Bethany and I met in my office later that morning. It felt like we were living the same day over and over again, a mind-numbing collection of hours running together, filled with despair and financial documents. I told Bethany about my conversation with Hannah.

Her face drained of all color. “They beat her up?”

I nodded and turned away, looking at my computer screen instead. “She had a bruise on her face…her shirt was ripped.”

“Oh my God.”

“But she seemed okay, as crazy as that sounds. She still has her fight—but I’m worried it’s directed the wrong way. She was giving the guards holy hell, but she needs to be saving energy to keep herself safe.”

Bethany looked thoughtful. “I don’t know. I’d rather have her feisty than petrified.”

“But not if it gets her killed. Or…anything else.” I shut that train of thought down immediately, feeling sick. I couldn’t bear to think about what could be happening to her. If I let myself imagine the possibilities, I’d end up rocking in a corner, a prime candidate for the psychiatric ward.

My phone buzzed, and I lunged for it, like I did every time it made any sort of noise now.

It was a text from Li Na.

My attorney sent me another update. With a few changes, the P&S is in good shape. Meaningful progress has been made. My guards have updated me, and I’ve instructed them not to harm your sister—*if* you do what I ask. Once you’ve finished the materials list and have an update on the IP transfer docs, I am open to arranging her release in exchange for you.

Will work on those documents today, I wrote back immediately. I want to do this as soon as possible. TELL YOUR MEN NOT TO TOUCH HER. If anything else happens to Hannah, the deal is off!

You don’t need to make proclamations—just send my attorney an update, Li Na texted back. I’ll be in touch.

My hands were shaking as I put the phone down.

“Who was that?” Bethany asked.

I went to the window and looked outside, my mind racing. “Li Na. She wants us to wrap up the materials list and send it over today. Can we do that?”

I felt Bethany staring a hole into my back, but I didn’t turn around.

“Sure. But what happens after that?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I lied. “I just know that I want this done as soon as possible. So let’s get going, okay?” 

I couldn’t dwell on what was going to happen to me. I had to get my sister back at any cost…even if the cost was my own life.

I refused to think about Gabe—about how he would feel. About how I would feel if I had to say good-bye to him. If I thought about it, I would break. And there was no room for error now.

Hannah’s life depended on it.

* * *

Bethany and I spent the rest of the day getting everything together, and we had several conference calls with my intellectual property team. They were preparing my licenses for transfer, along with contracts for the few patents I’d acquired over the years.

There was so much work to do, I wasn’t sure how we were managing it. But the nineteen-hour days Bethany and I were putting in helped make a dent in the process, and my determination to move forward as swiftly as possible kept me on track.

“Babe.” Gabe’s voice brought me back to the present and the quick glass of wine we were having before bed. “You spaced out on me for a second. What’s going on?”

I swirled the red wine around, watching the trail it left on the glass. “I’m just figuring out what’s left to do.” I shivered. If I did as Li Na asked—if I went to her—there would be nothing else to figure out.

Except how to say good-bye.

I could barely stand to look at Gabe’s handsome face, which was lined with worry. I hadn’t told him about the earlier texts from Li Na. I couldn’t bear to.

We were interrupted by a text from Bethany. Petra gave prelim approval on the materials list. She made a couple of changes. I’ll send you the updates for your review. If you approve, we’ll get started on the rest of it.

I bit my lip and put the phone down. “That was Bethany. She said she’s updating this round of docs based on the other lawyer’s comments. Then she’s sending them back over to me for review.”

Gabe scrubbed his hands over his face. “This is happening so fast.”

I nodded. “Li Na told me what she wanted, and I’m giving it to her. I’m not going to put up a fight. It’s not worth it.”

“What’s next?”

I took a gulp of wine and looked out the window, searching the stars for Orion, my favorite constellation. “I have to reach out to my investors, and I need to tell the staff that we’re winding up the business. Then there’s the rest of the documentation, which will be a lot of work. But after that, Paragon will be…gone. It will be part and parcel of Jiàn Innovations, where I’m sure Li Na will promptly run it into the ground.”

“What’re you going to do about your employees?”

I winced. This part gutted me. “I’m going to give them six weeks’ severance, which is as much as I can afford. And that’s it.”

“I’ve been thinking about something.” Gabe reached for my hand. “Your people can come work at Dynamica. I’m launching some new initiatives, and I need a great team.”

I raised my eyebrows. “You suddenly need enough staff for another entire company?”

He leaned back and put his feet up on the ottoman, looking pleased with himself. “That’s what I said. Put a good word in for me. Tell them I’m a great boss and that we have a very friendly office environment—a huge game room and the best cafeteria in Silicon Valley. I have an on-site sushi chef. Employees from Facebook come to eat at my place, for Christ’s sake.”

I shook my head, feeling overwhelmed by his generosity. “Gabe. You don’t have to do this for me.”

His dimple flashed. “It’s not just for you—it’s for me. I’m going to put your people to work, and I’m going to make you the president of a new biotech R&D division at Dynamica. And then you’re going to be happy and productive, and in the office right next to mine, and I’m going to get laid on a very regular basis.” He put his arms behind his head, making his biceps pop. “Win-win, babe.”

My throat constricted as I imagined a future like that. A future that was happy, safe, and secure. A future with Gabe.

A future that might never happen.

He must’ve seen the look of despair cross my face, because he stopped smiling and sat up. “What.” He didn’t bother to make it sound like a question.

“N-nothing. I’m just processing.”

His eyes flashed. “Did you hear anything from Li Na since last night?”

I nodded, trying to compose my features. “She said the P&S was in good shape, and that she’d instructed her men not to touch Hannah. Nothing else.” The lie hung in the air between us; desperation and regret bubbled up inside me. “I think she just wants to get everything finalized.”

My phone beeped again, and I opened my messages. The revised documents were in my inbox. “Bethany just sent me the revisions. I need to work on this. She’ll probably come over.”

I didn’t wait for a response as I rushed to the safety of my computer. I needed to get away from him before he started asking me more questions and I cracked. I hid in his home office and scrolled through the documents on my laptop, knowing I couldn’t hide from him much longer. Gabe was the love of my life. I owed him the truth.

I just had to find the strength to tell him, and to ask him for what only he could give me: forgiveness.

And, hopefully, his blessing.