The morning sun cut through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Baldwin Group CEO office. The light was harsh, exposing every speck of dust in the air.

Ember sat behind the massive mahogany desk. She wore a tailored navy suit that fit her like armor. Her fingers flew across the keyboard of a secure terminal.

Lines of code scrolled across the screen. It was an intelligence report from her Architect team. The data was encrypted, detailing a shadow transaction in the Caymans.

The chime of the private elevator rang out, breaking her focus.

Ember's hand moved instantly. She hit the shortcut key. The code vanished, replaced by a boring, standard quarterly profit chart.

The double doors banged open. Haden walked in, his jaw clenched. Behind him followed two people.

Corbin Bancroft IV strutted in, chewing on an unlit cigar. He looked around the office like he already owned it.

His daughter, Tierney Shaw, clung to Haden's arm. She had her platinum blonde hair piled high and a smug smile on her face.

Ember stood up slowly. She placed her hands flat on the desk, her rings pressing into the wood. She looked at them like they were insects.

Corbin stepped forward and tossed a yellowed document onto the desk. "That little stunt your boy pulled at the club last night tanked our stock," he barked. "We're here to finalize the marriage contract."

Ember didn't look at the paper. "That letter of intent expired two years ago. It's legally void."

Tierney pouted, playing the victim. She leaned into Haden's side, pressing her chest against his arm. "Daddy, she's being mean."

Haden walked past the desk to the seating area. He sat down on the leather couch, spreading his arms out. He completely ignored Ember's authority.

He crossed one leg over the other. His custom Italian loafer dangled in the air.

"My shoelace is untied," Haden said suddenly. His voice was loud in the quiet room.

Nobody moved. Corbin smirked, realizing what was happening.

Haden looked right at Ember. "Show me how well you serve the Baldwin family. Tie my shoe," he ordered.

Tierney let out a fake, breathy giggle.

Ember's hands curled into fists under the desk. Her nails bit into her palms, the pain grounding her.

Her mind raced. If she threw them out now, Corbin would dump his shares. The Baldwin Group's capital chain would snap. She couldn't let that happen.

She took a slow breath. She uncurled her fingers. Her face went completely blank.

She walked around the desk. Her heels clicked on the hardwood floor, each step measured and deliberate.

She stopped in front of Haden. She looked down at him, then slowly lowered herself to the floor.

She went down on one knee. The plush rug cushioned her fall, but the position was humiliating.

She reached out. Her expensive watch glinted under the lights as she grabbed the leather laces of his shoe.

Haden's pupils dilated. He hadn't actually believed she would do it. He thought she would fight. He thought she would scream.

Ember pulled the laces tight, forming a perfect knot. She let go of his shoe.

She looked up. Her eyes were like chips of ice, staring directly into his soul.

"I'm going to make you pay for this," she whispered. The sound was so low only he could hear it over the pounding of his own heart.

Ember rose to her feet with fluid grace. She smoothed down her skirt, brushing away a piece of lint that wasn't there.

She turned her back on Haden and walked around the desk. She sat back down in her chair, reclaiming her position of power.

Corbin puffed on his cigar, looking extremely satisfied. "Glad to see you're being reasonable, Mrs. Baldwin."

Tierney sashayed over to the glass coffee table. She set her Chanel handbag down with a thud. She opened the clasp and pulled out a small, square piece of paper.

She walked over to the mahogany desk and slammed the paper down right in front of Ember.

It was a black-and-white ultrasound image.

"I'm pregnant," Tierney announced, her voice high and shrill. "With Haden's baby."

Haden, who had been watching from the couch, went completely still for a fraction of a second. The shock hit him hard.

He quickly covered it up. A fake, mocking smile spread across his face. "Is that so?"

Ember stared at the image. A sharp, twisting pain gripped her stomach. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

But she didn't let it show. She forced the emotion down and looked at the photo with clinical detachment.

She saw it immediately. The pixel distribution around the fetus was slightly off. The date stamp in the corner was misaligned by two pixels.

Her brain processed the data in a millisecond. It was a composite image. A fake.

She looked up at Tierney. The girl's eyes darted to the side for a split second. She was terrified.

Corbin seized the moment. "The Baldwin family will give my grandchild a name," he demanded. "Or I go to the New York Times with the scandal. Your stock will be worthless by noon."

Ember knew if she called Tierney a liar right now, the girl would just destroy the evidence. They would deny everything and counter-attack. She needed them trapped.

Ember folded her hands on the desk. She looked at Haden, and a perfect, serene smile appeared on her face.

"Congratulations, Haden," she said softly. "I'm so happy for you."

The words hit Haden like a bullet. The fake smile vanished from his face. His eyes went dark, a dangerous storm brewing in them.

Ember turned to Corbin. "A wedding is a major event. Per the family trust bylaws, I need three days to prepare the share transfer agreements and the press releases."

Corbin thought he had won. He laughed, a greasy, satisfied sound. "Three days. Not a minute more."

Tierney preened, shooting Ember a victorious glare as she hooked her arm through her father's. They walked out of the office, the doors clicking shut behind them.

The room went silent. The air felt thick enough to choke on.

Haden stood up from the couch. He looked like a man possessed. He walked toward the desk, his eyes locked on Ember with pure, unadulterated hatred.

The second the door clicked shut, Haden kicked the glass coffee table as hard as he could.

The table flew across the room, shattering against the wall. Glass shards and the fake ultrasound photo scattered all over the floor.

Haden stalked toward the desk. His eyes were red, the veins in his neck bulging.

Ember saw the danger. She reached under the desk and hit the panic button for security.

Haden was faster. He swept the sleek wireless handset off the desk, smashing it against the wall. The plastic casing cracked.

He reached across the desk. His hands grabbed the lapels of her suit jacket. He hauled her out of the leather chair like she weighed nothing.

"How dare you!" he roared, his spit flying in her face. "How dare you trade me like a piece of garbage!"

Ember didn't struggle. She went limp in his grip, her face cold. "It's the best option to protect the family assets."

The word "family" was the final spark. Haden's brain completely short-circuited.

He bent down and shoved his shoulder into her stomach. He lifted her up, throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

Ember gasped as the air was knocked out of her. She pounded her fists against his back, her legs kicking wildly. One of her heels flew off and landed on the rug.

Haden ignored her. He carried her toward the back of the office, toward the private elevator.

He hit the button. The doors opened. He stepped inside and pressed the button for the penthouse floor.

The elevator shot upward. Ember braced herself against the wall, trying to catch her breath.

The doors opened into Haden's private duplex apartment. He walked straight through the living room.

He kicked the master bedroom door open. The door slammed against the wall, leaving a dent in the drywall.

He threw Ember onto the massive king-size bed. She bounced once on the mattress and immediately scrambled toward the edge.

Haden grabbed her ankle. His grip was bruising. He yanked her back, dragging her across the sheets until she was under him.

He pinned her down. His knee pressed heavily against her thighs, stopping her from moving. His hands clamped down on her wrists, holding them above her head.

He was breathing like a freight train. "You couldn't wait to get rid of me, could you?" he snarled. "You couldn't wait to sell me off."

Ember turned her head to the side. She refused to answer. She refused to look at him.

Her silence drove him insane. The jealousy ate through his veins like acid.

He let go of her wrist with one hand. He grabbed the collar of her silk blouse.

The sound of tearing fabric ripped through the quiet room. The expensive silk shredded like paper in his grip.

Ember gasped as the cold air hit her bare skin. Her chest heaved, her white lace bra exposed.

Haden's eyes dropped to her stomach. It was flat. Toned. The sight made his blood boil.

"Did you give him a child?" he asked, his voice cracking. He looked sick. "Did you carry Efford's bastard?"

His rough hand slapped down onto her bare stomach. The heat of his palm burned against her skin.

Ember flinched. A wave of nausea and grief washed over her. Tears pricked the back of her eyes, threatening to spill.

She bit down on her lip until she tasted blood. She looked up at the man holding her down, her eyes filled with pure, unfiltered hatred.