Her life. If you make things complicated for her, if you let those old feelings show, it will destroy everything."

Lily finally turned to face her mother, her eyes hard. "What about my life, Mom? Does that matter at all?"

Evelyn's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes narrowing in a way that made Lily feel small. "You know better than to ask that. This family-your sister-needs stability right now. Adam is everything to Alana, even if they're going through a rough patch. You need to stay away from him. Focus on the work."

Lily's heart twisted painfully in her chest. Alana's perfect life, her perfect marriage, was always the priority. Even if it was all a facade. She had watched them from the sidelines for years, watched the cracks in their relationship deepen, but no one ever spoke of it. To everyone else, Adam and Alana were the golden couple. To Lily, they were a constant reminder of everything she could never have.

"I'm only focusing on the work," Lily said softly, though the lie tasted bitter on her tongue.

Evelyn didn't seem convinced, but she didn't push further. She simply turned and walked toward the door, her back straight, her presence commanding as ever. "Good. Keep it that way. And remember, this is about the family's future. Don't make a mistake you'll regret."

As the door closed behind her mother, Lily exhaled slowly, her hand gripping the mantel for support. The heat from the fire was unbearable now, but she couldn't seem to move away. Her mother's words echoed in her mind, louder with each passing second. Don't make a mistake you'll regret.

But the truth was, Lily was already living with the regret. She had been living with it for years.

Adam Westbrook had once been hers-if only for a fleeting moment. It had been years ago, back when they had first met, long before Alana had swooped in and claimed him for herself. Lily had fallen hard and fast, unable to resist the pull of his charm, his confidence, the way his dark eyes had seemed to see straight through her. For one glorious summer, they had been close-too close. And then, in the blink of an eye, everything had changed.

Adam had chosen Alana.

Lily could still remember the look in his eyes the day he had told her. The regret, the hesitation, the unspoken apology. But he had made his choice, and Lily had been forced to step aside, forced to watch from the sidelines as her sister married the man she loved.

Now, years later, she was being pulled back into his orbit, whether she wanted it or not. The business deal between Adam's real estate empire and the Hartman family's holdings was too important to ignore. And as much as she wanted to keep things professional, she knew it was only a matter of time before old feelings resurfaced.

The sound of her phone vibrating on the coffee table pulled her out of her thoughts. She reached for it, glancing at the screen. Adam's name flashed across it, and her heart skipped a beat.

Taking a steadying breath, she swiped the screen and brought the phone to her ear. "Adam."

"Lily," his voice was deep, smooth, and it sent a shiver down her spine. "I was hoping we could talk about the terms before the meeting tomorrow. There are a few details I'd like to go over."

Lily's pulse quickened, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Of course. We can meet in my office tomorrow morning."

There was a pause on the other end, the kind that made her stomach tighten. "Actually, I was thinking we could meet tonight. Somewhere private. There's too much at stake to leave this to the last minute."

She hesitated, her mind racing. Meeting him tonight? Alone? The last time they had been alone together...

"Lily?" Adam's voice broke through her thoughts. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah," she said quickly, her voice steadier than she felt. "Tonight's fine. Where do you want to meet?"

There was another pause, and she could almost hear the smirk in his voice when he replied, "I'll send you the address. Seven o'clock. Don't be late."

The line went dead before she could respond, leaving her staring at the phone in her hand, her heart racing. This wasn't just about the business deal. She could feel it. Adam wanted more than just a professional conversation.

And God help her, she wasn't sure she had the strength to resist him.

-

The address Adam had sent her was for a private suite in one of the luxury hotels downtown, a place where discretion was guaranteed. As Lily stepped out of the elevator and into the lavish hallway, she felt a familiar unease settle over her. This was dangerous. She should have refused. But it was too late to turn back now.

The door to the suite was already ajar when she reached it, and she pushed it open, stepping into the dimly lit space. Adam was standing by the window, his broad frame silhouetted against the city skyline, hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed.

For a moment, she couldn't move. The sight of him took her breath away, just as it always had. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his jawline sharp, and when he turned to face her, his eyes locked on hers with an intensity that made her knees weak.

"Lily," he said softly, his voice like velvet. "I'm glad you came."

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay composed. "I'm here for the deal, Adam. Nothing more."

He smirked, stepping closer. "Is that what you're telling yourself?"

Her pulse quickened as he closed the distance between them, his presence overwhelming. "This isn't... We can't do this."

"We're just talking," he said, though the way he looked at her told her otherwise. "I've missed you, Lily."

Those words were like a knife to her heart. She had dreamed of hearing them for years, but not like this. Not when he was married to her sister.

"Adam, don't," she whispered, taking a step back, but he followed, his hand reaching out to gently touch her arm.

"Tell me you haven't thought about it," he said, his voice low. "Tell me you haven't thought about what it would have been like if things were different. If I'd chosen you."

Her breath caught in her throat. She had thought about it-every day for the last five years. But she couldn't admit that. Not now. Not when everything was so complicated.

"You didn't choose me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You chose Alana."

Adam's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. "I made a mistake."

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and dangerous. Lily's heart pounded in her chest, every instinct screaming at her to walk away, to end this before it spiraled out of control. But she couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. All she could do was stare up at him, her body betraying her mind as she ached for his touch.

"You shouldn't have called me here," she said, her voice trembling. "We shouldn't be doing this."

Adam's hand slid up her arm, his fingers brushing against her skin in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. "But you came."

Lily's resolve wavered as his touch ignited something inside her, something she had buried long ago. Every rational thought screamed at her to push him away,