CHAPTER 2

Monday arrived far too quickly.

Neveah stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, fastening the buttons of a cream blouse while wondering why she had ever thought returning to work was a good idea.

For an entire month, nobody had asked her to make a decision before nine in the morning.

Nobody had sent her a stack of documents.

Nobody had called her because an executive wanted approval for something that could have been handled without her.

Nobody had said the words urgent meeting.

She had forgotten how irritating those words were.

Now, as she looked at herself in the mirror, she could already feel the familiar weight settling over her shoulders.

Her work clothes.

Her heels.

Her watch.

Her hair pulled neatly away from her face.

Everything about her looked like the Neveah Sterling everyone knew.

The woman who didn't miss deadlines.

The woman who noticed when a report was missing two pages.

The woman who could walk into a boardroom full of men twice her age and make them reconsider every decision they had made before she entered.

She picked up her handbag.

Then stopped.

For one brief moment, she considered taking it off again.

Going back to bed sounded wonderful.

But she had already spent a month running away.

She wasn't going to spend another one doing the same thing.

By the time Neveah arrived at Sterling Holdings, the building was already busy.

The moment she stepped through the revolving doors, several employees noticed her.

A receptionist nearly dropped her pen.

Someone whispered her name.

Another person immediately pretended they hadn't been staring.

Neveah kept walking.

She wasn't surprised.

Her absence had been public enough, and her return had probably been discussed before she even left her apartment.

The receptionist stood quickly.

“Good morning, ma'am.”

“Morning.”

“Welcome back.”

Neveah gave her a small smile.

“Thank you.”

She continued toward the elevators.

The doors opened almost immediately.

As she stepped inside, she caught her reflection in the mirrored wall.

She looked calm.

Good.

That was exactly what she wanted.

The elevator reached the executive floor, and the moment the doors opened, Olivia was already waiting.

Her assistant smiled.

“Welcome back.”

Neveah stepped out.

“How bad is it?”

Olivia blinked.

“You've been gone for a month.”

“That wasn't my question.”

Olivia laughed.

“Everything is fine.”

“Fine?”

“Yes.”

Neveah stopped walking.

“That's suspicious.”

“Why?”

“Because if everything is fine, it means you people have been doing perfectly well without me.”

Olivia followed her into the office.

“We have.”

Neveah dropped her handbag onto the desk.

“I don't like that.”

“I know.”

Olivia placed a tablet on the desk.

“I have your schedule.”

Neveah stared at it.

“How many meetings?”

“Three.”

She groaned.

“Cancel two.”

“Which ones?”

“The ones that don't involve money.”

Olivia smiled.

“Welcome back, boss.”

Neveah sat down.

For the first few minutes, she simply looked around her office.

Nothing had changed.

The large windows still overlooked the city. Her desk was still perfectly arranged. The shelves still held the awards she had accumulated over the years.

A photograph sat in the corner.

She had forgotten about it.

She picked it up.

It was from a university awards ceremony.

Neveah stood in the middle, holding a trophy.

And beside her was Sebastian.

Her smile disappeared.

She put the photograph down.

Of all the people in the world, why did he have to be in that picture?

Sebastian Blackwood.

Even his name irritated her.

They had met when they were sixteen.

Their first conversation had lasted approximately four minutes before they started arguing.

She had been presenting a project at an academic competition.

Sebastian had stood up afterward and pointed out a flaw in her calculations.

She had told him his criticism was unnecessary.

He had told her being offended didn't make him wrong.

She had hated him ever since.

Unfortunately, Sebastian had apparently taken her hatred as a challenge.

Their rivalry followed them through high school, then college.

If Neveah ranked first, Sebastian ranked second.

If Sebastian won something, Neveah made sure she won the next thing.

They had spent years competing over grades, competitions, internships, presentations, and eventually business achievements.

Their families knew each other.

Their fathers did business together.

Which meant Neveah couldn't even escape him after graduation.

She had hoped adulthood would make them grow apart.

It hadn't.

If anything, it had made Sebastian more annoying.

Older.

More successful.

More arrogant.

And unfortunately, more handsome.

Neveah immediately rejected that last thought.

She didn't care if he looked like he had been carved by angels.

He was still Sebastian.

“Are you okay?”

Olivia's voice brought her back.

Neveah looked at her.

“Yes.”

“You've been staring at that picture for a while.”

“I was thinking.”

“About?”

“Nothing.”

Olivia glanced at the photograph.

“Oh.”

Neveah narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Olivia.”

Her assistant smiled innocently.

“Nothing.”

Neveah pointed toward the door.

“Get out.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

Olivia walked out laughing.

Neveah leaned back in her chair.

She had been back at work for less than twenty minutes, and already Sebastian Blackwood had managed to annoy her without even being present.

Impressive.

Her first meeting lasted an hour.

The second lasted forty minutes.

By lunchtime, Neveah had already reviewed three reports, signed six documents, rejected a proposal she considered ridiculous, and reminded one department head that “we have always done it this way” was not a business strategy.

It felt good.

Normal.

Familiar.

By three in the afternoon, she had almost forgotten about the wedding.

Almost.

Then Olivia walked into her office holding a folder.

“I need you to sign something.”

Neveah continued reading the document in front of her.

“Leave it there.”

Olivia placed it on the desk.

“There is one more thing.”

Neveah looked up.

“What?”

“Your parents called.”

Her pen stopped moving.

“Why?”

“They didn't say.”

Neveah immediately knew it wasn't going to be good.

“My father?”

“Both of them.”

“What do they want?”

“They asked if you could come for dinner tonight.”

Neveah frowned.

“Tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“They didn't say.”

Neveah leaned back.

“Did they sound worried?”

Olivia thought about it.

“Not worried.”

“Happy?”

“Maybe.”

Neveah didn't like that answer.

Her parents didn't randomly invite her for dinner.

Not unless they wanted to discuss something.

She sighed.

“Fine.”

---

By seven that evening, Neveah was sitting at her parents' dining table.

She had already decided something was wrong.

Her mother had cooked her favorite meal.

Her father had opened a bottle of wine.

They were both smiling far too much.

Neveah put down her fork.

“What happened?”

Her parents looked at each other.

Her father smiled.

“Nothing happened.”

“Dad.”

“Why do you assume something has to be wrong?”

“Because Mum made my favorite food, you opened expensive wine, and both of you have been smiling at me for the last twenty minutes.”

Her mother laughed.

“We missed you.”

“You saw me three days ago.

Her father chuckled.

“Still keeping track of everything.”

Neveah gave him a warning look.

Her mother quickly intervened.

“Eat.”

Neveah picked up her fork again.

She took another bite.

Then her father cleared his throat.

There it was.

Neveah put the fork down again.

“What is it?”

Her father leaned back.

“Your mother and I have been discussing something.”

“I don't like that sentence.”

“We know.”

“Then don't say it.”

Her mother reached across the table.

“Neveah, we want to talk to you about your future.”

Neveah stared at her.

“My future is fine.”

“You just returned to work today.”

“And?”

“You've been through a lot.”

“I survived.”

“We know.”

Her father hesitated.

“That's why we think it might be time for you to consider moving forward.”

Neveah frowned.

“Moving forward with what?”

Her mother smiled.

“A new relationship.”

Neveah nearly choked on her wine.

“No.”

Her father blinked.

“You haven't even heard us.”

“I don't need to.”

“Neveah.”

“No.”

“We aren't asking you to marry anyone tomorrow.”

“Good.”

“We just think—”

“No.”

Her mother sighed.

“You're too quick.”

“I've had enough marriage discussions for one lifetime.”

“We're not talking about your previous fiancé.”

“Then what are we talking about?”

Her father exchanged another glance with her mother.

Neveah's stomach tightened.

Something was definitely wrong.

Finally, her father said, “The Blackwoods approached us.”

Neveah went still.

“The Blackwoods?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Her father took a sip of wine.

“They want to strengthen the partnership between our companies.”

“That has nothing to do with me.”

Her mother's expression became strangely gentle.

“Actually, it does.”

Neveah stared at her.

“No.”

“You haven't heard the proposal.”

“I already know I don't like it.”

Her father sighed.

“They proposed a marriage alliance.”

Silence.

Neveah slowly put her glass down.

“Between who?”

Her father didn't answer immediately.

He didn't need to.

She already knew.

There was only one Blackwood her parents would ever consider discussing with her.

“No.”

“Neveah—”

“Absolutely not.”

Her mother reached for her hand.

“Just listen.”

“I have nothing to listen to.”

“Sebastian has agreed.”

Neveah laughed.

It was so absurd that she couldn't help herself.

“Sebastian?”

Her father nodded.

“Your old friend—”

“He is not my friend.”

“Your old acquaintance.”

“He is not my acquaintance.”

Her mother sighed.

“Sebastian Blackwood.”

Neveah pushed her chair back.

“You've lost your minds.”

“Sit down.”

“No.”

“This isn't a joke.”

“Exactly.”

Her father looked at her seriously.

“Sebastian is thirty-one. He's established, intelligent, and capable of handling the responsibilities that come with marriage.”

“He's arrogant.”

“He's successful.”

“He's insufferable.”

“He's respected.”

“He once told me my presentation was ‘painfully predictable.’”

Her father shrugged.

“Perhaps you needed better slides.”

Neveah stared at him in disbelief.

“Whose side are you on?”

Her mother laughed.

“You two have always fought.”

“Exactly.”

“Maybe that's why this could work.”

Neveah looked between them.

“You actually want me to marry Sebastian?”

Her mother squeezed her hand.

“We want you to have someone who can stand beside you.”

Neveah pulled her hand away.

“I don't need someone.”

Her father nodded slowly.

“We know.”

“Then why are we having this conversation?”

“Because Sebastian doesn't need someone either.”

That stopped her.

Her father continued.

“He isn't looking for a wife because he needs one. He's considering this because he believes the arrangement could benefit both families.”

Neveah stared at him.

“And he agreed?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Her father smiled faintly.

“He said you were the only woman he knew who wouldn't marry him for his money.”

Neveah blinked.

She hated how accurate that was.

Her mother smiled.

“He also said you would never spend your life flattering him.”

Neveah scoffed.

“He knows me too well.”

“Perhaps.”

She stood.

“No.”

Her father looked at her.

“You haven't even spoken to him.”

“I don't need to.”

“Then meet him.”

“No.”

“Once.”

“No.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Absolutely not.”

Her father smiled.

Neveah knew that smile.

It was the same one he wore when he had already made a decision and was merely waiting for her to stop resisting.

She narrowed her eyes.

“What have you already agreed to?”

Her father's smile disappeared.

“We told the Blackwoods you would meet Sebastian.”

Neveah stared at him.

“You did what?”

“Just a meeting.”

“You arranged a meeting without asking me?”

Her mother sighed.

“Don't start.”

“I am absolutely going to start.”

Her father laughed.

“Tomorrow evening.”

Neveah picked up her handbag.

“I am not going.”

She walked toward the door.

Behind her, her father called, “He'll be there.”

She stopped.

Slowly, she turned around.

Her mother's lips twitched.

Neveah knew exactly what her father had done.

He knew her too well.

There was no way she could tolerate Sebastian sitting somewhere, waiting for her, believing she had been too afraid to show up.

Her pride wouldn't allow it.

Her father smiled.

“See you tomorrow.”

Neveah glared at him.

She hated him.

She hated Sebastian Blackwood.

Because somehow, after a month of trying to forget the disaster of her wedding, the universe had decided that the perfect way to repair her life was to put the one man she'd spent half her life fighting directly in her path.

And apparently, he was waiting for her.

Not as her enemy.

But as a potential husband.