Chapter 6: The Governor Returns

Harper & Co. Security ran smoothly.

To make a living in Maple Heights, with its busy traffic and trade, opening a security agency was the best choice.

With the chest of cash Andrew gave me, I bought land, and Caleb recruited people and bought a couple of trucks.

Business flourished day by day.

Everyone praised me for being wise and clever, and Caleb for being brave and decisive.

I kept my story quiet, only saying my last name was Harper, and never spoke of my days at the Governor’s Mansion.

In a blink, half a year passed, and deep winter arrived.

I still heard tales of Andrew Lane from passing guests.

For example, his wedding with the McCarthy family was approaching, and there were even rumors the future governor’s wife was already expecting.

Recently, I heard that a cat had gone missing at the Governor’s Mansion, and Andrew was so worried he searched day and night.

I didn’t know if it had anything to do with me.

But before, I hadn’t wanted to reopen old wounds, so I never told Andrew about my background, only saying I was a poor orphan girl.

Andrew never knew I came from a prominent Maple Heights family, always thinking my status was low.

I suppose, even if he grew curious and tried to find me, he wouldn’t travel all the way to Maple Heights, a thousand miles away.

Unexpectedly, I suddenly received a contract to escort a prominent lady from Maple Heights to Savannah for marriage.

It was said the groom was the legitimate grandson of the state senator, of illustrious status.

Caleb and I led the team, safely delivering the bridal procession to Savannah.

But at the inn, there was only one room left.

Caleb immediately insisted on going downstairs to sleep in the truck.

I grabbed his wrist, half annoyed, half amused: "The bedding’s already made up. What are you afraid of? I’m not a man-eating ghost."

Truth be told, although we’d grown close these days, we’d never truly been intimate.

He stopped pretending, locked the door, and suddenly picked me up.

His breath was hot, but he held himself back.

"You said it yourself, wife."

His strong arms wrapped tightly around my waist, holding me still.

My face flushed bright red.

Caleb pressed his lips to mine, his kiss hot and deep, making it hard to breathe.

But just then, someone knocked on the door, saying the wedding was about to begin, and inviting the whole team to the banquet.

Only then did Caleb reluctantly let go, licking his lips as if savoring the taste, smiling mischievously and handsomely.

He stared at me until my legs went weak, making me shy as I went downstairs.

That night, at the senator’s wedding banquet, the hall was filled with well-dressed guests.

After several rounds of wine, tipsy, I heard the bride’s family praising the security agency’s abilities.

"That Harper gal runs a tight ship—smart, tough, and not bad to look at, either."

Everyone looked at me.

Luckily, I wore a wide-brimmed hat, hiding my face.

Yet I kept feeling a cold, piercing gaze sweep over me.

So I simply refused all small talk, dragged Caleb to a restaurant at the end of the street, and bought a bottle of my favorite local white wine.

Just as we stepped into the back alley, dozens of flashlights flickered at the corner in the night.

Black uniforms and gold badges—no one but the governor’s security detail could muster such a force.

The guards parted respectfully.

The man who appeared wore a crisp yellow tie, exuding overwhelming power.

He blocked all my escape routes.

Andrew Lane raised his cold eyes, his gaze falling on my hand holding Caleb’s.

A hush fell, the kind that comes just before a summer storm breaks. Somewhere nearby, a car alarm blared, then faded into silence. For a heartbeat, no one moved—caught between the past and the present, between old wounds and the hope of something new.

Andrew Lane’s eyes locked on mine, the crowd fading into static. I squeezed Caleb’s hand, bracing for the storm I knew was coming.