Chapter 3

Sarah ignored the chaos, the pointing fingers, the clicking cameras.

She reached into her clutch, pulling out a small, untraceable burner phone – a habit from years of discreetly managing Rick' s messes.

Her fingers, steady despite the shove, dialed a number she knew by heart.

One ring. Two.

"Ethan Cole speaking." His voice was deep, calm, a stark contrast to the frenzy around her.

"Mr. Cole," Sarah said, her voice low but clear. "It' s Sarah Miller."

A pause. Then, "Sarah? Is everything alright? I heard... well, the news travels fast."

"Regarding your previous offer for me to join NextGen Dynamics as Chief Strategy Officer," Sarah continued, as if they were discussing a routine business matter. "And the other, more personal, proposition you mentioned... are those still on the table?"

She could almost hear the surprise, then the genuine warmth in his voice.

"Sarah," Ethan said, and there was no mistaking the sincerity. "For you, always. The CSO position is yours, whenever you want it. And yes, especially the 'personal proposition.' I meant every word."

The personal proposition. Months ago, after she' d anonymously fed intel that helped NextGen fend off a hostile takeover bid she suspected Rick was orchestrating, Ethan had found a way to thank her indirectly. Later, at an industry event, he' d cornered her, admiration in his eyes. "Someone with your strategic mind, Sarah, shouldn't be hiding in the shadows. If you ever want a real challenge... and perhaps a partner who truly sees your worth... my offer for both stands." He' d half-grinned, calling the marriage part a joke, but his eyes had been serious.

"I' m flying back to New York in five days," Ethan was saying. "We'll finalize everything then. Are you safe?"

"I will be," Sarah said. "Thank you, Ethan."

She ended the call.

Her special element, her genius in tech and market analysis, the very thing Rick had exploited and taken credit for, was now her escape.

Her path to a future without him.