Chapter 3

The recruiter replied almost immediately.

"Actually, our international division needs a director. Salary is around $150,000 a year. It's pretty far from home, though. Interested?"

"Absolutely," I wrote back.

I booked a flight for two days later, went home, and started packing.

At the back of my closet hung a winter coat Derek had bought me during my overseas assignment. My fingers brushed the fabric, and memories flooded back.

That winter, a blizzard had buried the city where I was stationed. One evening, I left the office and found Derek waiting outside.

I'd been so happy I ran straight into his arms.

He tucked my freezing hands into his pockets and cradled my windburned cheeks. "Look at you. You're frozen," he said softly.

He stayed with me for an entire month, canceling meetings to be there. He worried I wasn't ready to manage a project alone, so he patiently taught me everything he knew. When one of my projects failed and I broke down sobbing, he held me.

"It's okay. I've got your back."

Those days had been wonderful. Nobody there knew who we were. We didn't have to sneak around. We could hold hands on the street, go out to dinner, and act like any other couple.

I'd lived on that memory year after year.

But now I wondered whether he'd only visited because Sophie had come back, and he felt guilty about shipping me away.

I drew a deep breath and left the coat in the darkest corner of my closet.

My work chat pinged.

"Company team-building trip tomorrow. Mountain hike. Everyone meet outside the office at 8 a.m. No exceptions."

I ignored it and kept packing.

It was late by the time I finished. Derek finally came home.

His hard, distant expression softened when he saw me. He walked straight up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his head against my neck.

"Still angry?" he murmured. "I know today was unfair. But Sophie helped me when I needed it. I can't humiliate her in front of everyone."

I said nothing.

"I'm going on the team outing tomorrow, too. I'll spend some real time with you. How does that sound?"

I nodded, though inside I felt nothing at all.

One last day together. I could at least give eight years a proper ending.

The next morning, our bus pulled up at the foot of the mountain.

Sophie greeted everyone with a cheerful smile. "Relax! I just want to get to know my new team. I'm not nearly so strict outside the office. Let's have fun."

The crowd cheered.

The moment we began climbing, Derek slowed to walk half a step behind Sophie.

I'd never had much stamina. Before long, I was breathless and falling to the very back of the group.

When I looked up, Derek was carrying Sophie's bag. He even unscrewed the cap of a water bottle before handing it to her.

She accepted it with a smile. Walking side by side, they looked exactly like a couple.

He never glanced back at me.

The last trace of reluctance I'd felt about leaving vanished.

I stopped on the trail and watched them disappear around a bend.

Not long afterward, dark clouds swallowed the clear sky. Rain came down in sheets, soaking me in seconds.

I hurried into an abandoned gazebo for shelter. The surrounding hills were deserted. The unnatural quiet, the cold, and my rising fear made my hands shake.

I called Derek.

Once. Twice. Three times.

No answer.

The sky grew darker. When the rain eased a little, I tried to make my way downhill. My foot slipped on the wet steps, and my knee struck the stone hard.

Pain shot through me. Blood soaked my pant leg.

I curled up on the ground, shivering, my tears mixing with the rain on my face.

Just as terror threatened to overwhelm me, Derek finally called back.