Chapter 1Years Gone By

At twenty, I knitted my first scarf and gave it to my secret crush, Seraphina Sinclair.

At her birthday party, amid mocking gazes, she accepted it.

Three days after my sister’s death, I went to the university to withdraw.

In the admin office, I overheard people sorting through files.

“Are you really throwing out that scarf from hick Asher?”

“This thing? It’s not even as nice as the designer coat Wyatt gave her. A hotel towel is probably better. Just toss it.”

“If I’d known she didn’t want her lapdog’s gift, I’d have used it as a foot rag. What a waste of all that knitting.”

Wyatt. Her childhood sweetheart.

Seraphina laughed, balled up the scarf, and tossed it toward the other girl.

It missed, landing beside the trash can — a pitiful sight.

Our eyes met briefly. I said nothing, just picked up my papers and left.

I knew I had no right to question her.

Six years later, back in Northgate, I heard a rumor:

Seraphina Sinclair, the city’s most famous heiress, had a long-lost love who’d been missing for years.

* * *

I came back to Northgate to expand my clothing brand.

On opening day, a familiar face walked into the new boutique.

"Asher?"

I was straightening clothes on a rack. It had been years since I'd used that name. The sound of it made me freeze for a moment.

When I turned, I was met with a pair of wide, shocked eyes. The woman in front of me looked vaguely familiar, her features sharp and elegant, her clothes tailored from expensive fabric. But I couldn't place her.

I offered an awkward smile. "I'm sorry, you are?"

She subconsciously scratched her head. That gesture instantly brought it all back.

Sienna.

One of Seraphina's friends. The same girl from the office six years ago who wanted to use my scarf as a foot rag.

A young man stood beside her, his arm linked with hers. He was tall, slender, and had a warm smile.

We sat in the VIP lounge. While her boyfriend was in the fitting room, Sienna looked around my store.

"You... you own this place? This brand has been blowing up lately. I can't believe you're the one behind it..."

A flicker of embarrassment crossed her face as a memory surfaced. "The things I said back then... I was just joking. Please don't take it to heart. I've actually wanted to apologize for years, but I couldn't find you."

"Where have you been all this time? Why did you just drop out of university like that? Not a single word..." Her voice trailed off, growing quieter.

I calmly took a fruit platter from a server and placed it on the table. "I didn't go anywhere special. Just went back to my hometown for a while."

Back to my hometown, where I changed my name and restarted my life.

She was about to ask more when her boyfriend came out of the fitting room. The clothes fit him perfectly, and he was so pleased that he bought several other styles on the spot.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "your autumn/winter collection is a bit incomplete. Other stores usually cross-promote with matching hats, brooches, shoes, and scarves."

"I noticed when I was trying things on that you don't have any matching scarves. I think that's something you could improve on."

I explained gently, "We aren't planning to add scarves to our line just yet. I'm sorry about that. As a courtesy, I can give you thirty percent off your purchase..."

As they were leaving, Sienna spoke up hesitantly. "You know, all these years, Seraphina has been..."

A loud crash of metal echoed through the store.

I turned to see a half-installed clothing rack topple over. I sighed, rubbing my forehead. Great, now I have to put it up all over again.

Sienna was still talking. I gave her a rushed nod and turned to instruct an employee to handle the mess.

Her face lit up, and she quickly pressed an invitation into my hand.

"Then it's settled! It's Seraphina's birthday tomorrow. You have to come!"

Before I could refuse, she hurried away, giving me no chance to back out.

My business partner, Penny, stretched as she came out from the back. "What was that noise? It woke me up. What's this... Seraphina Sinclair?"

Her eyes were glued to the invitation in my hand. Her arms, frozen mid-stretch, forgot to come down as she gasped out the name.

I was a little confused. "You know her?"

Penny nodded vigorously, her sleep-deprived eyes suddenly shining. "Of course! The Seraphina Sinclair? I saw her at a fashion show a while back."

"She was sitting in the front row, so tall and gorgeous. She took over her family's company right out of college, and under her leadership, their profits have skyrocketed..."

"Wait, is that a birthday invitation? How did you get that?"

"Sienna gave it to me," I said flatly.

At that, Penny's eyes filled with a new level of awe.