Amelia stared at the stack of papers on Andrew's desk, her mind drifting. Beatty's name jumped out at her, bold and glaring, like a needle pricking right behind her eyes.

She squeezed her fists, shut her eyes, and let out a slow breath. It's just sixty percent of my savings, she told herself. No big deal. I can always make it back. At least Andrew gave me a say. He could have just sent me away without asking.

Her thoughts spun in circles until a light, pleasant voice broke through the noise. "Mr. Lane, are we leaving now?"

It was a young woman's voice, steady and warm in a way that made her sound both approachable and professional. The kind of voice you'd expect from a woman who knew exactly who she was.

Amelia turned to see who it was.

Andrew stood at the door, his back to her. Beside him was a woman Amelia had never seen before, looking up at him with a gentle smile.

The woman wore a fitted white sweater and flared jeans, topped with a black overcoat almost identical to Andrew's. Her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, her makeup barely there, just a hint of pale lipstick.

She wasn't the sort of beauty that stopped you in your tracks, but there was something striking about her. She carried herself with real confidence. Standing next to Andrew, she looked perfectly at ease, neither shy nor overly familiar. Her smile was subtle, not too cold, not too friendly, and the more Amelia looked, the more she noticed how the woman's quiet expression made her seem even more interesting.

Who is she? Amelia's mind raced.

She didn't have to wait long to find out.

Andrew nodded at the woman. "Let's go."

The woman glanced into the office and hesitated. "Mr. Lane, and this is...?"

Without turning, Andrew said, "Just call her Ms. Lane."

The woman seemed to get it. She nodded politely at Amelia. "Hi, Ms. Lane. I'm Beatty, the new secretary."

Amelia's face changed for just a split second when she heard the name.

Andrew was already heading out. "Come on."

Beatty nodded at Amelia again, then clicked after Andrew in her low heels. Even as they walked away, Amelia could still see Beatty looking up at him, smiling wide. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she caught Andrew's small nod, and Beatty's smile only grew brighter.

Amelia's chest felt tight. Since when were Beatty and Andrew so close?

She wanted to know more. She hurried after them, but all she caught was the elevator doors sliding shut.

She stomped her foot, frustrated.

When she got home, her mood only got worse. She walked straight into the villa, didn't even bother saying hi to Kevin Lane, and shut herself in her room. She glared at her bank balance stewing and only then realized she hadn't eaten dinner. Her stomach was practically yelling at her.

She grabbed her phone, ready to order some takeout, when someone knocked on her door.

It was Ethan.

He came in holding a steaming bowl of vegetable dumpling soup. The smell hit her

right away, and her stomach grumbled loud enough for both of them to hear.

Ethan grinned as he set the bowl on her desk. "You haven't eaten, right? I heard what happened as soon as I got home."

Amelia sulked, picking up her spoon and swirling it through the soup. "Do you know about Beatty?" she muttered.

Ethan looked completely confused. "Who?"

He had been on that family trip years ago, but he hadn't been there when everything went down. He didn't know the details. Like everyone else, he'd always thought Isabella Austin was the one who saved Andrew.