Alek pulled his gaze away from the door. He shut his encrypted laptop. He walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out an older, slightly worn suit.

He put it on but left the tie off. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. He looked in the mirror and ran his hands through his hair, messing it up to look stressed and defeated.

He walked out of the study. As he passed the master bedroom, he stomped his feet slightly to make sure she heard him.

"I'm going to see the bankruptcy lawyers," he called out.

Emma looked up from her screen. She saw his messy hair and tired posture. A pang of sympathy hit her chest.

"Be careful out there," she said softly.

Alek's jaw tightened. He looked away quickly, muttered a response, and walked out the front door.

He took the elevator down. He didn't walk toward the subway. Instead, he turned down a blind alleyway. A black, bulletproof SUV was idling in the shadows. He climbed into the back seat.

Dale handed him a tablet. The screen displayed Emma's live web browsing history.

"She's selling her bags on secondhand sites," Dale said, sounding confused. "And she's looking for freelance writing gigs."

Alek swiped down the screen. His finger stopped on the most recent activity. She had just added Sterling Astor-Vance's email to her block list.

Alek's eyes flickered. The corner of his mouth twitched upward. She was actually cutting ties.

"Sterling has been running his mouth at the clubs about your bankruptcy," Dale warned. "Want me to handle him?"

Alek raised a hand. "Let the clown perform a little longer. Focus all resources on the Somnium VR underground tests."

The heavy SUV pulled out of the alley and headed toward the Nevada transit hub.

Back in the apartment, Emma finished submitting her resume. She stretched her arms over her head. Her back popped.

Her throat felt dry. She went to the kitchen, but the milk was gone. She decided to go downstairs for a coffee.

She threw on a cheap white sweater and a pair of jeans. She tied her hair into a messy bun and grabbed her keys.

The elevator took her down to the lobby. She walked across the marble floor and pushed through the revolving glass doors.

A loud, obnoxious engine roar echoed off the buildings. Pedestrians turned to look.

A bright red Porsche 911 parked illegally right in front of the building. The door swung open. A man in a custom-tailored suit stepped out.

Emma squinted against the wind. She recognized the blonde hair and arrogant face. It was Sterling.

Sterling pulled off his sunglasses. He looked at Emma's plain sweater. Fake pity washed over his face.

He walked toward her with his arms wide open. "Oh, my poor Emma."

Emma's stomach turned. She took a quick step to the side. Sterling's arms grasped empty air.

He dropped his arms, looking awkward. He looked her up and down and clicked his tongue. "Alek actually lets you walk around looking like this?"

Emma crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes were cold. "What do you want?"

Sterling stepped closer. He lowered his voice. "I know Alek is finished. Divorce him. I'll rent you a place on the Upper East Side today."

He reached out and grabbed her wrist. His thumb rubbed against her skin. "We can go back to how things were."

Emma yanked her arm back with violent force. Her skin burned where he had touched her. Her wrist turned red.

She took a large step back to create distance. "Show some respect. I am a married woman."

Sterling's face hardened. His ego was bruised. He let out a nasty laugh. "Don't play the saint with me. Alek is worse than a beggar right now."

Emma's eyes turned to absolute ice. She straightened her spine and glared at Sterling.

She pointed her finger right at his nose. Her voice rang out sharp and clear over the street noise. "You are not only a snob, but you are an uneducated idiot."

Sterling's face turned purple. He stepped forward, lowering his voice into a threat. "Don't push me, Emma."

Emma didn't back down an inch. She laughed coldly. "Even bankrupt, Alek's tech patents are worth ten thousand times more than a parasite like you living off a family trust fund."

Sterling lost his temper. "He's a piece of trash! He can't give you anything!" he yelled.

Emma stepped right into his space. She stared him down. "Marriage vows are not toilet paper. Running away when your partner hits rock bottom is the act of a coward."

She raised her voice so everyone could hear. "I am not divorcing him. I am going to stay by his side and help him rebuild. I don't need a loser like you telling me what to do!"

Across the street, the black bulletproof SUV had just circled back. It idled by the curb. The dark tinted windows hid the passengers inside.

Alek sat in the back. He had rolled his window down just a fraction of an inch. Every single word Emma shouted carried through the cold air and hit his ears.

When she yelled that she would help him rebuild, Alek's heart skipped a hard beat. His fingers gripped the tablet so tightly his knuckles popped.

In the front seat, Dale glanced in the rearview mirror. He was shocked to see the usually ruthless Alek Holden looking genuinely moved.

On the sidewalk, Sterling was humiliated. He raised his hand, his face twisted in rage, ready to shove Emma.

Inside the SUV, Alek's eyes turned murderous. His hand slammed onto the door handle. He was ready to tear the man apart.

Before he could open the door, a loud voice boomed down the street. "Hey! Put your hands down!"

Mr. Gable, a neighbor from the building, marched over. He was holding a Starbucks cup in one hand and the leash of his Golden Retriever in the other. He stepped right between Emma and Sterling.

Mrs. Gable hurried up right behind him. She glared at Sterling. "Are you harassing women in broad daylight?" she yelled.

Sterling panicked. "It's just a fight between friends!" he stammered.

"He is not my friend," Emma stated loudly. "He is harassing me and trying to ruin my marriage."

Mrs. Gable's eyes widened in outrage. She pointed at Sterling. "You disgusting homewrecker!"

People on the street stopped walking. They pulled out their phones and started recording the scene.

Sterling saw the cameras. Panic seized his chest. A public scandal would cut off his trust fund. He threw his hands up to hide his face.

He shot Emma a venomous glare, muttered a curse, and practically dove into his Porsche.

The engine screamed as he slammed on the gas. The car sped away like a rat fleeing a sinking ship.

Mrs. Gable patted Emma's shoulder. "Good for you, honey. Don't let trash talk to you like that."

Emma smiled warmly. "Thank you both. I was just heading to get some coffee."

Mr. Gable nodded. "Alek is a lucky man to have you. You two will get through this."

Emma waved goodbye and walked into the corner coffee shop. She ordered the cheapest black coffee on the menu.

Across the street, Alek slowly released his grip on the door handle. He leaned back against the leather seat and exhaled a shaky breath.

He turned to Dale. His voice was deadly calm. "Cut off the latest funding round for the Astor-Vance family. Consider it a warning."

Dale nodded. The SUV merged silently into the traffic. Alek kept his eyes glued to the coffee shop window until Emma's figure disappeared from view.

Alek pulled his gaze away from the window. "Take me to the temporary law firm. I need to finish the liquidation paperwork to keep up appearances," he ordered Dale.

Half an hour later, Emma pushed open the heavy door to the penthouse. She was holding the cheap, bitter Americano.

The apartment was dead silent. She kicked off her shoes and walked straight to the dining table. She opened the laptop and got back to work.

She took a sip of the bitter coffee. Her fingers flew across the keyboard. She translated her past life's marketing campaigns into a believable portfolio for her new identity.

Time slipped by. The sunlight moved across the floor and warmed her feet. She was completely absorbed in the screen.

At twelve-thirty, the electronic lock beeped. Alek walked in carrying his briefcase.

He took off his coat. His eyes immediately searched the room. He found Emma sitting at the table, typing furiously.

The sunlight hit the side of her face. The tiny hairs on her cheek glowed. The face that used to look so calculating now looked entirely peaceful.

Alek stood frozen in the entryway. Her words from the street echoed in his head: I am going to stay by his side and help him rebuild. The words registered, an unexpected variable in his complex equation. He filed the data point away, his suspicion warring with a flicker of morbid curiosity.

He walked quietly toward the table. He pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down. The legs scraped against the floor.

Emma jumped slightly. She looked up from the screen and quickly closed the laptop. She rubbed her wrist. "You're back early."

Alek's eyes dropped to her wrist. He saw the faint red marks where Sterling had grabbed her. His jaw ticked, but he forced his face to remain blank.

He cleared his throat. The freezing edge was gone from his voice. "The lawyers are done for the day."

Emma noticed the shift in his tone. She relaxed her shoulders. "Are you hungry? Do you want lunch?"

Alek wanted to say no, but the sheer exhaustion of the day caught up with him. He unconsciously pressed a hand against his hollow stomach, the physical toll of his fasting undeniable. He rubbed the back of his neck, his rigid posture deflating just a fraction, and nodded.

Emma hid a smile. She stood up and walked to the kitchen. She pulled the leftover bread, bacon, and lettuce from the fridge.

She dropped the bread into the toaster. She threw the bacon into the skillet. Her movements were smooth and practiced.

Alek sat at the table and watched her back. A strange, unfamiliar warmth spread through his chest. It felt like coming home.

Ten minutes later, Emma carried two perfect BLT sandwiches to the table.

She slid a plate in front of Alek. She picked up her own sandwich, took a massive bite, and closed her eyes in satisfaction.

Alek picked up his sandwich. He took a bite. The crunch of the toasted bread and the juice of the tomato mixed perfectly. It tasted incredible.

They ate in silence. The heavy, suffocating tension that usually filled the room was gone. The only sound was them chewing.

Halfway through the meal, Alek stopped. He looked at her laptop. "What were you doing on the computer all morning?"

Emma swallowed her food. She looked him right in the eye. "Sending out my resume. I'm trying to get some freelance writing jobs for extra cash."

Alek stopped chewing. He searched her eyes for any sign of a lie. He found nothing but honesty.

He looked down at his plate to hide the storm of emotions in his eyes. "You don't have to do that," he said quietly.

Emma grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth. "We are in this together now. I'm not going to sit around and watch you starve."

The blunt words hit Alek hard. He couldn't argue with her logic. A very faint smile touched the corner of his lips.

When they finished eating, Alek stood up. He grabbed both empty plates and walked to the kitchen sink.

Emma stared at him in absolute shock. The billionaire tech mogul, who had never done a chore in his life, was turning on the faucet to wash dishes. She realized right then that their dynamic had permanently shifted.