Chapter 1 - THE WOMAN WHO SAID YES
“What?”
Maya Bennett stared at Ethan as if he had just asked her to help rob the hotel.
“Pretend you’re with me,” he repeated.
Around them, three hundred guests were still watching.
Ethan could feel every pair of eyes.
Every whispered judgment.
Every phone camera.
Maya glanced toward the ballroom doors where Vanessa had disappeared.
Then back at him.
“How exactly am I supposed to do that?”
Ethan swallowed.
“Take my hand. Smile. Walk out with me like this was always the plan.”
“That is possibly the worst plan I’ve heard all year.”
“It’s October.”
“That makes it worse.”
Despite himself, Ethan almost smiled.
Maya noticed.
Something in her expression softened.
Then a man from the second row stepped closer with his phone raised.
“Mr. Caldwell, is it true Vanessa left because of your condition?”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
Before he could answer, Maya stood.
She stepped directly between the phone and Ethan.
“No pictures.”
The man blinked.
“This is a private event.”
“I’m a guest.”
“You’re behaving like a mosquito.”
A few people nearby actually laughed.
The man lowered his phone.
Maya turned back to Ethan.
“Okay.”
He frowned.
“Okay?”
“I’ll help you get out.”
His heart beat strangely.
“Pretending?”
“For five minutes.”
“Ten.”
“Seven.”
“Deal.”
Maya placed her hand in his.
Then she did something Ethan hadn’t expected.
She leaned down and kissed his cheek.
Gasps moved through the ballroom.
Ethan froze.
Maya whispered against his ear.
“If we’re doing this, stop looking terrified.”
“I’m not terrified.”
“You look like someone just handed you a live grenade.”
She straightened and smiled brightly.
Ethan understood immediately.
This wasn’t pity.
She was performing.
For him.
He gripped his wheels and started toward the aisle.
Maya walked beside him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder.
The whispers followed.
“Who is she?”
“Was he seeing someone else?”
“Is that why Vanessa left?”
By the time they reached the ballroom doors, Ethan’s humiliation had transformed into something entirely different.
Confusion.
Curiosity.
And, strangely, control.
The moment the doors closed behind them, Maya exhaled.
“Seven minutes.”
Ethan looked up.
“You were convincing.”
“I worked community theater in college.”
“Of course you did.”
She smiled.
Then Ethan noticed something.
A man standing at the far end of the corridor.
Gray suit.
Silver hair.
Watching them.
Ethan recognized him immediately.
Martin Hale.
Vanessa’s father.
Martin turned and disappeared around the corner.
Maya’s smile vanished.
“Why was he watching us?”
Ethan’s expression hardened.
“I don’t know.”
His phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
YOU WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO REACH THE ALTAR.
Ethan stared at it.
Maya noticed his face.
“What happened?”
He turned the screen toward her.
Her eyes widened.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
ASK VANESSA WHY YOUR ACCIDENT WASN’T AN ACCIDENT.
