Chapter 0003

Fiona

“He may be able to help, since he clearly likes you…” she trails off, then smirks, “And I still think it’s insane that he’s in love with you.”

“Love?” I laugh, surprised. “Isla, he’s toying with me. Another one-night stand to forget about,” I tell her, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as I stare at my husband’s computer screen. He’s not in his office, so bet he’s with Jessica right now. The bastard.

Isla sighs through the phone, “Whatever you say, girl. Well, go get that footage and take Jack down.”

I want to smile, but there are hours of footage here to reveal their sin. Plenty to get them both fired and maybe more. So, I hit d******d and watch as the little blue line creeps across the screen.

“They won’t get away with what they’ve done,” I tell Isla, and after saying our goodbyes, we hang up.

Once it’s finished, I pull the flash drive out of the laptop, shut it off, and grab my purse. Jack won’t see this coming. I’ve always been the perfect little wife until now.

Not anymore. Jack will get what he deserves, and I’ll find a way to get my mother’s money back.

Clutching the flash drive in my hand, I step off the main elevator and walk up to the empty reception desk. I’ve only been to the firm a few times, so as I walk around, I find myself becoming a bit overwhelmed, until I bump into a woman coming around the next corner.

“Do you have an appointment?” The professionally dressed woman asks.

“No, I don’t, but—”

My nerves jumble in my stomach as she scoffs at me and crosses her arms over her chest.

“I’m Ethan’s secretary, Madison,” she sneers. “I know your type—women make excuses to see Ethan every day. Get out!” She flings her arm out, pointing at the elevator.

Surprise at her rudeness hits me. Is she always like this?

“Do you always act this rudely when I’m not around?” A deep voice tinged with annoyance asks from behind me. Guess I’m not the only one thinking about it.

Madison cringes and lowers her head in shame while I turn and face him. I wasn’t planning to see Ethan this soon, but if anyone can help, it would be the company’s owner.

“What brings you here, Fiona?” He asks, glancing at me and his secretary. As we stand there, I notice his rigid posture, cold shoulder, and the thin frown that pulls at his lips. It’s completely different than the warm aura I felt last night.

“You’re here, because?”

“Oh, right. My husband has been cheating on me with his secretary here in your building,” I tell him and show him the flash drive. “He’s also trying to take the inheritance my mother left me, so I want him fired.”

Ethan hums and continues typing on his phone. His eyes don’t leave the screen, and my hopes sink. He’s not even paying attention to me.

After a minute, he leans back in his chair and looks at the clock on the wall.

“If you can bring me a greater benefit, I’ll fire your husband, but until then, I’ve got a business to run,” Ethan says, stands, and then walks away, exiting the office and leaving me there alone. I stand there, stunned at the dismissive comment and the overall opposite attitude from yesterday.

How is this the same man I’d been with last night?

This cold, detached demeanor was more like what I heard about in rumors. The sharp gaze and the unemotional, hard line of his lips were so different. It was like I was looking at a different man from last night. Had I imagined the tenderness from last night?

The gentleman from last night was back to being the cold dictator everyone spoke of. It’s almost like nothing happened last night. Like I really was just a one-night stand to him.

Shaking my head, I push the disappointment away. I knew it was nothing more than that.

Sighing, I scoop up the flash drive from the desk and leave the office.

“Don’t get your hopes up. He’s a billionaire, and you’re just a housewife whose husband cheated on her,” Madison remarks arrogantly as I walk past her desk.

It’s true. If it wasn’t for the random stop at the bar and the alcohol, we never would’ve crossed paths.

There’s nothing between us. Just one night of bad decisions that is better left in the past.

Soon, I find myself standing in front of the HR Manager’s office, filling out paperwork. He looks over the paperwork for a few minutes before picking up his phone and making a call.

“Yes, I’d like to see you in my office,” the manager says into the phone.

A few minutes after he hangs up, Jack walks in, and my stomach tightens in discomfort.

Jack, though, chuckles when he sees me sitting there. I stand and try to harden my features as he looks me up and down.

“You want me fired?” He asks with a smirk. “You want your mother’s money and want a divorce, too?”

I merely stare at him, not wanting to give him more fuel for whatever fire was burning.

“That money is mine, Fiona, and you couldn’t possibly find a good lawyer and win this case within thirty days,” he says arrogantly. His chest puffs out as I realize he’s right. There wouldn’t be a lawyer that wants to go up against the new partner of the Silverclaw Law Firm. They’re known for winning case after case.

“However,” Jack grumbles, “Here.” I watch as he pulls an envelope out of his jacket and slaps it down on the manager’s table. The letters across the front spelled DIVORCE AGREEMENT.

“Throw her out,” Jack says, waving a hand and leaving the room.

Within minutes, two security guards escorted me and my divorce papers out of the firm. I walk to my car, climb in, and unseal the envelope, reading through the agreement Jack had written up.

As I read, I grow angrier and angrier until I nearly scream when I read that I’d only receive $20,000 in shared assets after the divorce. Shared assets meant Jack had already transferred all his own assets elsewhere.

My heart aches with regret as I realize this was practically my fault. If I hadn’t spent years being his little housewife, I’d be able to fight back. I have no connections or skills to fight against my husband.

I have nothing.

My phone rings and makes me jump, but when I see Isla’s name flash across the screen, I answer.

“Hey! I have great news!” Isla shouts excitedly. “There’s a high society party tonight where you could find an amazing lawyer to help you fight back against Jack.”

“A party?” I ask, feeling a bit nervous.

“Yeah. I’m on my way to your house with a stunning dress and an invitation,” she tells me. Reluctance hits me in the chest, but it may be my only option to win against Jack. I can’t let him take everything from me.

Two hours later, with invitation in hand and the dress hugging my body, I step into the party filled with societies elite.

Heads turn as I walk through the crowd, eyeing me. I can feel their gazes on my skin, and I inwardly scowl at Isla for the beautiful, yet exposing dress. The low cut, backless dress reveals much more skin than I like, and the tight fit hugs every curve I have.

It’s not my usual taste and having so many people’s eyes on me is a bit unsettling. However, I don’t feel like the frumpy housewife Jack always deemed me to be.

“Good evening,” a handsome man greets, smiling. I nod, offer my own small smile, and continue walking until a commotion on the other end of the room catches my attention.

There, in the middle of a group of beautifully dressed women, stands Ethan. And he was looking at me. His gaze is fixed directly on me with an intensity I can’t explain. Heat spreads through my body as his eyes travel down then back up my form.

It was more like when he looked at me during our night together. I can practically feel his touch as if we were back in his bed and he was running his fingers over my bare skin.

People chattered around me, walking between us, but it was like no one else was there.

Just him.

Just us.