Chapter 1
My fiancée’s engagement ring had another woman’s name engraved inside it.
Not just another woman.
Mae.
The maid standing six feet away from me with blood at the corner of her lip.
I held Nora against my chest.
Three years old.
Still shaking from being thrown off the piano bench.
Celeste sat among crushed white flowers where I had sent her.
Marcus was half buried beneath the collapsed sheet-music cabinet.
The ring rested in my palm.
NOLAN + MAE.
I read it twice.
Then looked at Mae.
She had gone completely still.
Celeste recovered first.
“It means nothing.”
I raised my eyes.
“You became frightened before I read it.”
“I was attacked.”
“You attacked me.”
“She manipulated you!”
Mae flinched.
Celeste pointed at her.
“Look at her. Standing there pretending she doesn’t know exactly what she’s doing.”
Nora tightened her arms around my neck.
Celeste saw it.
Her face sharpened.
“That child has been trained to cling to you.”
I looked at Nora.
“Trained?”
“She asks questions. She stares. She follows you through rooms.”
“She’s three.”
“And already knows how to get attention.”
Mae finally spoke.
“Stop talking about her like that.”
Celeste laughed.
“There’s the brave little maid.”
She pushed herself upright.
“Tell him, Mae. Tell the great Nolan Ashford why your daughter looks like him.”
Mae’s face emptied.
I stopped breathing.
“Mae.”
She looked at me.
Before she could answer, Marcus dragged himself free.
“Don’t.”
I turned.
His fear was different from Celeste’s.
Less emotional.
More practical.
That interested me.
“Don’t what?”
He wiped blood from his mouth.
“Do this in front of staff.”
I almost smiled.
“You threw the first punch.”
“You were embarrassing yourself.”
“Over a maid’s child?”
Celeste repeated mockingly.
Nora buried her face against my collar.
Then whispered:
“Mommy said I’m not supposed to ask who my daddy is.”
The room died.
I looked at Mae.
She closed her eyes.
Celeste whispered:
“No.”
Nora continued.
“Aunt Celeste said if I ask, Mommy loses dinner.”
Mae’s eyes filled.
I looked at Celeste.
Her face had gone white.
The ring in my hand suddenly felt much heavier.
Because now I had two mysteries.
May you like
Why my name was engraved beside Mae’s.
And why my fiancée had been punishing a three-year-old child for asking about her father.
