Simon slouched deeper into his seat, his patience running thinner by the second. "You''ve talked a lot, but do you actually have a n?"


    Aaron let out a softugh, his eyes clouded with something dark. "Oh, I have a n. Remember all those rumors in the city about ra having a thing with a male model? I had someone keep tabs on her for a while. Turns out, she barely ever saw that guy-and when she did, it was alwayste at night. I have a theory, but I need your help to prove it."


    So that''s what this was-he wanted Simon in on whatever scheme he was cooking up.


    Simon couldn''t care less. As the car passed a bus stop, he cut in, "Let me out here. I''m not interested in teaming up with you. You can''t even handle Dn- what could you possiblye up with?"


    Aaron''s face darkened, but only for a moment. Then he managed a smug, self- assured look. "Simon, I can fix this because I know the biggest secret of all. Haven''t you always been pissed that ra picked some random model over you? Here''s the truth: ra never liked you. It was all an act. The guy she really cared about was someone she called her ''senior.'' I never met him, but I do know this- he''s dead. Because of Dn."


    Simon had already cracked open the car door, but froze at that. Slowly, he sat back down.


    Of course he''d always known ra''s feelings for him were fake. That was exactly what stung the most-why should he be just a prop in her story with someone else?


    He''d tried to find out who she really loved, but he''d alwayse up empty.


    It couldn''t have been Dn. Before she lost her memory, she''d hated Dn- everyone knew that. And that kind of disgust wasn''t something you could fake.


    Simon lowered his eyes,shes casting shadows over his face. He''d wondered a thousand times-why him? Was it because he looked like the real guy she loved, or was there something else?


    Aaron''s words had hooked him, whether he liked it or not.


    Aaron squinted, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "You know, I ran into ra once when I was overseas."


    The memory pulled him back.


    Everyone in the city knew ra was head over heels for Simon, trailing after him everywhere.


    But no one could deny she was the most beautiful woman around.


    If she hadn''t been so obsessed with Simon, she could''ve had an army of men chasing after her.


    But because she chased Simon so openly-and because Simon was infuriatingly arrogant-he''d always badmouthed her in public. Eventually, people started seeing her as nothing more than a desperate, clueless pretty face. No one ever bothered to find out who she really was.


    Aaron remembered that night abroad perfectly. Later, when he heard the gossip about her, it didn''t add up. The woman he''d seen that night was nothing like the rumors.


    Nights overseas were dangerous, especially in a ce where guns were legal. Most people didn''t dare go out after seven.


    But that night, Aaron had to stay outte for a


    Work dinner, not heading


    home until after ten. Even with two


    ards, they ran into trouble-a


    gang with guns came after them.


    Shots rang out. Both bodyguards were hit. Aaron found himself cornered, certain he was done for.


    He''d had close calls before, but that night he really thought it was the end.


    Then, out of nowhere, the gangsters dropped. He turned and saw a woman perched on a nearby wall.


    She was so beautiful, she almost


    didn''t


    real. He didn''t know bet


    well back then-just that Simon had


    a fiancée.


    But the woman looked just like her.


    She gave him azy nce, her voice cool and just a little cocky. "Is this what the


    Morgans are like? Pretty useless."


    Aaron, still in his suit, slowly got to his feet.


    He hadn''t seen her face clearly, but that voice-calm, sharp, with a hint of swagger-was unmistakably ra''s.


    For days, he thought he must''ve been mistaken. Until he bumped into ra again, this time in a chaotic bar.


    Even from across the crowd, he spotted her on the second floor, talking to someone beside her.


    The guy had a little braid, his face hard to see, but he treated ra with real respect.


    A knife spun between his fingers—fast and careless, but somehow never cutting


    him.


    ra suddenly kicked his wrist. The


    knife dropped into her hand. She raised an eyebrow, said something Aaron couldn''t hear, and then just grinned—a bright, fearless smile.


    That was when Aaron knew-it really had been ra who saved him.


    A side of ra he''d never imagined: a stranger, but still shining with her own fierce light.


    That was six years ago. ra had only been eighteen.