The air in the wine lounge felt so heavy that I could barely breathe.
Julian’s dark eyes stayed locked on mine, his hand still resting on the table above the folder in my hands. The sweet, romantic man from an hour ago was gone. In his place was a predator who had just caught his prey.
My heart pounded against my ribs like a trapped bird.
"Julian... what is this?" I managed to ask, trying to keep my voice steady as I lifted the paper into the dim light. "Why is my name, my home address, and my savings listed on a two and a half million dollar loan application?"
For three painful seconds, Julian just stared at me.
Then his face changed.
The cold look disappeared, replaced by one of deep embarrassment. He let out a long breath, dropped heavily into his chair, and ran both hands through his dark hair.
"God, Clara... I am so sorry," he whispered, looking up at me with such a helpless look that my stomach dropped. "You weren't supposed to see that yet. It was supposed to be a surprise."
"A surprise?" I repeated, unable to believe him. "Putting my name as a guarantor on a private loan is a surprise?"
"It's not a personal loan, darling," Julian said softly, reaching across the table and placing his warm hands over mine. He gave them a gentle squeeze, his voice becoming soft and sweet. "My asset management team is changing the way my main trust is set up. I'm creating a private real estate foundation in your name—a joint property plan for our future. My junior analyst prepared those papers as a temporary draft using public records because I told him I wanted you as my co trustee!"
He shook his head, looking angry with himself.
"I specifically told him not to put the draft papers in my meeting folder until the legal terms were finished! Clara, look at me. Do you really think I brought you here tonight to scam you? I have millions! Why would I need your savings?"
His explanation sounded so perfect, so generous. He was offering me a part of his empire while making my doubts seem like a simple mistake caused by a careless employee.
"Julian..." I swallowed hard. My analyst brain was screaming that temporary papers didn't need my social security number, but the foolish part of me desperately wanted to believe him. "You can't just prepare papers with my name without asking me."
"I know, I know," he murmured, leaning over to place a soft, sorry kiss on the back of my hand. "I got carried away. I was just so eager to show you that I'm serious about us. Forgive me?"
I forced myself to nod.
"Okay."
I spent the next twenty-four hours going through a complete nightmare.
I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. I sat on my sofa staring at the ceiling, my mind fighting with itself.
One moment, I felt like a crazy person ruining my chance at real love because I was too suspicious. The next, every instinct inside me was screaming that I was walking straight into danger.
Nora's words kept playing in my head.
"You're self-sabotaging!
Julian's sweet promises kept repeating in my mind.
I felt like I was losing my mind.
Around 8:00 PM the next evening, a soft knock sounded at my apartment door.
I froze, slowly walking toward the door and looking through the peephole.
Julian stood in the dim hallway.
He held a huge bouquet of rare white lilies in one arm, while his suit jacket hung over his shoulder. He looked tired, handsome, and completely sincere.
I unlocked the door and opened it just an inch.
"Julian? What are you doing here? You didn't text."
"I couldn't stay away," he said softly, gently pushing the door open and stepping inside. The sweet smell of lilies filled my small apartment. He placed the flowers on the table near the door and reached for me, pulling me into his arms before I could stop him.
"I hated how we left things yesterday, Clara. I couldn't stand knowing you were sitting here doubting me."
"Julian, I just... I need some space to think," I murmured, placing my hands against his chest.
"I don't want to give you space," he whispered, his voice low and sweet. "I want to give you everything."
He placed one hand behind my head and leaned down, kissing me deeply. His hands moved to my waist, lifting me easily and guiding me toward my bedroom.
My heart began to race, not from excitement, but from a sudden feeling of panic.
Julian laid me back on the bed and leaned over me. His fingers moved to the top buttons of my silk blouse, opening them one by one as he kissed along my jaw and neck.
"Julian, wait," I said, placing my hands firmly against his shoulders and gently pushing him back. "Wait, please. I... I'm not comfortable right now."
He stopped, his chest rising and falling against mine.
For a moment, a flash of anger crossed his dark eyes. His expression became cold.
But just as quickly, it disappeared and was replaced by a soft, loving look.
"Shh," he whispered, resting his forehead against mine. His thumbs gently moved over my cheeks. "Look at me, Clara. You don't have to be afraid of me. I love you. I've loved you since we were seventeen. I'm never going to hurt you. Trust me, please?"
His sweet words slowly weakened my fear.
He was my first love.
He was the boy who used to hold my hand in the high school hallway.
I forced my stiff body to relax and let out a shaky breath.
"Okay," I whispered.
A small, satisfied smile touched his lips as he leaned down again, resting his face against my neck.
LOUD, HARSH RINGING.
The loud sound of my work phone suddenly broke the silence. It rang through the room like an alarm.
Julian groaned against my skin, his grip tightening around my waist.
"Ignore it," he muttered, trying to pull me back down
.
"I can't," I gasped, slipping out from under him and reaching for my purse on the nightstand. "It's my emergency work line. Only the senior partners have this number."
I answered the phone.
"Clara Morgan."
"Clara! It's Senior Partner Vance," my managing director's worried voice came through the phone. "Get down to the main headquarters in the financial district right now. We have a serious problem with an international audit involving the European accounts. We need our best risk analyst there immediately to secure the files."
"I'm on my way," I said instantly.
Relief rushed through me so quickly that I almost felt weak.
I ended the call and looked at Julian.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching me with a tight, unreadable expression.
"I have to go," I said, buttoning my blouse with shaking fingers. "It's an emergency at work."
"Now?" Julian asked, his voice showing his anger. "Clara, it's nine o'clock at night."
"It's my job, Julian," I said firmly, grabbing my coat and purse. "I'll call you tomorrow."
Twenty minutes later, I slammed the door of my taxi and rushed through the huge glass doors of Sterling & Croft Financial's headquarters.
The building was almost completely dark, except for the emergency lights that cast long, strange shadows across the marble floor.
My heels clicked loudly as I hurried toward the private executive elevators, my mind still filled with Julian's kisses, the loan papers, and the sudden call from work.
I stepped into the elevator, pressed the button for the 14th floor, and leaned against the mirrored wall, taking deep, shaky breaths.
Ding.
The doors opened to the dark executive floor.
I rushed into the hallway, quickly turning toward the main conference room—and crashed straight into a solid wall of a man.
"Whoa!"
My purse slipped from my hand, spilling everything across the carpet as I stumbled backward.
Strong, warm hands caught my arms at once, stopping me from falling.
"Easy there," a deep, calm voice said.
I looked up, breathing hard.
Standing in front of me was a man I had never seen at the firm before.
He was tall, with broad shoulders and a dark gray suit that looked expensive but simple. He had dark, sharp eyes behind silver-framed glasses, a clean cut jaw, and a calm presence that felt completely different from the chaos in my head.
"I'm so sorry," I stammered, pulling back as he immediately let go of my arms and stepped away to give me space. "I was rushing—"
"Clara Morgan right?"
He didn't look bothered at all.
He bent down, picked up my notepad and lip balm, and handed them back to me with a calm smile.
"I'm Dr. Daniel Mercer. Senior Lead Risk Consultant. Partner Vance called me in to lead the team investigating the audit problem."
I took my things, staring at him.
Unlike Julian's intense and carefully planned charm, Daniel felt calm and honest. His eyes behind his glasses were sharp and observant. In just a few seconds, he had noticed my messy hair, pale face, and shaking hands.
"Are you alright, Ms. Morgan?" Daniel asked softly, his voice warm and sincere. "You look like you're running from a ghost."
I stared into his calm eyes.
For the first time in three days, I felt like I was standing on solid ground.
"You have no idea," I whispered.
