Six years after our divorce, I ran into Sebastian at the police station.

He had climbed the ranks from an undercover agent to a respected inspector. I had fallen from a cherished heiress to a social pariah.

He was there, flush with success, planning his wedding. I was there to collect my father's death certificate.

As I turned to leave, his voice halted me.

"Stella, do you still hate me?"

I shook my head.

Hate is the offspring of love.

After six long years, the love was gone. And so was the hate.


A young officer, blind to the tension, chirped, "Come on, everyone, share Inspector Sebastian's happy news!"

He reached out to hand me a piece of wedding candy, but Sebastian intercepted his hand, quickly catching up to me.

His voice was tight. "What brought you here? I can help-

I lifted the documents in my hand, cutting him off. "It's done."

Then I walked straight out of the precinct.

The irony wasn't lost on me. We had met here twice now.

The first time, I had watched my father be brought to justice.

Sebastian grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop.

"Are you alright?"

Such a clich greeting.

My eyes dropped to the new wedding ring on his left hand. My answer was just as predictable.

I'm fine."

He pulled his hand back as if my skin had burned him.

Leo's car was idling by the entrance. I turned and gave Sebastian a final nod.

"My husband is here."

His voice thickened.

"Okay, goodbye."

I was done with goodbyes where he was concerned.

As the car pulled away, he remained rooted in place, watching.

"Stella," Leo asked, his face full of gossip. "Are you using me to ward off an admirer? That officer looked like he wanted to set me on fire with his eyes. Why does he seem so familiar?"

I smoothed the crumpled edge of the document in my lap.

"That's Sebastian Vance."

Leo snapped his head towards me, disbelieving.

"The?Sebastian Vance? The special crimes expert? The one they interview on TV about cold cases? The guy whose interrogation techniques are taught at the police academy?"

At my nod, he stared blankly for another second before I had to remind him. "Eyes on the road, Leo."

But he couldn't let it go.

No wonder they made him a Senior Detective so young. Now it all clicks. He spent nearly a decade deep undercover. Only resurfaced after taking down that massive syndicate. The main suspect was... Harrison, wasn't he?"

"Yes."

"Right, Harrison...that last name..."

He seemed to remember that my last name was also Harrison and abruptly fell silent.

My voice remained calm as I answered the question he left unasked.

"Yes, that was my dad."

The main culprit of the Harrison Organized Crime Syndicate, personally brought to justice by Sebastian Vance.

Leo awkwardly scratched his head.

"I'm so sorry, Stella. I brought up something painful."

Mentioning it now, it no longer hurt.

It was more like talking about someone else's story, my emotions perfectly even.

The atmosphere in the car grew a little awkward.

Leo's gaze fell on the papers in my hand.

He quickly changed the subject.

"Right, what were you doing at the precinct today?"

I ran my finger over the prominent word "DEATH" on the document, and said.

"To cancel my father's... registration."

Half a month ago, Dad passed away.

He suddenly vomited blood in his cell. The diagnosis was terminal stomach cancer.

They released him on medical parole, but he lasted less than three months.

On his deathbed, he left his last words to me.

"Your father is guilty. I don't hold that against Sebastian. But he lied to you. For that alone, I wish I could end him myself."

Dad never blamed me.

Even though he'd refused hundreds of my visits over six years.

I knew he wasn't blaming me for bringing a snake into our home.