Chapter 2

Five years.

Five years since that night.

Sarah adjusted the simple, dark blue catering jacket. It was a little big.

She was at the "Innovators of Tomorrow" gala, a high-profile tech awards ceremony.

Not as a guest.

She was here for Julian. Her husband.

Julian Vance.

The name itself was power, whispered in boardrooms and political backrooms.

He was the head of a vast, private corporation, a man who preferred shadows to spotlights.

Tonight was his birthday, and Sarah had arranged a small, incredibly private surprise for him later, after this dreadful public event he had to attend.

She' d slipped in with the event staff, wanting to oversee one last detail for his actual party, a rare flower arrangement he loved.

No one knew Sarah Jenkins was now Sarah Vance.

Their marriage was a quiet fortress, built on love and a fierce, mutual protectiveness.

Julian had found her when she was still picking up the pieces of her life, a shell of her former self, at a quiet Buddhist retreat. He hadn't cared about her past, only her.

She saw a commotion near the main entrance.

Mark Olsen.

He was the star tonight, lauded as a tech visionary, a political rising star.

He looked every bit the part, expensive suit, confident smile, a crowd of admirers fawning over him.

And on his arm, dripping in diamonds, was Chloe Davis.

His glamorous new fiancée, the papers called them a power couple.

Sarah felt a familiar chill, a ghost of old pain.

She tried to turn away, to blend into the background with the other staff.

Too late.

Chloe' s sharp eyes scanned the room, landing on Sarah.

A slow, cruel smile spread across Chloe' s face.

She nudged Mark, whispered something in his ear.

Mark looked. His eyes widened, then narrowed with a sneer.

They walked towards her, a predator' s gait.

"Well, well, well," Mark said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Sarah Jenkins. Look at you."

He eyed her plain attire, the ill-fitting jacket.

"Still hovering around, I see. Can't stay away?"

Chloe laughed, a high, brittle sound.

"Darling, I think she works here," Chloe said, her voice loud enough for nearby guests to turn and stare. "How fitting."

Sarah stood tall, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Mark. Chloe." Her voice was calm, even.

"It' s been a long time," Mark said, enjoying himself. "Things clearly haven't gone too well for you, have they?"

He looked her up and down again, a dismissive, insulting gaze.

"Still pining after me, Sarah? After all these years?"

Chloe clung to his arm, beaming. "Some people just can't move on, can they, sweetie?"

The old humiliation tried to claw its way back, but Sarah pushed it down.

She was not that broken girl anymore.

"I' m surprised to see you here," Sarah said, her tone neutral.

Mark chuckled. "Surprised? I'm receiving the Innovator of the Year award. Where else would I be? Unlike some, my career actually took off."

His eyes glinted. "You know, Sarah, I almost feel sorry for you."

Chloe added, "Almost."

"It must be hard," Mark continued, "seeing me so successful, with Chloe. Knowing what you threw away. Or rather, what threw you away."

His words were designed to cut, to remind her of that public shaming.

Sarah met his gaze, unwavering.

"I've moved on, Mark."

"Moved on to what?" Chloe scoffed. "Serving canapés at parties you used to be invited to?"

A few onlookers snickered.

Mark' s smile was predatory.

"You know," he said, leaning in conspiratorially, "I'm a generous guy. I could probably find something for you. A little job. Answering phones, maybe? Keep you off the streets."

His offer was a deliberate insult, a public display of his perceived power over her.

Chloe giggled, nuzzling his shoulder. "You're too kind, Mark. But I'm not sure she's qualified for even that, given her... history."

The reference to her supposed "instability" hung in the air.

Sarah felt a cold anger rise, but she kept her composure.

She had Julian. She had a life they couldn't even imagine.

This mockery, this public degradation, it was pathetic.