Chapter 2

At eight o'clock that evening, I returned to the apartment I shared with Sebastian.

The open-plan penthouse in the heart of the city — I had decorated it myself, piece by piece.

The sofa was Italian luxury, chosen for his taste. The rug was the softest wool I could find, picked deliberately because he liked doing things in the living room. Even the double bathtub in the bathroom had been custom-ordered to match his preferences.

Every inch of this apartment was a reminder of how low I had let myself sink.

I walked into the bedroom and pulled out the suitcase I hadn't touched in years.

I opened the wardrobe. Inside, it was almost entirely his — row after row of expensive suits. What belonged to me amounted to a few dull work outfits, and a drawer full of lingerie I'd bought to please him — scraps of fabric that barely covered anything.

I let out a cold laugh and swept every piece of it into a trash bag.

God, it was disgusting.

I took only my everyday clothes, my laptop, and my documents.

When I was done, the suitcase was barely half full.

Seven years. And I had nothing left to show for it.

I left the apartment key on the dining table. Next to it sat the pumpkin soup I had made for him the night before — completely cold now.

I was about to push the door open and leave when my phone buzzed.

A SnapChat message from Sebastian.

"What's your problem? Get back here. I want you now."

Even through the screen, I could picture him perfectly — tie pulled loose, staring me down like he owned me.

He was so used to me being available whenever he called. So used to me coming running the moment he so much as crooked a finger — like a dog in heat desperate to get to him.

I stared at the screen for three seconds.

Then I typed back: "Go find Sarah if you need it that bad. I'm done."

I hit send, then blocked him and deleted him — all in one smooth motion.

Dragging my suitcase out of the apartment building, I felt the early autumn night breeze cool against my skin. But my mind had never been clearer.

My phone rang. It was my best friend, Kate Hamilton.

"Scarlett, you actually moved out of Sebastian's place?" Kate shrieked. "You finally woke up! I always said that jerk didn't deserve you!"

"Yeah. Wide awake." I stood under a streetlight, watching the traffic stream past. "Kate, you mentioned The Hale Group is looking for a Chief Strategy Officer — is that position still open?"

"The Hale Group? Nathan Hale's company?!" Kate sucked in a sharp breath. "The position's open, but Nathan is Sebastian's worst enemy. If you go work for The Hale Group, Sebastian will lose his mind."

"Whether he loses his mind is not my problem." I flagged down a cab. "Get me an introduction. I'm going in for the interview tomorrow."