Chapter 1

Ten years.

For ten years, my world had a single center of gravity, and his name was Liam.

We built his tech empire, "Aegis," from a garage startup into a titan on the verge of its IPO.

I was there for every all-nighter, every corporate espionage threat I neutralized, every high-stakes deal where my intuition was the deciding factor.

He was the charismatic face, the ambitious CEO.

I was the silent partner, the weapon in the shadows, his head of security and his everything else.

He promised me a future.

"Once Aegis goes public, Ava," he' d say, his hand tracing my jaw. "It' s you and me. A real life. No more fighting in the trenches. I' ll make you my wife."

I believed him.

I dedicated my entire life to that promise, pouring every ounce of skill I learned in special ops, every drop of loyalty I had, into his dream. Our dream.

Tonight was the pre-IPO celebration, a lavish party for his inner circle at the top floor of the Aegis tower.

I was on my way to join them, a small, genuine smile on my face. We had made it.

The heavy oak door to his private conference room was slightly ajar. I heard his voice, smooth and confident, and I paused, wanting to savor the moment.

"...and the final stock allocation is settled. We' re golden."

One of his VPs, a man named Marcus, spoke up. "What about Ava, Liam? What' s her role going to be, officially? She's been with you from the start."

I leaned closer, my smile widening. This was it.

Liam let out a low chuckle. It was a sound I knew better than my own heartbeat.

"Ava? She' s been loyal for a decade, I' ll take care of her."

He said it with a casual air, like he was talking about a faithful old dog.

"A generous severance package, a consulting title. She's earned that much."

My smile froze. Severance? A title?

I was about to push the door open, to demand what he meant, when his voice changed. It softened, losing its corporate edge and becoming something intimate, something I hadn't heard in years.

"Ava' s seen it all, a title means nothing to her. She' s tough."

He paused, and the silence was heavy.

"But Chloe is different."

Chloe.

The name was a blank space in my mind. Who was Chloe?

"She' s the purest soul I' ve ever met," Liam continued, his voice now a tender whisper. "She' s... clean. Untouched by all this ugliness. She' s the kind of woman you build a home with."

His next words shattered the world I had built.

"I want to marry her."

Another voice, one of his board members, chimed in, confused. "Marry her? Liam, everyone thinks you and Ava are..."

"Ava was a partner for the climb," Liam cut in, his voice turning sharp and impatient. "Chloe is the prize at the top. Ava understands business, she understands utility. She'll get it. This is what's best."

The board member sounded hesitant. "But a decade, Liam... her loyalty..."

"Her loyalty was an investment, and I'm paying it out with interest," Liam snapped, all warmth gone. "She's a soldier. She knew the mission. Now the mission is over. End of discussion."

The air left my lungs.

My hand, which had been resting on the door, fell to my side.

The crystal champagne flute I was holding slipped from my numb fingers. It hit the marble floor and didn't shatter, it just made a dull, dead thud.

The sound was muffled, but inside the room, the conversation stopped.

I couldn't move. My legs felt like they were anchored to the floor. My entire body went cold, a deep, invasive chill that started in my chest and spread to my fingertips.

A memory flared in my mind, hot and sharp.

Us, ten years ago, in a dusty garage filled with servers and whiteboards. We had just survived a hostile takeover attempt from a rival. I had worked for 48 hours straight, tracing the digital attack and feeding the culprit false data until he exposed himself.

Liam had pulled me into his arms, his face buried in my hair.

"You saved me, Ava. You saved everything," he' d whispered. "I swear to you, when we make it, everything I have will be yours. My name, my future. Everything."

I had believed him.

The oak door creaked open.

Marcus stood there, his eyes widening in shock when he saw me. He saw the look on my face, glanced at the flute on the floor, and immediately understood.

"Ava..." he started, his expression a mixture of pity and terror.

I didn't hear him. The blood was roaring in my ears. The polished marble floor seemed to tilt and rush up to meet me.

My knees buckled, and the world went black.