Chapter 3

3

The next day, I felt slightly better and immediately contacted a lawyer to start the asset division.

Being away from Caleb for a few days cleared my head. I realized I must have been blind to ever fall for a man like him.

My phone pinged. It was a photo from Madelaine.

It was a silhouette of her and Caleb kissing against a sunset over the deep blue ocean.

I sneered. She could keep the trash for all I cared.

I blocked her and saved the photo to send to my lawyer as evidence of his infidelity.

Unfortunately, the lawyer said it was too dark to identify their faces clearly.

Not long after she sent the photo, Caleb actually called me.

"Avery, you always wanted to go to the beach, right? Come down to the pier. We're at the Holiday Beach Club."

I could hear muffled laughter in the background.

I gripped the phone, teeth gritted. "Fine. I'll be there."

I expected to walk in on a scandalous scene I could record for the divorce.

To my surprise, Madelaine wasn't there when I arrived.

Caleb looked triumphant when he saw me walking toward him.

"See? I told you she'd come if I called."

I looked at him with total indifference. He didn't even have the power to make me angry anymore.

He was surrounded by his frat-boy friends, all of them watching us.

"Hey, Avery. Long time no see," his best friend, Silas, said, raising a glass.

I nodded. I was disappointed Madelaine wasn't there. As I turned to leave, Silas stopped me.

"Avery, our companies are about to start that big partnership. I'm looking forward to working with you."

I replied coolly, "I've requested a transfer to the San Francisco office. I won't be handling local accounts anymore."

I'd put in the request two days ago, and the approval had just hit my inbox.

Silas looked awkwardly at Caleb. Caleb's face darkened as he stepped toward me.

"San Francisco? Since when? Why didn't I know about this?"

I glanced at him, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

"Do I need your permission to move?"

"Hell yes, you do! I'm your husband. I decide where we live!"

His voice was loud enough to make people jump. Silas tried to play peacemaker before a scene broke out.

"Caleb!"

A high-pitched voice rang out. Madelaine appeared, wearing a tiny, suggestive bikini. This was definitely not what she was wearing in the photo she sent earlier.

She must have known I was coming and spent the whole time changing.

At dinner, the group sat around a grill.

Madelaine pressed herself against Caleb, her chest brushing his arm as she begged him to feed her.

The others kept peeking at me to see my reaction, but I remained perfectly calm.

I didn't sit near Caleb. He felt dirty to me.

After drinks, someone suggested a card game―Kings.

The first person to draw the King said, "Numbers 2 and 6 have to kiss."

Caleb flipped his card. It was a 6.

"Whoa! Caleb is 6! Who's 2? Even if it's a guy, you gotta do it!"

Amidst the cheering, Madelaine shyly flipped her card. A 2.