chapter 1

Ten years ago, that car crash made two women the most important people in Kieran Schroeder's life.

One was me. I lost my left leg, my womb was damaged, and the head injury wiped out everything I saw at the scene. Kieran felt awful and took care of me in every possible way.

The other was Zara Dean, his secretary.

He said that if Zara hadn't shoved me aside that day, I would have died there.

To thank Zara, he bought her an apartment next door. Later, Zara got pregnant and her boyfriend dumped her. Kieran talked to me about helping her. He suggested we file for a quick divorce so he could marry Zara on paper, giving the baby a father on record and some protection.

I felt grateful for the life she had supposedly saved, and Kieran had always treated me well. I agreed without a second thought.

The three of us went to city hall together.

Out of nowhere, a truck lost control and slammed toward us. Kieran hit the brakes and pulled Zara into his arms at once.

"Is the baby okay?" he asked, eyes full of worry.

I stood there frozen, and everything came back to me.

Zara had not saved me ten years ago. In that split second, I had thrown myself in front of Kieran, and he had wrapped his arms around Zara.

…

I could not accept it. My memory had to be wrong.

I had lost a leg and could not have children, yet Kieran never despised me. Friends and relatives called me lucky and said I had married a good man. He loved me so much. How could he have lied to me?

The rear door was jammed after we clipped the planter. I lifted my hand, wanting to call Kieran over to help me out.

But he had already gotten out. He rushed around to the passenger side, shielding Zara as he helped her down, then stepped back to call for an ambulance.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

Zara was the one who brought me up, "Kieran, Esme is still in the car."

His face went pale. He ran back and tried my door.

It was stuck, and he yanked with everything he had. When it finally gave, a sharp edge sliced his arm. Blood ran down, but he didn't seem to feel it.

He pulled me in and said, "Esme, why didn't you call me? You couldn't get out?"

His concern looked real, and for a moment I wavered. I asked, "Did you forget about me?"

Kieran held me tighter.

"Of course not. You know Zara is pregnant. She could have lost the baby from the shock. I was trying to get help. I didn't mean to ignore you."

Zara walked over.

"Kieran, the baby is fine. Let's just go to city hall."

Kieran let me go, checked me over, and said, "You're not hurt either. Esme, let's do what Zara said and grab a cab there, okay?"

I suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

That tone. I had heard it so many times over the years.

When Zara cried about how expensive housing was and how she could never afford a place on her own, Kieran said to me, "Zara saved your life. It's not a big deal. Let's buy her an apartment next door."

When Zara got sick and could not sleep from the pain, Kieran packed dinner and said, "Zara has done so much for us. I see her as a family. Can I go check on her?"

It always sounded like everything he did for Zara was because of me.

The kinder he was to her, the more it seemed to prove how much he cared about me, so I never doubted him.