Chapter 3

Josie looked absolutely bedraggled as she lay sprawled among the shrubs, covered in dirt. She'd never expect Rowan, the timid young man who'd only listened to his mother, to have been reformed by me.

Now, Rowan was better known as a capricious tyrant in the business world. And it had only been days ago when his once-persnickety, wealthy mother slipped an emerald bracelet onto my wrist. It was a family heirloom.

She'd then pointed at Rowan as she leveled her threat on him, "You're no son of mine if you upset Laura, you hear me?"

Crawling out from the shrubs lining the landscaped yard, Josie wiped the dirt from her face. The determination in her eyes burned even brighter. "I see. All of them are playing hard to get, huh? I'd like to see how they'd fight over me at the party tomorrow!"

I quietly commended her for her spirit, then mentally lit a few candles for her in prayer.

The next evening, the Sonnenfeld residence shone like a beacon. The Sonnenfelds had invited half the city's socialites and big names to create a buzz around Josie's grand return.

Josie wore a bespoke, couture dress that cleverly hid the swell of her baby bump. She wore a ruby around her neck, basking in the overwhelming attention and praise of her friends and relatives.

"What a lucky young lady Josie is! Those three eligible bachelors are still hung up on her even though she was away for three years!"

"Lucky, indeed! I heard Mr. Lowry of Kingsgrove; Mr. Shaw, the tech upstart; and the infamous Mr. Gallagher will be here tonight!"

"Three men fighting over a woman? That's the stuff of novels!"

I was wearing an old, nondescript sweater and holding up a plate by the corner of the buffet counter, courtesy of Mom's arrangement.

Josie made a point of approaching me with a champagne flute, eyeing me down her nose. "Goodness, Laura, why the plain outfit? Oh, right. I forgot Mom cut you off. Don't be sad, though.

"After I've taken my pick, you can take yours from the remaining two men. You don't have to stand on ceremony with me."

I swallowed a bite of the black forest cake and fixed Josie with a genuine look of concern. "Did you forget your medication today, Josie?"

Josie scowled. She was about to snap back when two neat rows of bodyguards clad in black pushed open the heavy, ornate doors of the villa.

Zane strolled in from the left. His gaze, once unfocused and full of nonchalance, now held the contempt of an apex predator.

Benjamin took the center spot, bringing with him the powerful presence of an industrial capitalist.

On the right was Rowan, his eyes dangerous and cold, like a lone wolf that would snap the neck of its prey at any given moment.

The three top-tier moguls whose paths normally didn't cross had appeared at the same time!

Mom and Dad were practically vibrating with excitement.

Josie was even more thrilled, and it showed on her face. "They're here! They came for me, after all!"

Straightening up so that her baby bump stuck out, she put on her coyest smile. She held up her skirts and walked toward the trio like a queen greeting her knights.

Josie approached Zane first, her voice as sickeningly sweet as raw honey. "Looks like you've finally grown up, Zane. I'll overlook your past fecklessness and give you the chance to be a good father."

Zane stopped in his tracks. When he lowered his gaze to Josie's protruding tummy, his brows knitted tightly together. "Where did this filth come from? Guards! There's a pregnant hustler here. Get rid of her before her filth rubs off on my fiancee!"

Josie's smile faltered. All the color drained from her face. Thinking Zane had an aversion toward her baby, she quickly turned to Benjamin, who stood in the center. "Benjamin, now that you're finally in my league—"

"Have you come up with the 12 million dollars I asked for?" Benjamin didn't so much as look at her, and instead had his assistant toss a thick stack of documents at Mom and Dad's feet. "If not, move. You're keeping me from peeling shrimp for my fiancee."

Panic finally set in for Josie. She backed up a step in disbelief, then lunged for Rowan, whom she thought was the easiest to manipulate.

"Rowan, I'm home! Your mother used to adore me, remember? You must—"

There was a click, and an eerie blue flame shot up from the lighter in Rowan's hand.

"Bring up my mother again, and I'll pull out your tongue tonight." Rowan's voice was soft, but no less intimidating. "And go away. You're blocking my view of my wife."