Chapter 3

03

I didn't lose my temper right away.

As the Chief Financial Officer of a publicly traded healthcare group, numbers and cold calculations were my specialty.

I handled complex ledgers, and I knew how to settle scores.

I wired a retainer to Lois and told her to keep digging.

I wanted Andy’s entire background, along with every single bank transaction Preston had made over our marriage.

If I was going to divorce him, I would take every penny back and ruin his reputation completely.

That afternoon, I picked up iced coffees and returned to Haven Dental.

The male receptionist smiled warmly.

“Mrs. Cole! Dr. Cole is in Operating Room Two.”

I nodded with a gentle smile, scanning the hallway.

“I brought treats for the staff. Is the new assistant around?”

The receptionist took the drinks and pointed toward the back prep room.

“Andy is stocking medication. The kid got lucky, Dr. Cole took him under his wing right away.”

I clicked my heels down the tiled corridor toward the prep room.

The door was slightly ajar, and a soft humming floated out.

I pushed the door open.

A petite figure in loose scrubs stood by the counter, mixing composite resin.

She had short, wavy chestnut hair.

“Andy?”

I called out softly.

She jumped, dropping the metal spatula onto the tray with a sharp clatter.

Turning around, she revealed a delicate, pretty face.

There was no makeup, but her features were undeniably feminine.

Her chest was bound flat under the oversized uniform.

“Who... who are你―I mean, ma’am?”

She tried to deepen her voice, attempting to sound like a young man.

I looked her up and down, letting my gaze linger on her pink lips.

They were bare today, but the natural tint showed she had recently scrubbed off heavy pigment.

“I’m Preston’s wife, Madelyn Cross.”

I stepped forward and extended my hand.

“I heard we had a new hire, so I wanted to say hello.”

A flash of panic crossed Andy’s eyes before she quickly masked it.

She wiped her palms on her pants, avoiding my touch.

“Hi, Mrs. Cole.”

“My hands are covered in powder, so I shouldn't shake.”

“I don’t mind.”

I grabbed her small hand firmly.

The skin was soft and delicate, the bone structure tiny.

This wasn't a man’s hand by any stretch of the imagination.

Was Preston blind, or did he think everyone in the building was an idiot?

“Your hands are remarkably soft, Andy. Not used to hard labor, are you?”

I looked straight into her eyes.

Andy tried to yank her hand back, but my grip remained tight as iron.

Her face flushed crimson.

“I... I never worked in manual labor before, ma’am.”

“Is that so?”

I let go of her hand, opened my designer bag, and pulled out a brand-new lipstick.

It was the identical shade of bubblegum pink.

“I picked this up on my way here, but the color is far too bright for an old woman like me.”

“You have such lovely lips, Andy. Why don't you give it to your girlfriend?”

The moment Andy saw the golden tube, her pupils shrank into tiny dots.

She darted a desperate glance toward the doorway, looking for an escape.

“You’re joking, Mrs. Cole. I... I don't have a girlfriend.”

“Oh? A boyfriend, then?”

I took another step forward.

Andy was backed into the corner cabinets, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

Right then, Preston’s voice cut through the tension.

“Madelyn? What are you doing here?”

There was a distinct edge of panic in his voice.

I turned around to face my rushing husband.

He hadn't even taken off his surgical mask, his eyes darting back and forth between me and his mistress.

“What? Am I not allowed to visit my husband?”

I waved the lipstick with an innocent smile.

“I just thought this shade would suit Andy’s girlfriend, so I offered it to him.”

Preston’s expression darkened.

He stepped between us, placing a possessive hand on my shoulder while blocking Andy from my sight.

“Stop playing around, honey. Andy is a young man, why would you give him cosmetics?”

“Besides, he has patient prep to finish.”

He turned around and snapped at Andy with cold authority.

“Get back to work. If you can't even prep the trays properly, how can you assist me in surgery?”

Relieved, Andy lowered her head and scrambled out the door.

“Babe, you’re acting weird today.”

Preston looked down at me, a faint crease between his brows.

“Did someone say something stupid to you?”

Watching him play the protective mentor, the cold fury inside me burned hotter.

“Not at all. I just find your new assistant very... unique.”

I emphasized the word with a pointed stare.

Preston’s body tensed, and his smile became stiff.

“Younger folks have their own quirks, that’s all.”

“Come on, let’s sit in my office.”

He guided me out into the hall, his palm slick with nervous sweat.

He was terrified.

He was terrified I would uncover his disgusting little secret.

Too bad he was already too late.