"Victoria Whitmore?"
I repeated the name three times before my former manager finally answered.
"Yes."
I sat on the edge of Tasha's couch.
"Who is she?"
My manager hesitated.
"She's on the board of the Whitmore Foundation. Her investment group is one of Sterling's largest clients."
My stomach tightened.
"And she told you to fire me?"
"She said keeping you on staff would jeopardize our relationship with her organization."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
I closed my eyes.
Alexander.
It had to be connected to Alexander.
My manager continued.
"I'm sorry, Maya. I should have told you sooner."
"Why are you telling me now?"
"Because I saw the photographs online. And because what happened wasn't right."
I thanked her and ended the call.
Then I searched Victoria Whitmore's name.
The first photograph showed a beautiful woman in her early thirties standing beside Alexander at a charity gala.
She wore a black evening gown and a diamond necklace.
The caption identified her as a prominent philanthropist and longtime family friend of the Whitmores.
The second photograph was older.
Alexander and Victoria stood outside a luxury hotel in New York.
His arm was around her waist.
The headline read:
Whitmore Heir and Society Fiancée Announce Wedding Plans.
I stared at the screen.
Fiancée.
Alexander had told me he had once been engaged.
He hadn't told me to whom.
Or that the woman was still part of his life.
My phone rang.
Alexander.
I let it ring.
Then I called Tasha.
"I need you to come home."
Alexander arrived at Tasha's apartment two hours later.
I hadn't invited him.
But when Tasha opened the door, he looked genuinely worried.
"Maya hasn't answered my calls."
Tasha glanced toward me.
I stood.
"It's okay."
Alexander stepped inside.
"What's wrong?"
I held up my phone.
"Who is Victoria Whitmore?"
His expression changed immediately.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"She had me fired."
He went completely still.
"What?"
"She pressured Sterling Events to eliminate my position."
Alexander looked at the phone in my hand.
Then he closed his eyes.
"That's unacceptable."
I laughed bitterly.
"That's what you're going with?"
"Maya—"
"Was she your fiancée?"
He looked at me.
"Yes."
The answer hurt more than I expected.
"Are you still involved with her?"
"No."
"Does she know that?"
His jaw tightened.
"We ended our engagement four years ago."
"Then why is she trying to ruin my life?"
He sat down slowly.
"Victoria and I grew up together. Our families were close. We became engaged because, at the time, we believed we wanted the same future."
"What happened?"
He looked toward the window.
"I realized I didn't love her the way she deserved to be loved."
I waited.
"She didn't accept the breakup easily."
"Apparently."
He looked back at me.
"I had no idea she was interfering with your employment."
"How could you not know?"
"Because I haven't spoken to her about you."
I stared at him.
He continued.
"She still works with several organizations connected to my family's foundation. But she doesn't control my personal life."
I looked down at my phone.
"She seems to think she does."
Alexander's expression became serious.
"Then I need to make that clear."
He reached for his phone.
I stopped him.
"Wait."
He looked at me.
"I don't want you calling her and threatening her because of me."
"Maya—"
"I mean it."
He lowered the phone.
I took a breath.
"I've spent four years with a man who thought he could make decisions for me. I don't want to leave that relationship just to have someone else take over."
Alexander was quiet.
Then he nodded.
"You're right."
I blinked.
"What?"
"You're right. I should have asked what you wanted."
I sat down.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then I said, "I want to handle my employment case through my attorney. I want you to be honest with me. And I want Victoria to leave me alone."
Alexander nodded.
"Understood."
I looked at him.
"And I want to know why you never told me about her."
He hesitated.
"Because I didn't think my past engagement had anything to do with what was happening between us."
"What is happening between us?"
His expression softened.
"I was hoping we could figure that out together."
My heart tightened.
I wanted to believe him.
But I had believed Marcus, too.
"I need some time."
Alexander stood.
"Then take it."
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he turned.
"Maya?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry my past has become your problem."
I looked at him.
"Me too."
Two days later, Victoria Whitmore called me.
I had no idea how she got my number.
Her voice was smooth and perfectly controlled.
"Miss Bennett?"
"Speaking."
"This is Victoria Whitmore."
I stood beside Tasha's kitchen counter.
"What do you want?"
"I believe we should meet."
"I don't."
She laughed softly.
"Alexander has always been protective of people he feels responsible for."
I said nothing.
"You're confusing his guilt over the accident with genuine affection."
My stomach tightened.
"That's between Alexander and me."
"Of course."
A pause.
Then she continued.
"How much would it take for you to walk away?"
I stared at the phone.
"Excuse me?"
"I understand you've recently experienced financial difficulties."
My face grew hot.
"Did you call to admit you interfered with my job?"
"I'm offering you an opportunity."
"No. You're offering me money to disappear."
"Call it whatever makes you comfortable."
I took a slow breath.
"Victoria, I don't want your money."
"Everyone has a price."
"Then I suppose you'll be disappointed."
I ended the call.
My hands were shaking.
But this time, I wasn't afraid.
I was angry.
The following week, my attorney obtained written correspondence confirming that Victoria's organization had pressured Sterling Events to remove me from my position.
My former employer agreed to enter settlement discussions.
The legal process would take time.
But at least I finally understood what had happened.
Marcus, meanwhile, had begun sending increasingly desperate messages.
He claimed Claire had misunderstood their relationship.
He claimed he had never stopped loving me.
He claimed Alexander was using me.
Then one evening, he appeared outside Tasha's apartment with Claire.
I had just returned from physical therapy when I saw them standing near the entrance.
Claire looked uncomfortable.
Marcus looked furious.
"Maya, we need to talk."
I stopped.
"No."
Claire stepped forward.
"Please. I just want to explain something."
I looked at her.
She was wearing jeans and a cream sweater.
Without the red dress and glamorous makeup, she looked younger than I remembered.
"What could you possibly explain?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Marcus told me you two had broken up months ago."
I stared at her.
"He said you were only sharing an apartment until your lease ended."
Marcus grabbed her arm.
"Claire."
She pulled away.
"No. I'm done lying for you."
I looked at Marcus.
He wouldn't meet my eyes.
Claire continued.
"When you walked into that room, I realized he'd lied to both of us."
I remembered her expression.
Her shock.
The way she had grabbed her purse.
For the first time, I considered the possibility that she hadn't known.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
I looked at her.
"Thank you for telling me."
Marcus stepped forward.
"She's exaggerating."
I shook my head.
"Stop."
He looked at me.
"You don't understand."
"No, Marcus. I understand perfectly."
I turned toward Claire.
"You should leave."
She nodded.
Then she walked away.
Marcus stared after her.
For a moment, I saw the same expression he had worn at my birthday party.
Fear that she would leave.
Not me.
Her.
I stepped past him.
He caught my wrist.
"Maya, wait."
I pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
A familiar voice spoke behind us.
"She asked you not to touch her."
Alexander stood a few feet away.
He had come to pick me up for dinner.
Marcus turned.
"Stay out of this."
Alexander didn't move closer.
He simply looked at me.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
Then I turned toward Marcus.
"Leave me alone."
Marcus looked between us.
His expression twisted.
"You think you've won something?"
I stared at him.
"This was never a competition."
Then I walked toward Alexander.
He opened the passenger door of his car.
I got in.
And for the first time, I didn't look back.
That evening, Alexander took me to a quiet restaurant overlooking the river.
There were no photographers.
No extravagant gestures.
Just candlelight, good food, and a man who listened when I spoke.
Halfway through dinner, I asked him something that had been bothering me.
"Why did you really stay at the hospital?"
He looked at me.
"I told you."
"Because you were driving?"
"That was part of it."
"And the rest?"
He looked down at his glass.
For a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer.
Then he said, "Because I once lost someone in a car accident."
I stopped breathing.
"Who?"
His expression changed.
"My younger sister."
I stared at him.
He swallowed.
"Her name was Emily."
And suddenly, I understood that the accident had brought two wounded people into the same street for reasons neither of us had been ready to explain.