The rain had turned to a drizzle by the time Julian Sterling knocked on the peeling green door of Maya Khan’s apartment.
He looked nothing like the heir to the Sterling dynasty. His scrubs were ruined, stained with mud and blood. He carried a single leather duffel bag.
Maya opened the door, her eyes widening. “Julian? I heard about the rescue. Is everyone okay?”
“They’re safe,” Julian said, his voice hollow. He didn’t step inside. “But I… I needed to tell you.”
He dropped the bag on the floor. It made a light thud–it wasn’t full.
“My father found out I drove the getaway car,” Julian explained, staring at the floor. “He found out I helped the Crofts. He issued a press release an hour ago. I’ve been disowned, Maya. He froze my trust. He locked me out of the penthouse. He even cancelled my credit cards.”
He looked up at her, a wry, painful smile on his face. This was the beginning of his “Rags to Riches” reverse arc.
“I chose the right side,” Julian whispered. “But I lost everything else. I have nowhere to go.”
Maya didn’t ask questions. She didn’t care about the trust fund or the penthouse. She reached out, grabbed the front of his ruined scrubs, and pulled him inside.
“You didn’t lose everything,” she said fiercely, closing the door on the world. “You have me.”