The Woman He Lost

ANIYA’S POV

Three days later, I signed the divorce papers.

My hand didn’t shake.

That surprised me.

I had expected tears. I had expected regret. I had expected to feel like I was ending my entire life.

Instead, I felt strangely calm.

The lawyer closed the folder in front of us.

“It’s official.”

I stared at the documents for a moment.

Four years of marriage.

Gone with a few signatures.

I slowly removed my wedding ring and placed it on the table.

“I guess that’s it.”

My lawyer gave me a sympathetic smile.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

I nodded.

“I will be.”

That was the truth.

I wasn’t okay yet.

But I would be.

I walked out of the office and found Maya waiting for me outside.

She immediately wrapped her arms around me.

“It’s done?”

I nodded.

“It’s done.”

She pulled away and studied my face.

“How do you feel?”

I looked toward the sky.

“Free.”

Her smile grew.

“Good. Because I have something for you.”

“What?”

She held out a set of keys.

I stared at them.

“What are these?”

“Your new office.”

My mouth fell open.

“Maya.”

“You said you wanted to start your company. So I found you a small office space.”

“You did what?”

“You can thank me later.”

I laughed for the first time in days.

“You’re insane.”

“Maybe. But I’m your best friend.”

I hugged her again.

For the first time since the award show, the heaviness in my chest lifted slightly.

I wasn’t Corbin’s wife anymore.

I was Aniya Harlow.

And I had a company to build.

Two weeks later, my days became a blur of meetings, phone calls, fabric samples, and business plans.

I rented a small studio and turned one of the rooms into a design space.

It wasn’t glamorous.

The walls were plain.

The furniture was basic.

The equipment was far from perfect.

But it was mine.

Every morning, I walked into that room and felt something I hadn’t felt in years.

Purpose.

I worked on my first collection until my fingers hurt.

I contacted manufacturers.

I met with suppliers.

I interviewed young designers.

I studied competitors.

I revised my financial plan.

And whenever doubt crept in, I reminded myself why I started.

I wasn’t trying to prove anything to Corbin.

I was trying to prove something to myself.

That the woman who had once given up her dream could still build it.

One afternoon, I sat behind my desk reviewing the proposal KC Sterling had given me.

His offer was still on the table.

I hadn’t accepted it.

Not yet.

There was something about accepting money from a stranger that made me uncomfortable.

But I couldn’t deny that his investment could change everything.

My phone rang.

I looked at the screen.

Maya.

“Hello?”

“Are you sitting down?”

I smiled.

“That usually means you’re about to tell me something dramatic.”

“I just saw Corbin.”

My smile disappeared.

“Where?”

“At a restaurant downtown.”

I leaned back in my chair.

“So?”

“He asked about you.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Of course he did.”

“He said he wants to see you.”

“I don’t want to see him.”

“I told him that.”

“Good.”

There was silence.

Then Maya sighed.

“There’s something else.”

“What?”

“He knows about your company.”

My stomach tightened.

“How?”

“I don’t know.”

I stared at the papers on my desk.

“He asked whether you were really starting a fashion brand.”

I swallowed.

“What did you say?”

“I told him it wasn’t his business.”

A small smile appeared on my face.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

We ended the call.

I sat there for a moment.

I shouldn’t have cared that Corbin knew.

But I did.

Not because I wanted his approval.

Because I knew him.

If Corbin believed my company was just an emotional reaction to our divorce, he would underestimate me.

And I refused to let that happen.

My phone rang again.

This time, it was an unknown number.

I answered.

“Hello?”

“Ms. Harlow.”

I recognized the voice.

Ethan.

“Yes?”

“Mr. Sterling would like to know whether you’ve made a decision.”

I looked at the proposal.

“Not yet.”

“He’s willing to meet again.”

I hesitated.

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.”

The following afternoon, I returned to KC’s office.

This time, I wasn’t nervous.

I walked through the doors with my head held high.

The receptionist greeted me and directed me upstairs.

When I entered KC’s office, he was standing by the window.

He turned.

“You came back.”

“I said I would think about your offer.”

“And?”

I placed a folder on his desk.

“I have conditions.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly.

“Go on.”

“I want complete creative control.”

“You’ll have it.”

“I want the investment to remain separate from my personal life.”

“Agreed.”

“And I don’t want you using my divorce or my name to promote the company.”

KC studied me for a moment.

“Done.”

I blinked.

“That easily?”

“I told you. It’s your company.”

I relaxed slightly.

He picked up the contract.

“Anything else?”

I hesitated.

“Yes.”

“What?”

“I want to know why you’re really interested in me.”

His expression changed.

For the first time, I saw something unreadable in his eyes.

“You have talent.”

“That isn’t the whole reason.”

“No.”

He set the contract down.

“It isn’t.”

I waited.

KC walked toward the window.

“I know what it means to build something when nobody believes in you.”

I frowned.

“That’s all?”

“For now.”

I wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but I knew I wouldn’t get more.

I picked up the pen.

“Then let’s do this.”

I signed.

KC signed immediately afterward.

Just like that, my company had its first major investor.

I stood and extended my hand.

“To a successful partnership.”

He took my hand.

“To something bigger than you imagined.”

His eyes remained on mine for a second longer than necessary.

I pulled my hand away.

“Thank you.”

As I turned toward the door, KC spoke again.

“Aniya.”

I looked back.

“Be careful.”

“About what?”

His expression became serious.

“Not everyone who approaches you after your divorce will have good intentions.”

A chill moved down my spine.

“Is that a warning?”

“It’s advice.”

I nodded.

“Then I’ll keep it in mind.”

I left his office.

Neither of us noticed the man standing across the street from the building.

He watched me walk toward my car.

Then he lifted his phone.

“She just left Sterling’s building.”

A voice answered on the other end.

“And?”

“She was with KC.”

There was a pause.

Then the voice said,

“Find out who she is.”

The man looked toward my car.

“We already know.”

Another pause.

“Then find out why KC Sterling cares about her.”

Back inside the building, KC stood by the window, watching my car disappear into traffic.

Ethan entered the room.

“We have a problem.”

KC turned.

“What?”

“Someone was watching Aniya.”

His expression immediately changed.

“Who?”

“We don’t know yet.”

KC walked toward his desk.

“Find out.”

“And if it’s who we think it is?”

KC’s jaw tightened.

“Then they made a mistake.”

Ethan studied him.

“You’re getting too involved.”

KC’s eyes hardened.

“She’s not involved.”

“Not yet.”

KC looked toward the window again.

He had promised himself that Aniya Harlow would stay far away from his dangerous world.

But promises were easy to make when feelings weren’t involved.

And somewhere between their first meeting and the moment she signed that contract, something had changed.

He didn’t just want her company to succeed.

He wanted her safe.

And anyone who threatened her would have to answer to him.

Meanwhile, I drove home completely unaware that my new business partnership had already placed me on someone’s radar.

I thought the hardest part of starting over was rebuilding my life.

I was wrong.

The hardest part was about to be discovering that the man helping me build my future had a dangerous world of his own.