When the cold water hit me, nothing around me paused.

I ended the call.

They had no idea what was happening.

Clause Nine wasn’t revenge.

It was protection—for moments when trust was broken beyond repair.

Two years earlier, I met Marcus during a private audit.

Without my title, without my name, I saw people as they truly were.

Marcus seemed different.

Easygoing. Respectful. Safe.

For the first time, I believed someone could love me without knowing what I had.

So I kept my identity hidden.