Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Reunion
The grand ballroom of the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan glowed beneath massive crystal chandeliers. Soft jazz floated from a black grand piano in the corner, mixing with the gentle clinking of champagne glasses and the low murmurs of New York’s elite.
Ethan Mercer stepped through the gilded entrance doors, looking every inch the Wall Street titan. Dressed in a bespoke ivory-white tuxedo jacket, a crisp white dress shirt, and a black bow tie, he exuded effortless, intimidating power. His thick dark wavy hair was perfectly styled, his jawline sharp with light stubble.
He walked past the white-and-blush floral arrangements, nodding politely to fellow executives. But mid-stride, his polished black Oxford shoes abruptly stopped.
Across the glossy marble floor, bathed in the warm ambient lighting, stood Claire.
His ex-wife.
She wore a breathtaking pale blush-pink satin evening gown that draped flawlessly over her elegant figure. Her soft brunette hair was styled in a loose low updo, framing a face he hadn't seen in eighteen months.
But it wasn't her dress that paralyzed him.
Claire was holding a baby. A beautiful, tiny infant girl wearing a pale pink ruffled dress and a small cream-pink bow headband.
Beside Claire stood a tall, broad-shouldered man with neatly styled dark brown hair, wearing a tailored dark navy tuxedo. He was looking at Claire with quiet affection—and in his arms, he securely held two more babies, dressed exactly like the one in Claire’s arms.
May you like
Ethan stared at the group, his heart hammering violently against his ribs. The world around him faded into total silence.
"Claire?" Ethan breathed quietly, completely stunned.
