Alaina kept her eyes closed. She pressed her spine against the cold wall, taking slow, deep breaths to force her racing heart to slow down.

Leah walked out of the ER room a minute later. She stopped and looked at Alaina with concern. "Dr. Strong, you look awful. Do you need to sit down?"

Alaina shook her head. She pushed herself off the wall and walked toward the water cooler at the end of the hall.

She grabbed a small paper cup, filled it halfway with cold water, and threw it back in one gulp.

The freezing liquid hit her stomach, clearing the fog in her brain just enough to remember protocol.

She realized she hadn't gotten the secondary consent form signed by the accompanying family member. She sighed and walked back down the hall.

When she reached Room 3, she noticed the heavy door wasn't fully latched. It was slightly ajar. She nudged it open just a fraction more to listen.

Alaina raised her hand to knock, but Chelsey's soft, grateful voice drifted through the crack.

Alaina paused. Through the widened crack, she saw Chelsey looking up at Jarred, who was now sitting in the plastic visitor's chair.

Jarred didn't respond to Chelsey's thanks. He casually reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out his phone to check a notification.

As the screen lit up, Chelsey leaned forward slightly, catching a glimpse of the display.

"Oh, what a beautiful wallpaper," Chelsey said. "Is that the Redwood Grove in California?"

Outside the door, Alaina's heart skipped a violent beat.

The Redwood Grove. It was the place they had promised to visit together eight years ago. The trip they never got to take.

Inside the room, Jarred's relaxed posture vanished. His shoulders went rigid.

His thumb slammed down on the lock button. The screen went pitch black instantly.

Jarred's face darkened. "I'm just too lazy to change it," he snapped. His voice was harsh and biting.

The sudden aggression in his tone made Chelsey shrink back against the pillows, too intimidated to say another word.

Jarred yanked at his silk tie, loosening it with a frustrated jerk. He stood up abruptly. "My assistant will be here in five minutes to handle the rest of this."

He turned on his heel and strode toward the door.

Alaina panicked. She took two quick steps backward, holding the consent form up to her face, pretending to read the fine print.

The ER door was pulled open violently. Jarred stepped out into the hallway, bringing a wave of cold, intimidating energy with him.

As he walked past Alaina, his long stride faltered for a fraction of a second.

The scent of his custom cologne-a rich blend of cedarwood and mint-washed over her, suffocating her senses.

Jarred looked down at her from his height. A low, dark scoff escaped his lips.

It was a sound full of mockery, as if he could see right through her pathetic attempt to look busy.

He didn't say a word. He just kept walking, his long legs carrying him down the corridor until he disappeared around the corner.

Alaina gripped the edges of the clipboard. Her knuckles turned stark white.

The detail of the Redwood wallpaper acted like a crowbar, prying open the sealed box of her convictions. Her certainty that he had moved on began to crack.

She bit her lower lip, pushed the door open, and walked back in to face Chelsey.

Alaina sat in her small hospital office. She rubbed the tight muscles at the back of her neck, exhausted from the long shift.

Her phone vibrated against the wooden desk. The screen lit up with the caller ID: Aunt Judith.

Alaina let out a heavy sigh. She swiped the green button and pressed the phone to her ear.

Aunt Judith's loud, commanding voice immediately filled the speaker, launching into her usual lecture about Alaina's single status.

"I have arranged a dinner for you tonight," Judith announced, leaving no room for argument. "His name is Mark Hoffman. He is a very successful corporate lawyer."

"Aunt Judith, I can't. The hospital has been crazy, I'm too tired," Alaina tried to decline.

"You will go," Judith snapped, using her authority as the family elder. "I am doing this for your own good, Alaina. You cannot work yourself into an early grave alone."

Alaina's mind was still spinning from the image of Jarred's phone wallpaper. She didn't have the energy to fight. She agreed just to get Judith off the phone.

She tossed the phone onto the desk and ran her hands through her hair in frustration.

The next evening, Alaina stood in front of her open closet in her apartment.

She pulled out a simple, well-tailored black silk slip dress. It was elegant but conservative.

Claire leaned against the doorframe, whistling loudly. "Alaina, put this on and you will be the show-stopping Sera of the night! I swear, ever since college, that has been my favorite alter ego for you when you dress to kill."

Alaina offered a weak smile. "Stop with the college nicknames, Claire." She grabbed her clutch, slipped into a beige trench coat, and walked out the door.

She took an Uber to Midtown Manhattan. The car pulled up to an exclusive, members-only restaurant.

Alaina pushed open the heavy glass doors. The sound of soft jazz and the low hum of wealthy patrons filled the air.

A blonde hostess named Anna Bell greeted her with a polished smile and checked her reservation.

Anna gestured gracefully, leading Alaina through the dimly lit, opulent dining room.

Alaina spotted Mark immediately. He was sitting in a corner booth, wearing a sharp grey suit.

Seeing her approach, Mark stood up quickly, flashing an eager smile, and pulled out her chair.

Alaina thanked him politely, sat down, and handed her trench coat to a waiting waiter.

Across the expansive dining room, hidden behind a curtain of crystal beads, sat a VIP semi-private booth.

Jarred was leaning back against the dark leather sofa. He held a crystal glass of whiskey over ice in his right hand.

His friends, Preston Hayes and Lachlan Rhodes, sat across from him, deeply engaged in a conversation about real estate.

Jarred lifted his eyes lazily. His gaze drifted through the gaps in the crystal beads and scanned the main floor.

His eyes locked onto the woman in the black silk dress who had just sat down.

The moment he recognized Alaina, the lazy indifference in Jarred's eyes vanished, replaced by something dark and incredibly dangerous.

He watched the man sitting across from her. He saw the way Mark looked at Alaina-a look full of hungry, possessive appreciation.

Jarred's fingers tightened around the whiskey glass. His knuckles popped loudly.

His hand shook slightly with suppressed rage. The ice cubes clinked sharply against the crystal glass.

Jarred tilted his head back and swallowed the burning liquor in one shot. A violent storm was brewing in his black eyes.

Alaina pushed a piece of steak around her plate. She was bored out of her mind, listening to Mark brag endlessly about a corporate merger he had just won.

Mark leaned forward across the table. He reached his hand out, aiming to cover Alaina's left hand resting near her fork.

Alaina saw the movement. She smoothly picked up her wine glass, taking a tactical sip of water to avoid his touch.

Mark's hand hovered awkwardly in the air for a second before he pulled it back, clearing his throat and continuing his monologue.

Alaina subtly glanced at the watch on her wrist as she set the glass down, calculating how soon she could politely leave.

The agonizing dinner finally ended. Mark signaled the waiter, Marco, for the check.

They stood up. Alaina maintained a strict physical distance as they walked toward the coat check in the front lobby.

At the exact same moment, the heavy velvet curtain of the VIP booth was pushed aside. Preston, Lachlan, and Jarred walked out into the lobby.

Jarred walked in the back. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his tailored trousers. He radiated a freezing, unapproachable aura.

Preston scanned the lobby. His eyes landed on Alaina waiting by the coat counter.

A bright smile broke across Preston's face. "Alaina!" he called out loudly.

Hearing that familiar voice, Alaina's spine went rigid. She turned around slowly. Seeing Preston's genuinely warm smile, a wave of complicated feelings washed over Alaina. He had always been the kindest of Jarred's friends, a painful reminder of a life she had lost.

After seeing Preston's friendly wave, her eyes inevitably slid to the man standing behind him.

Jarred stepped forward. The light from the crystal chandelier above cast sharp shadows across his strong jawline.

His dark eyes were locked onto her like a predator tracking its prey.

The air in the lobby seemed to evaporate. The temperature plummeted.

Preston, completely unaware of the tension, stepped up and gave Alaina a quick, friendly hug.

Mark immediately stepped closer to Alaina. He puffed out his chest and extended a hand to Preston. "I'm Mark Hoffman. Alaina's date."

At the word date, Jarred's jaw clenched so hard a muscle ticked visibly. A flash of pure hostility crossed his eyes.

Preston blinked in surprise but shook Mark's hand politely. He then gestured behind him. "These are my friends."

Mark's eyes moved past Preston and landed on Jarred. Recognition hit Mark instantly. He knew the face of the billionaire CEO who dominated the financial news.

Mark's expression morphed into pure sycophancy. He eagerly thrust both his hands toward Jarred.

"Mr. Mcknight, it is an absolute honor to meet you," Mark gushed. "I would love the opportunity to visit your offices sometime."

Jarred looked down at Mark's extended hands. He didn't move a single muscle to reciprocate.

He completely ignored Mark's existence. He shifted his gaze back to Alaina, his posture dripping with arrogance.

Mark's hands hung frozen in the air. His face turned a deep shade of red. He slowly pulled his hands back, thoroughly humiliated.

Desperate to save face, Mark turned to Preston. "So, how do you all know Alaina?"

"We all went to the same Ivy League," Preston smiled. "We're old friends."

A low, dark scoff came from Jarred, slicing through the polite conversation.

Jarred stared directly into Alaina's eyes. His voice was low, heavy, and dripping with double meaning. "Yes. We are very familiar with each other."