CHAPTER 6: Moving Forward

"You look like hell."

Sarah handed me a large coffee—extra shot, extra sugar, the way I liked it when I was stressed—and settled onto the couch across from me.

"Thanks," I said dryly, accepting the cup. "That's exactly what every girl wants to hear."

"I'm serious, Bella." She leaned forward, studying my face with the intensity of someone who'd known me since college. "You've been staying here for three days. You've barely eaten. You keep staring at your phone like you're waiting for a call that's never coming. What happened?"

What happened.

How did I even begin to explain the past seventy-two hours? That I'd found my boyfriend cheating, spent a night with a stranger who'd made me feel things I didn't know were possible, and then walked away like it meant nothing?

"James cheated," I said finally. It was the simplest version of the truth. "I left. End of story."

"That's not the end." Sarah's eyes narrowed. "You're leaving something out. I can tell."

Of course she could. We'd been friends for six years. She knew all my tells.

"There's nothing to tell."

"Bullshit." She set down her own coffee cup. "You disappeared for an entire night. You came back to my apartment at seven in the morning wearing the same clothes, looking like—" She paused. "Like someone who'd just had really good sex."

Heat flooded my cheeks. "Sarah—"

"Oh my God." Her eyes widened. "You did. You had a rebound hookup."

"It wasn't—" I stopped. What was it? A hookup seemed too casual. But what else could you call sleeping with someone whose last name you didn't know? "It was one night. It's over. Can we please not talk about it?"

"Hell no. I need details." She grabbed a throw pillow, settling in like this was story time. "Who was he? Where did you meet him? Was he hot? Please tell me he was hot."

Despite everything, I smiled. "He was... yes. Very hot."

"How hot are we talking? Scale of one to ten."

I thought about Alex. About the grey at his temples and the way his suit had fit like it was made for him. About his hands and his voice and the way he'd looked at me like I was something precious.

"Fifteen."

Sarah's jaw dropped. "Fifteen? Bella, there is no fifteen on the hotness scale."

"There is for him."

"Okay, now you have to tell me everything."

I took a long sip of coffee, buying time. How much should I share? The whole truth felt too raw, too personal. But Sarah was my best friend. If I couldn't talk to her, who could I talk to?

"I met him at a hotel bar," I said slowly. "The Sterling Hotel. I just... I needed somewhere to go that wasn't here or that apartment, and it seemed nice."

"The Sterling Hotel?" Sarah's eyes widened further. "Bella, that place is like five hundred dollars a night minimum."

"Twelve hundred," I corrected. "For the suite. Which I barely used because—"

"Because you were with Mr. Fifteen." She grinned. "Go on."

"He was at the bar. Alone. We started talking. One thing led to another." I shrugged, trying to make it sound casual. Like my heart wasn't still doing weird flip-flops when I thought about it. "It was just one night. That's all."

"Did you get his number?"

"No."

"His last name?"

"No."

"Bella!" Sarah threw the pillow at me. "You had the best sex of your life with a mystery man and you just walked away? Why?"

"Because it was perfect the way it was." I set down my coffee cup. "One perfect night. No complications. No expectations. No—"

"No chance of it happening again," Sarah finished. "You self-sabotaged."

"I did not—"

"You totally did. You found a guy who made you feel good—physically and probably emotionally, knowing you—and you ran before it could become real."

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it. Was she right? Had I left because I was scared of what another morning might bring?

"It doesn't matter now," I said instead. "It's done. I need to focus on real life. Like finding an apartment and getting my stuff from James's place and—"

My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen and immediately wished I hadn't.

MARCUS: Are you coming today or not? I have court at 2.

Right. Marcus. My brother. Who'd agreed to come with me to get my things from James's apartment because I couldn't face it alone.

"Is that him?" Sarah asked. "Mystery hotel man?"

"No. It's Marcus. I have to go get my stuff from James's place today."

"Want me to come? Moral support? I can throat-punch James if he says anything stupid."

I laughed despite myself. "As much as I'd love to see that, no. Marcus is already in intimidating lawyer mode. That should be enough."

"Okay, but text me if you need backup." She stood, giving me a quick hug. "And Bella? For what it's worth? I'm glad you had one night where someone treated you the way you deserve. Even if it was just one night."

My throat tightened. "Thanks, Sarah."

An hour later, I stood outside James's apartment building with Marcus at my side. My brother looked every inch the successful lawyer in his charcoal suit and designer briefcase. At twenty-eight, he'd already made partner at his firm. Mom and Dad would have been so proud.

The thought of our parents—gone five years now in a car accident—sent a pang through my chest. They would have hated James. Would have seen through his charm immediately.

Why hadn't I?

"Ready?" Marcus asked, his hand on my shoulder.

"No. But let's do it anyway."

He'd gotten the building manager to let us in, citing tenant rights and the fact that I'd been living there for over a year even if my name wasn't on the lease. The manager had been surprisingly sympathetic—apparently James wasn't well-liked by the building staff.

The apartment looked exactly the same. Disturbingly normal. Like nothing had happened.

But everything had happened.

"Make it quick," Marcus said. "Get your essentials. We can arrange for movers later if you need."

I moved through the space mechanically. Bedroom first—I grabbed clothes from my half of the closet, toiletries from the bathroom. Everything smelled like James's cologne and I wanted to throw it all away.

In the living room, I found my laptop and the few books I'd brought over. A framed photo of me and Sarah at graduation. The coffee mug my mom had given me the last Christmas before the accident.

That's when I heard the key in the lock.

James.

I'd hoped—prayed—he wouldn't be here. But of course he was. The universe wasn't going to make this easy.

He stopped short when he saw Marcus and me. For a second, something like guilt flashed across his face. Then it hardened into arrogance.

"Breaking and entering?" James said. "Should I call the cops?"

"She's a tenant," Marcus replied coolly. "She has every right to be here collecting her possessions. Unless you'd like to discuss this in court?"

James's jaw tightened. He hated Marcus. Had always hated that I had a brother who saw through his bullshit.

"Whatever. Just take your stuff and get out."

"That's the plan," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

I moved toward the bedroom to grab the last few items, but James stepped in front of me.

"You made a mistake, you know." His voice was low. Meant just for me. "Leaving me. You'll realize it eventually."

"The only mistake I made was staying as long as I did."

Something ugly flickered in his eyes. "No one else is going to want you, Bella. You're too boring. Too plain. Too—"

"Too good for you," Marcus interjected, appearing at my side. "Let's go, Bella."

But James wasn't done. "Did you find someone else already? Is that why you left? Were you cheating on me?"

The hypocrisy was staggering. I almost laughed.

"No, James. Unlike you, I have standards."

His face flushed red. "You'll come crawling back. You always do. And when you do, I won't be here."

"Good," I said simply.

Marcus guided me toward the door, carrying the box of my things. I took one last look at the apartment I'd thought I'd call home. At the life I'd almost built with someone who'd never deserved it.

"Goodbye, James."

I walked out without looking back.

In Marcus's car, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

"You okay?" he asked, pulling into traffic.

"Yeah." Surprisingly, I was. "Actually, I'm better than okay. I'm free."

Marcus smiled. "Good. Because you deserve so much better than that asshole."

"I'm starting to realize that."

We drove in comfortable silence for a while. Then Marcus said, "Sarah told me you found a job opportunity. The merger?"

Oh. Right. Work.

I'd been so consumed with the James situation that I'd almost forgotten about the email from my boss. Martinez Marketing was merging with a larger corporation. As one of their top performers, I'd been fast-tracked for a position with the new parent company.

"Yeah," I said. "There's a meeting next week. With the new executive team."

"That's great, Bella. Really great."

It was great. A chance to start fresh. Better pay, better opportunities, better everything.

"The company we're merging with—it's Sterling Corporation. Have you heard of it?"

Marcus whistled low. "Heard of it? Bella, they're huge. Real estate, tech, venture capital. If you get in with them, you're set."

Sterling Corporation.

The name tickled something in my memory. Sterling. Like the hotel.

But that was probably just a coincidence. Sterling was a common enough name.

"When's the meeting?" Marcus asked.

"Next Monday. Nine AM."

"You nervous?"

"Terrified," I admitted. "But in a good way. I think."

He pulled up in front of Sarah's apartment building. "You've got this, Bella. You're smart and talented and anyone would be lucky to have you on their team."

I hugged him tight. "Thanks for today. For everything."

"That's what big brothers are for."

After he left, I carried my box of belongings up to Sarah's apartment. It wasn't much—the accumulated evidence of three years with James fit into two boxes and a suitcase. 

How had I let myself become so small?

That night, lying in Sarah's guest room, I pulled up the Sterling Corporation website on my phone. Might as well research the company before the meeting.

The homepage was sleek and professional. Photos of impressive buildings and smiling employees. A mission statement about innovation and integrity.

Then I clicked on "Leadership Team."

And my blood ran cold.

There, at the top of the page, was a photo I recognized. Older in this picture—the professional headshot making him look formal and distant. But unmistakable.

Grey at the temples. Sharp jaw. Those intense grey-blue eyes.

Alexander Sterling. Founder and CEO.

Alex.

My Alex. My mystery man from the bar. The stranger I'd spent one perfect night with and then walked away from.

Was the CEO of Sterling Corporation.

The company I'd be working for.

"Oh my God," I whispered to the empty room. "Oh my God."

I stared at the photo, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it.

This couldn't be happening. What were the odds? In a city of eight million people, how could—

My phone slipped from my numb fingers.

Monday. I had to face him on Monday. In a professional setting. Pretend we'd never met. Pretend I didn't know what he looked like first thing in the morning or how his hands felt on my skin or—

I needed to call Sarah. Or Marcus. Or someone who could tell me this wasn't as catastrophic as it felt.

But I couldn't move. Could only stare at that professional photo and remember the man who'd held me while I slept and asked if I was okay and made me feel safe.

The man I'd walked away from because I'd thought I'd never see him again.

Alexander Sterling.

I was so screwed.