Chapter 15
The divorce papers were drafted quickly. Victoria Montgomery stared at the documents for a long time.
A new dumpling shop had opened near the hospital, its savory aroma drifting through the air. She pushed the door open and ordered a seafood-filled portion.
The first bite made her fingers tremble at the familiar taste.
Every Friday without fail, Ethan Sinclair used to make her dumplings from scratch. She'd always dismissed them as bothersome, handing them off to her assistant. Only once, when an intern spilled her dinner, had she reluctantly tried them.
"Boss, did you change the recipe?" a customer at the next table asked.
An aproned middle-aged man emerged from the kitchen. "A young man helped out here years ago and tweaked the formula."
Victoria's chopsticks froze mid-air.
"That kid had it rough," the owner said, wiping his hands. "No big company would hire him back then. Worked here for half a year."
She looked up sharply. "What was his name?"
"Sinclair, I think. Handsome fellow."
Her phone gallery yielded no photos of Ethan—only pictures with Lucas Whitmore. She deleted them all in frustration.
Her assistant's investigation came through swiftly. The photo showed Ethan in a shop uniform, diligently folding dumplings.
"Why didn't he come to Montgomery Group?" Her voice sounded hollow.
The assistant hesitated. "You ordered his professional blacklist..."
The memory surfaced with sudden clarity. Lucas had whined about competition, and she'd casually destroyed Ethan's career prospects. What had Ethan said in response? She hadn't even bothered to listen.
"I don't mind," the young man would always smile. "If you feel guilty, just be with me."
"Keep dreaming," had been her constant reply.
Her phone vibrated violently. When the unknown number called for the third time, she finally answered.
"Ms. Montgomery! Someone's forcing their way into the VIP ward!"
She arrived to find Sophia Reynolds waving a USB drive at her pale mother. "Your daughter's kept a pretty boy while using Ethan as a blood bag!"
The laptop crashed to the floor as her mother swayed.
"Get out!" Victoria yanked Sophia away.
Her mother pushed her aside, tears falling. "I failed to raise you right—"
The heart monitor suddenly shrieked an alarm.