TrueLove isn’t just any jewelry store—it’s the prestigious spot everyone knows for engagement rings and wedding pieces. Julie Morgan still remembered vividly when she’d visited its flagship downtown Manhattan store as a kid, right after she’d moved in with the Taylor family. Back then, she’d pressed her nose flat to the storefront glass, completely mesmerized by the glittering diamond sets glowing inside.

Cameron Taylor, who was a few years older than her, had wandered over, laced his fingers through hers, and tugged her away. “What’s so interesting about that anyway?” he’d asked, thick with impatience.

"You’re gonna buy all of it for me someday!" Back then, she’d been young, bold, and didn’t hold anything back.

"Fine." He never even turned to look at her, but the tips of his ears had flushed soft pink.

For years after that, every time Julie passed TrueLove’s flagship store, she couldn’t stop a smile from tugging at her lips. She’d think of his promise, and that faint pink blush on his ears. Even when Cameron grew colder and more distant, even when he barely acknowledged her anymore, she’d clung to that memory like a lifeline.

She never once imagined that the woman walking into the store with him wouldn’t be her.

The sharp trill of her phone cut through the quiet. Julie fumbled it out, mumbled a quick apology to anyone nearby, and answered.

"You’ve been gone half an hour," Cameron’s voice came out ice-cold.

"Oh," Julie answered, totally unbothered.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cameron nearly growled the words.

Julie stepped into a quiet, out-of-the-way corner to make sure no one could overhear. "Just reminiscing about your very sweet romantic history."

Dead silence stretched over the line. "Julie, do you even hear what you’re saying?"

Julie knew she’d gotten under his skin. A day ago, this would’ve had her scared, twisting with anxiety. But now her chest felt empty, like a snow-covered wilderness—frozen, but holding the quiet promise of sunshine once the snow melts.

"If that’s all, I’m hanging up. Oh… congratulations on finding your new love today, Cameron."

After she ended the call, Julie blocked his number. That still didn’t feel like enough, so she turned her phone completely off.

When she stepped out of Khloe Boyd’s office building, the sky stretched overhead pale and soft blue.

"Make sure you rest when you get home, but keep your phone on—we need to be able to reach you," Khloe Boyd advised. After pulling an all-nighter working side-by-side with Julie, the whole team had grown to respect how sharp she was.

Khloe leaned into that familiar mentoring tone she used. "Sophie Chavez’s position probably isn’t gonna shift much anytime soon, but we need to be ready for anything that pops up."

Julie doubted there would be any surprises. As long as the Taylor family gave their blessing, Cameron and Sophie could walk down the aisle tomorrow. She was actually grateful for everything she’d learned the night before—it had cut through the last frayed threads of attachment and resentment she’d still been holding onto.

A sleek silver-gray Maserati purred to a stop at the curb. The window rolled down, and Silas Olson’s handsome face came into view.

"Where you staying now?" he asked.

"I’m… at a hotel temporarily," Julie answered.

"Hop in. I’ll give you a ride," Silas said, his voice gentle but unarguable.

Julie hesitated for just a second. A stream of her colleagues poured out of the building, still buzzing from the all-nighter. Worried one of them would spot her, she slipped into the passenger seat fast.

"This job’s brutal, huh? Swapping days for nights nonstop," Silas remarked, handing her a warm paper cup.

To her surprise, it was hot coffee—her go-to. Julie smiled. "I’m used to it."

"You’re the most talented journalist I’ve ever worked with," Silas said, grinning. "Remember seven years ago, when we were stateside together…"

"Silas!" Julie cut him off quickly.

Silas’s expression dimmed a little, turning somber.

"He never found out, did he?" Silas’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. "All you gave up, everything you invested…"

"It’s all in the past," Julie said softly. "Thanks for keeping my secret."

From the time she was little, she’d told herself love wasn’t about favors, or charity, and it was never coercion. Pure feelings don’t need outside pressure to grow.

She couldn’t blame anyone for how things ended with Cameron.

The car fell quiet. Julie turned her phone back on, and was flooded with dozens of missed calls—all from numbers she’d already blocked. There was one unlabeled text, but Julie recognized the number instantly.

*Julie Morgan, you better never pick up that phone for me again.*

That was all Cameron wrote. Julie added his number to her blocked list for good measure.

Silas didn’t press her for her address, just dropped her off at a five-star hotel downtown.

Julie glanced up at the glittering facade and laughed softly. "Silas, this place is way too fancy. Can we go somewhere cheaper?"

She couldn’t afford a place like this right now, not after leaving the way she did.

"The firm’s covering it, just go on in," Silas assured her. He’d already checked her in, and handed her the key card. "I’ll leave you to rest. Take two days off, yeah?"

As he pulled away, his smile faded, his expression tightening just a little.

Julie didn’t have any luggage with her. She’d left the Taylor house completely empty-handed—didn’t even take any of her own money when she walked out.

Cameron certainly knew how to end things cold. No loose ends, no mercy.

Julie swiped into her room, and found Silas had booked her a deluxe river-view suite. Sunlight glinted off the water, pouring through the window and warming the toes of her shoes.

When she pressed the button to close the curtains, the last sliver of sunlight faded from view. Finally, she could let her guard down, and let the last of that old sadness melt away.

A few days back, Julie had gone to visit Maryam in the hospital. While she was gone, Sophie had snuck into Julie’s villa and swiped the most expensive butterfly brooch right out of her jewelry box, no permission asked.

Sophie had been too arrogant to cover her tracks, and Julie noticed the second she got home.

She heard Sophie was at Cameron’s office, so Julie hurried straight over.

Outside his office door, they’d screamed at each other. Julie slapped Sophie hard, sending her tumbling to the ground.

That was when Cameron walked out.

Sophie clung to him, sobbing hard. "Cameron, Julie says I stole her jewelry, but I didn’t. She won’t believe me… you saw it, she hit me for no reason…"

Julie bit her lip until it stung. "Cameron, it’s the butterfly brooch—she took it—"

"I don’t care about your stupid brooch," Cameron cut her off cooly, glowering at her. "Even if someone took your stuff, that’s no excuse to hit anyone. Julie Morgan, you’re far too spoiled."

Looking back, Julie guessed he was right. She had been spoiled. The Taylor family had spoiled her rotten, given her endless confidence that made her act like she could have anything she wanted. And that brooch mattered more to her than anything, so she’d lashed out.

In the heat of the moment, she’d shot back at him: "I already hit her. What are you gonna do about it?"

If Sophie didn’t give that brooch back, Julie would call her out every single time she saw her.

They stared each other down for a long moment, then Cameron’s face went frosty. "Apologize, and I’ll give you one last chance. If you don’t, you’ll never be a Taylor, never be my wife."

Suddenly, ice washed right through Julie’s veins. She heard herself ask him, calm as anything: "If I refuse to apologize, then what?"

"We call off the engagement," Cameron answered, his eyes completely empty of any warmth.

"Apologize, or we break up. Your choice."

A single tear slipped down Julie Morgan's cheek before disappearing into the pillow under her head. Cameron Taylor had forgotten. He'd forgotten the story behind the butterfly brooch… or maybe he'd never really cared at all.

When she was thirteen, Julie had scraped together every penny of her allowance for years just to go to that auction alone. She'd been dead set on bidding on that stunning diamond butterfly brooch. But she never even got a chance to raise her paddle—her savings fell short. Back home that night, she locked herself away and cried for a whole week. Her eyes swelled shut so bad she had to ice them, lying to Laura Taylor that she just hadn't slept well.

One evening, a week later, Cameron barged right into her room and tossed the brooch straight down in front of her. "Take it," he said. When he saw how stunned she was, he kept going in that signature impatient tone of his: "Being part of the Taylor family means you fight for what you want. And if you can't win it yourself, why the hell wouldn't you just say something? You think we're all invisible around here?"

Julie held that brooch tight, her eyes shining so bright with gratitude she could barely speak. "Thank you… thank you, Cam…"

Cameron stared at her for a minute, then flicked her forehead soft and easy. "No more crying from now on, got it?"

When her parents died, she was so little she barely even understood what happened. But the second she moved in with the Taylors, they wrapped her in love. Still—all the hard lessons about how life works? Those came from Cameron. He once told her to fight for whatever she wanted, and if she couldn't win the fight alone? He'd fight it for her.

But now? She fought, and he called her arrogant. He wants to break off their engagement. It's fucking ridiculous.

Julie was jolted awake by her phone blaring from the nightstand. It was Khloe Boyd on the line.

"Get down here now! Cameron Taylor just sent a cease-and-desist!"

Julie threw on clothes and rushed to check out of her hotel room. The receptionist smiled all sweet at her: "Miss, your room's already been paid for the whole month. You can stay as long as you'd like."

Julie insisted on checking out anyway, and transferred the leftover balance to Silas Olson, texting him: Brother, put today's room on my tab. I'll pay you back after payday.

When she pushed through the doors of Exposé Entertainment's office, Khloe's voice was already echoing all the way down the hall. "He was the one who picked out the engagement ring! He draped his coat over her at that gala last winter! We have proof of their seven-year secret relationship! And now he's suing us for defamation? This is complete bullshit!"

The second Julie ran in, Khloe shoved the legal notice straight into her arms. "Here—this is your hot mess to hold."

Julie glanced it over and almost cursed out loud. "Why the hell am I the main defendant?"

"Because they go after the person who looks weaker!" Khloe shrugged. "The whole company's getting sued, but you're getting special treatment."

"It's 'cause of Julie's article—views and shares are through the roof, girl. Your bonus is locked in this month," Ryan Dunn joked with a grin.

The rest of the team nodded in agreement. "My bet? She hit a nerve. Cam's definitely feeling the heat now."

Julie sighed, turning back to Khloe. "You said this morning it wouldn't blow up this far."

Khloe spit her lollipop out into the trash can beside her, fist clenching in frustration. "I'm this close to cursing his entire family tree back eighteen generations!"

While they were still hashing it out, the legal team walked over, asking for Julie's ID info. Cameron was specifically gunning for the Exposé article and its author. The piece dug into his hidden romance with Sophie Chavez—an all-nighter Julie pulled to get it right, and he's calling it fake news.

Julie had published it under a pen name, but the legal team needed to confirm her identity to prep for court. Judging by how hard Cameron was coming after them, a court showdown was inevitable.

Just as Julie pulled her ID out of her wallet, a hand reached over, pushed it back, snatched the legal notice, and ripped it straight to shreds right in front of everyone.

"Let him sue," Silas Olson's voice was ice cold. "If Cameron Taylor is bold enough to act, he shouldn't flinch when people call him out on it."

No one had more right to call out Cameron's coldness than Julie Morgan.

"But…" the legal rep hesitated, thrown off. Silas was always so level-headed—seeing him this visibly angry threw everyone off.

"If he dares sue, the company will handle the response. You don't have to worry about a single thing," Silas said flatly.

"But…" the lawyer tried again.

"Is Exposé Entertainment really such a big company that it can't even protect one of its own writers?" Silas's tone left no room for argument.

He wouldn't make Julie stand against Cameron alone in court. Cameron wasn't worth it.

"Mr. Taylor, we still haven't found her." Jeremiah Hoffman reported anxiously from the executive suite atop the Cloud-Taylor Group building. Cameron's temper had been absolute garbage since he got back to his estate last night.

Julie Morgan was missing.

Cameron closed his eyes, rubbing hard at his temples. "Pull her spending records."

On the desk in front of him sat a shattered phone screen and a bank card snapped clean in half.

Jeremiah still remembered how Cameron had smashed his phone in a fit of frustration last night when all his calls went straight to voicemail. The way he'd reacted when he found the half-broken bank card on her nightstand? It was enough to make anyone's blood run cold.

"I checked… Miss Morgan hasn't made any transactions at all."

Still with his eyes closed, Cameron pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hotel check-ins?"

"Checked all the local ones, no records under her name."

A dead, heavy silence filled the room.

Jeremiah didn't even dare breathe. After what felt like an eternity, Cameron opened his eyes—they were streaked red with exhaustion and rage. "What's Exposé saying?"

Jeremiah wanted to cry right then and there. "Exposé's standing firm. They won't pull the article, and they say they're ready for court whenever he is, sir…"

Bang!

Cameron kicked the solid oak coffee table right over. Shards of glass went flying, clattering and skittering across the marble floor.

Jeremiah nearly jumped out of his skin, heart hammering so hard he thought it would burst out of his chest.

This was the second straight day Cameron hadn't slept. If this kept up, Jeremiah was half-convinced he'd be the one to collapse from stress first.

"Mr. Taylor," assistant Zach Harper walked in, throwing Jeremiah a sympathetic look, "the flight's all arranged."

Cameron stood, adjusted his cufflinks, and strode straight for the door, his whole demeanor dark as a thunderstorm.

Jeremiah wanted to beg him to stay and sort this out first, but Zach subtly shook his head. Not even a family tragedy would make Cameron change his itinerary, let alone Julie Morgan—who he supposedly loathed with every fiber of his being.

Cameron's obsession with work was practically fanatical.

"Alert the police, pull all traffic cam footage in the area," he ordered Jeremiah right before he walked out.

Jeremiah hurried to scoop up the broken phone and snapped bank card out of the glass shards. Cameron didn't have to say it out loud—he knew. The phone's SIM card wasn't to be thrown out, and the broken bank card needed to be reissued immediately.

"Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Taylor just called," Jeremiah reported nervously as they boarded the plane, "she asked about you and Miss Chavez…"

Cameron tore his gaze away from his computer screen and looked up. His eyes were as cold as Arctic ice.

Jeremiah wisely handed over the new phone and the reissued bank card instead of pushing further. "We've got the police on it; we should have a lead soon."

Cameron said nothing else. He just reclined back into the plush leather couch of his private jet, watching the runway blur past as they took off.

Julie Morgan, he thought, was just as always—full of tricks, greedy for everything she could get.

"Julie, don’t give those rags a single second of your time!" Laura Taylor’s voice practically trembled with frustration over the phone. "It’s all garbage—they just pull cheap stunts for clicks!"

"You belong with this family. No one else gets that spot."

"I tried to get ahold of Cameron to give him a piece of my mind… couldn’t reach him, so I just let it all out to Jeremiah instead."

"Thank you, Mrs. Taylor. I’m holding up okay," Julie Morgan replied in that soft, steady way of hers.

Laura sighed in relief. "Julie, honey, you’re just too sweet and too forgiving. Cameron does care about you—he just has those infuriating blind spots. Don’t you worry, once you’re married I’ll make sure he learns how to treat you right."

The idea that he cared about her…

That’s what the entire Taylor family kept insisting, over and over.

Julie had let herself believe it too, once. But reality taught her: empty words without real love behind them mean empty feelings, too. If that wasn’t true, how could she—who’d once loved Cameron so deeply it ached—be hiding what she’d already decided?

Expecting a man who’s checked out before the wedding to turn around after?

That’s a pipe dream.

In the end, she just couldn’t bring herself to say the words: I’m breaking up with him.

Calling off this engagement, the person Julie felt guiltiest toward was Mrs. Taylor.

But she figured Laura would find out soon enough anyway.

The staff and maids at The Carlton aren’t exactly known for keeping secrets.

...

"Julie, you’re covering the Film Gala tonight with Ryan Dunn," Khloe Boyd instructed, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Sophie Chavez will be there. See if you can get her to slip up and spill something. If she admits it on the record? We’ll see if Cameron dares actually sue you."

The Film Gala was notoriously rigged when it came to awards, and every seasoned reporter in the department wanted nothing to do with it. Khloe had had someone else lined up first, but swapping in Julie—an easygoing newcomer—didn’t get a single objection. Instead, everyone cheered her on.

"Good luck, Julie! Dig up the scoop and blow Cameron’s fake perfect cover!"

"We’ve got your back, girl!"

"Just catch Sophie in a compromising position—any compromising position—and you win the whole thing!"

What a load of crap…

Khloe nodded. "Harsh but fair. Go give it everything you’ve got, Julie."

Even though Silas had promised to back her, everyone knew a full-on fight between Taylor Group and Morgan Enterprises would hurt both bad. If Cameron actually tried to sue Julie over this, would Inertia Publications really risk their relationship with two corporate giants just for one rookie reporter?

They’d throw her under the bus before the ink even dried on the lawsuit.

Khloe looked at Julie’s stunning face and sighed quiet to herself.

Such a talented, beautiful girl. Just plain unlucky.

She’d hit the jackpot with her very first story, only to come crashing down right after.

Getting tangled up with Cameron Taylor— that cold, ruthless tycoon—was gonna cost her everything.

...

Ryan had already set up the camera, hanging back out of sight.

At tonight’s Gala, Sophie Chavez was keeping her mouth glued shut. Reporters swarmed her, but her bodyguards held them all off.

"Miss Chavez! Is it true you’re dating Cameron Taylor?"

"Sophie, over here! Is that an engagement ring on your finger?"

"Ms. Chavez, you’ve confirmed your relationship—when’s Cameron gonna do the same?"

"Ms. Chavez, rumor has it Cameron’s suing for defamation over these dating reports—what’s your response to that?"

Sophie ignored every question, holding that plastered-perfect smile while her bodyguards ushered her away.

Julie didn’t bother joining the pack.

She and Ryan were already posted up outside Sophie’s hotel, waiting for the real story to come out.

Khloe had handed her this chance to "change her fate"—and she knew full well how brutal Cameron’s legal team was.

Still…

Julie scanned the crowd of other reporters lurking all around.

She wasn’t the only one who’d thought of this play.

"Waiting around all night might get us nowhere," she thought.

Everyone was gunning to catch Cameron and Sophie together.

Cameras were trained dead on Sophie’s hotel room windows, just desperate for a single shadow of a silhouette.

But the thing was… Cameron wasn’t even in town.

"I’m gonna go try my luck," Julie said, letting down the pinned-up twist she’d worn all day.

Ryan froze for half a second, stunned by how her hair cascaded down her back, then pulled himself together. "Julie, this is The Carlton. How the hell do you plan on getting up to the fifteenth?"

The Carlton’s a five-star, members-only spot. No membership card, you only get access to the first ten floors. And Sophie Chavez was staying in the top-tier VIP suite on the fifteenth.

Julie stepped aside from the thick hedge lining the entrance. "I have one."

It was a gift from Laura Taylor.

Digging into your ex-fiancé’s new romance was guaranteed to hurt like hell.

But Julie needed this job. Needed the money—her little sister Maryam was still in the hospital, her life hanging by a thread.

Getting more solid evidence would only improve her odds of coming out on top.

If Cameron wanted to sue her? So be it.

Julie was ready to stand her ground.

His lawsuit would just be the launching pad for her career.

Ryan watched Julie walk into the hotel lobby.

Under the dazzling chandelier lights, her slender, graceful figure glowed with that quiet, innate elegance. No one would’ve guessed she was a reporter chasing a scoop.

Ryan rubbed his eyes.

Thinking back to how Silas Olson acted around Julie…

Was this rich heir actually hiding his girlfriend in the company to help her build her career?

...

Julie checked in for a suite on the fifteenth floor.

The receptionist was about to turn her down, but one glance at the name on the membership card brought the manager running over, and her check-in was done in two minutes flat.

Julie breathed out soft, slow.

She’d been worried Sophie had booked the entire floor just for herself.

Thankfully, Laura Taylor’s membership card carried more than enough weight.

She was alone in the VIP elevator. As it climbed higher, her phone rang—an unexpected call from Sophie Chavez herself.

"Miss Morgan. I’m sure you’ve seen the news."

Sophie’s voice oozed smugness, thick with the kind of victory that begged to be recognized.

Julie didn’t even flinch. "Seen what?"

"The reports about me and Cameron," Sophie laughed. "We picked out a ring yesterday. It’s official. Surely you’ve heard that?"

"Is that so?" Julie replied, as calm as still water. "Last I heard, he’s suing those same reports for defamation. This announcement sounds like it’s just your side of the story. Cameron hasn’t said a word."

Sophie’s tone shifted. Her composure cracked, rattled by how unshaken Julie was.

"Julie Morgan, unlike you, I actually have a family name to protect.""

"Our relationship will get its formal announcement on an auspicious date. Right now, Cameron’s staying quiet to keep it from messing up the strategic merger between our companies."