"ra, leaving Ferguson Corporation was the best move. I told you, Dn''s not exactly Prince Charming. Maybe he only gave you that promotion because he was interested."


    As Simon wrapped up, Quinn burst outughing. "You really think Dn''s into her?"


    Shen even teared up from giggling too hard. "Simon, did I ever mention the time I ran into Dn? When ra''s name came up, he looked so unimpressed. People even asked him about her, and he said, ''She''s not all she''s cracked up to be.""


    That line, "not all she''s cracked up to be," hit hard, especially since ra''s reputation was infamous around the Capital. Everyone knew her as Simon''s keen admirer.


    Quinn''sughter mellowed a bit, maybe to keep from losing her cool. "But ra, don''t take it too hard. Dn''s like that with all women."


    That didn''t make ra feel any better.


    The car rolled to a stop outside a flower shop, and Simon pointed it out.


    "ra, remember this ce? After graduation, you got me flowers here, and we took our graduation photos together. I made you a flower crown, but you thought it was ugly and got all huffy with me."


    ra nced at Quinn, noticing her sour look, and couldn''t help but find it funny.


    Simon kept reminiscing, "Back then, it was a big deal to give the second button of your uniform to someone special. I wanted yours, but your uniform got stolen, and you had to wear something else on graduation day."


    He was talking about high school. A time before Quinn joined the Bradford family when things were lessplicated between them.


    ra shut her eyes. Her voice was t as she said, "Sorry, can''t recall any of that."


    A shadow of disappointment crossed Simon''s face as he gripped the steering wheel. "I thought a trip back to our old school might jog your memory."


    Just as he finished, Quinn chimed in. "Simon!"


    Quinn''s chest heaved with anger, her face ghostly pale.


    It hit Simon then that he''d just been wedding dress shopping with her. Awkwardly,


    he hit the gas, while ra could feel Quinn''s seething resentment. Her anger was like vines creeping through the car, threatening to overtake everything.


    When they finally pulled up at the Bradford estate, ra skipped the small talk and headed straight to her room. There was a spot under her bed she hadn''t checked, and she hoped for more clues.


    But no luck—nothing under the bed. Frustrated, she hit the nightstand, which triggered a secretpartment in the wall.


    Her eyes lit up at the sight of a few cards. The handwriting wasn''t hers; it was a man''s, bold and with a carefree swagger.


    [Once everything''s settled, I''lle for you.]


    [Happy birthday, ra.]


    Just those two cards, with nothing else written.


    ra even wondered if there were secret microchips in them, but they were just in greeting cards.


    Still, the fact they were stashed in such a hidden spot showed how much they mattered.


    She furrowed her brow, lying back on the bed, studying the handwriting. It wasn''t Simon''s, and definitely not Dn''s.


    Dn''s writing was more forceful, while this was rxed.