Ellen’s POV

That night, I couldn’t bring myself to go home. My arms ached from carrying two heavy bags stuffed with cash as I trudged back to my car. For a moment, I stood frozen, watching Ethan’s luxurious car speed off into the darkness, the faint outline of a frightened little girl visible in the backseat.

Part of me screamed to drive straight to my apartment, grab my belongings, and escape the city before dawn. But my hands gripped the steering wheel, my pulse racing with a ...