Chapter 1

Three weeks into the semester, Emma Dyer officially withdrew from her university. She opened her inbox and clicked a starred email—her Eastside University acceptance letter from three months ago. She should've started grad school there before summer break, but tied to him by her feelings, she stayed in the country and took on the role of PR director at Castro Group instead. That man was Frank Castro, her so-called uncle. But now, a piece of gossip news appeared on her screen with the headline blaring: "Castro Group Heir in Secret Rendezvous with First Love—Spends the Night at Her Place!" Just then, her phone rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. "Ms. Dyer, please head to Belvoir Hotel immediately. Mr. Castro is stuck there. Mrs. Castro wants you to go personally. Please handle the situation carefully," said John Miller, Thea Phelps' assistant, his tone serious. Emma knew this was no small matter, not with Thea calling at 2:00 am and asking her to handle it personally and with care. Connecting the dots with the headline she'd seen earlier, it was easy to guess who was with Frank at the hotel. "Alright," she muttered with a bitter smile before hanging up to rush to the hotel. When she arrived, John was already waiting in the hotel lobby. He handed her the room key card and directed the PR team to handle the preparations. Emma gripped the key card tightly, taking a deep breath to steady herself before knocking on the door. When it opened, her gaze slid over toned calves, up to a towel hanging low on a slim waist, then to a V-line and a chiseled chest. His strong arms had faint scratches, as if— For a brief moment, her mind went blank. When she looked up, she met Frank's cold, impatient stare. His expression was distant, as though he was looking at a stranger. "I..." The word barely left her lips before her gaze struck the rumpled bed inside. Standing with her back to the door was Lea Davila—Frank's first love, the one from the gossip headlines. Her head hung low and her hair was in disarray as she hurriedly tried to fix her clothes. Emma quickly lowered her head, biting her lip hard. Of course. She had interrupted again at the worst possible moment, cutting their precious hour short. "What are you doing here?" Frank's cold voice cut the silence. Emma took a deep breath, swallowing the bitter feeling within her. She looked up and said, "Paparazzi got a tip on your whereabouts. They're swarming out there, and Mrs. Castro told me to deal with it." Frank didn't flinch. His icy stare was pinned on her before a quiet scoff slipped out. "You're here at 2:00 am… You're really committed to your job, aren't you?" He sounded calm to anyone else, but Emma could tell he was pissed. Was it because she had ruined his night? Emma's mind raced, and she was confused about what he meant for a second. She said softly, "Sorry if I interrupted, but Mrs. Castro...." "Don't use my mom to push me around," Frank shot back, his eyes cold, his voice sharp with a warning. "Who are you to tell me what to do?" Emma froze, struck by his words. Who was she to him? She was just a foster kid in their care. How could she match his unforgettable first love? For eight years, she had loved him in silence. Her longing for him gnawed on her like an old wound, its ache settling in her bones. Now, the truth struck, cruel and plain—her love had never stood a chance. Yet she was still clearing their path, brushing off her broken heart. She fought back the pain and swallowed the bitter taste rising in her throat. Gritting her teeth, she said, "The paparazzi are swarming downstairs, and there are cameras everywhere. Someone could sell the footage, so we need to act now. Frank, please… Just let me in." Her voice cracked on the last words. Frank held her gaze for a moment before stepping aside and letting her in. Despite the urge to turn and leave, Emma forced herself to step inside, shutting the door behind her. Thinking of Thea, she quickly moved to the farthest corner of the room, away from the disheveled bed. "Hello, I'm Emma Dyer, PR director of Castro Group," she said, introducing herself to Lea. "Hi, I'm Lea Davila." Lea smiled, sheepish. "Sorry for the trouble. Honestly, it's my fault. I knew I couldn't handle my liquor, but I still drank too much. Frank didn't want me taking a rideshare in case the driver was too tired this late at night, so he waited for his driver. That's when the media got their shot." At that, Emma's mind faltered as a heart-stopping flash of the crash eight years ago came flickering through. Back then, Frank had treated her like a cherished kid, guarding her fiercely. That night, after her evening class, a downpour hit hard. Her driver's car broke down halfway, so Frank ditched his event and raced to get her. He was swamped back then, and his driver was running on fumes as well after days of non-stop work. Exhausted, the driver smashed into an oncoming car. The crash was brutal, and the driver died on the spot. Emma got off with scrapes because Frank held her close, but he landed in the ICU for a month. When he woke up, his first words were, "Where's Emy?" After that, every driver assigned to Emma had to undergo strict training every three months. Frank used to watch over her like she was his whole world, and that was where her crush kicked in. But when did things start shifting? Or maybe they never did; she had just seen more than there was. She forced a smile. "Just doing my job. Don't worry about it. You'll have stuff to sort with Frank, uh, Mr. Castro later. Appreciate your help." Lea eyed her curiously. "You're that little girl from next door?" Emma froze, glancing at Frank's blank face, then turned to Lea. "You know me?" "Yeah." Lea grabbed Frank's hand at his side, her smile shy. "Frank talked about you. He'd tease me about meeting you, saying I could be like your aunt since he's like your uncle." The words cut Emma like knives, ripping into her already broken heart. Emma bit her lip hard, barely holding it together. She turned to the door, saying, "The PR team's downstairs waiting. If you're good with Mr. Castro, can you head down? I'll wait there." With that, she all but ran out. Moments later, Lea and Frank showed up together at the conference room. The PR plan was simple—Castro Group's entertainment division would announce a film collaboration with Lea. All she had to do was share the statement and clarify that their previous meetings had included other crew members. As it wrapped up, the sky started to brighten. Frank and a representative from the entertainment company followed the PR plan and took Lea home while Emma took a cab on her own. He wasn't the man who'd fret over her taking a cab anymore. As the soft hues of sunrise spread across the sky, she knew the night had passed and a new day had begun. Maybe it was time to move on. She opened her email and clicked "accept" on the acceptance letter.