Chapter 1

Ethan Miller adjusted his tie, a simple, inexpensive one Chloe had picked out for him.

She thought he was just an app developer, maybe a mid-level programmer at some decent but unremarkable company.

The truth? He was the founder and CEO of AuraTech Dynamics, a multi-billion dollar tech corporation.

He' d kept it secret, first to make sure Chloe loved him, not his money, and later, well, it became a habit, mixed with a little frustration when she' d wave away his "tech talk" as too boring.

His phone buzzed. Arthur Vance.

"Ethan, my boy!" Vance' s voice boomed, overly friendly. "Big night at The Summit Club. Got everything arranged for our meeting."

Ethan sighed internally, Vance was a major real estate developer, desperate for AuraTech' s partnership on a new Austin city project.

"Looking forward to it, Arthur," Ethan said, keeping his tone even.

"And listen," Vance continued, a conspiratorial tone creeping in, "heard you used to, uh, enjoy the finer things, the best company. So, I' ve arranged for some top-tier company for you tonight. A real sophisticated lady, good family, you know?"

Ethan' s jaw tightened. Old rumors, misinterpreted. He' d had a wild phase years ago, long before Chloe.

"Arthur," Ethan said, his voice firm but polite, "I appreciate the thought, but I won' t be needing any, uh, 'company.' I' m a married man."

"Oh! Right, right, of course! My mistake, Ethan. Bad intel, bad intel. Still, the private suite is ready for our discussion. Seven o'clock?"

"Seven is fine, Arthur. I'll see you then."

He hung up, a knot of annoyance in his stomach. He loved Chloe, deeply. This kind of assumption was exactly why he kept his life compartmentalized.

The Summit Club was Austin' s peak of exclusivity. Ethan, dressed in his "mid-level programmer" best, walked in. The hostess at the private suites section looked him up and down, a flicker of disdain in her eyes before a practiced smile took over.

"Name, sir?"

"Ethan Miller. I have a suite reserved by Arthur Vance."

She checked her tablet. "Ah, yes. The Celestial Suite. This way, Mr. Miller."

He expected an empty room, maybe Vance already there.

Instead, the door opened to a scene that made his blood run cold.

Chloe.

His Chloe was there, surrounded by her gaggle of so-called friends, the ones who always looked down their noses at him.

And Blake Harrison.

Blake, Chloe' s childhood acquaintance from a wealthy, influential family, had his arm possessively around Chloe' s waist, pulling her uncomfortably close. He was leaning in, whispering something in her ear, a predatory smirk on his face.

Chloe looked distressed, her smile strained as she tried to subtly create space.

One of Chloe's friends, a woman named Tiffany, spotted Ethan first. Her eyes widened, then narrowed.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in," Tiffany drawled, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Chloe, darling, is this your... little app developer?"

The group snickered. Blake turned, his eyes, full of arrogance, landing on Ethan.

"Miller," Blake said, his voice dripping with contempt. "What are you doing here? Did you follow Chloe?"

Chloe' s face flushed, a mixture of embarrassment and something else Ethan couldn' t quite decipher.

She pulled away from Blake, her eyes wide as she stared at Ethan.

"Ethan? What... what are you doing here?" she stammered.

Before he could answer, she rushed towards him, her voice low and urgent, but carrying clearly in the sudden hush.

"You can't be here. This isn't your world, Ethan. You're embarrassing me."

Then, louder, for the benefit of her audience, "Are you stalking me?"

The accusation hit him like a physical blow. Stalking her? After Vance' s call?

He looked at her, at the genuine distress mixed with a familiar shame he' d seen when her friends were around.

He remembered all the times she' d dismissed his work, her eyes glazing over when he tried to share his passion for AI or sustainable energy.

"She' s ashamed of me," the thought, a cold, hard certainty, settled in his gut.

He' d built an empire, changed technology, and she thought he was an embarrassment who couldn't get into a fancy club without her.