Chapter 1

1

I was fighting for my life in a hospital bed while my husband was lounging in Bora Bora with his secretary.

He didn't just abandon me; he let that woman move into our home while I was gone.

When I finally walked through the front door, I didn't scream. I just calmly handed him the divorce papers.

His little secretary stood there in my favorite silk pajamas, tears streaming down her face.

"Please, blame me if you have to, but don't leave Mr. Miller because of this," she sobbed.

Gavin comforted her for what felt like an eternity before he finally spared me a glance.

"Fine, we'll divorce. But don't you dare make life difficult for Luna."

......

The moment I pushed the door open, I saw Gavin sitting at the mahogany desk in the living room, focused on his laptop.

Across the room, a woman was lounging on the designer sofa I had spent weeks picking out.

She was wearing my pajamas and using one of my expensive face masks.

Gavin looked up when he heard the door. He froze for a second, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

The woman scrambled to her feet and hid behind Gavin like a frightened kitten.

I knew exactly who she was.

Her name was Luna Vance, the secretary Gavin had hired a few months ago.

She was a fresh college grad, young and undeniably beautiful in that fragile, helpless way.

Gavin stood up, shielding Luna from my sight. His expression quickly shifted from surprise to annoyance.

"Finished with your little tantrum? I see you finally decided to come home," he snapped.

I wrapped my coat tighter around my thin frame and looked him in the eye.

He actually thought I had been missing for a month just to pick a fight.

He thought I was playing games.

In reality, I had spent every single one of those thirty days suffering in a cold hospital ward.

I had told him I was sick. I had called.

But he hadn't picked up once. Instead, he had brought Luna into our sanctuary.

He let her wear my clothes, use my things, and occupy my home like she owned the place.

Gavin took a slow sip of his coffee, looking down his nose at me.

"I didn't come crawling back to beg you, and yet here you are. Try to be more like Luna. Be sensible and stop making these scenes."

He always acted like this. He thought all he had to do was whistle, and I'd come running back like a loyal dog.

But the truth was, I was exhausted. I was done lying to myself.

I pulled the divorce agreement out of my folder and tossed it onto the desk in front of him.

"Sign it, Gavin. We're done."

He didn't expect that. For a split second, he looked genuinely stunned.

But his arrogance returned almost instantly, replaced by a sneer.

"With what money, Jada? If you leave me, you won't have a cent to your name. How are you going to pay for your paralyzed brother's care?"

The disdain in his eyes felt like a serrated blade twisting in my chest.

My family had been in a horrific car accident years ago. My parents died instantly.

My brother, Jace, had shielded me with his own body. I survived, but he was left paralyzed from the waist down.

His medical bills were astronomical. We weren't poor before, but the treatment had drained every penny of my family's savings.

I had given everything I owned to Gavin when he was a nobody trying to start his firm.

Once he became a titan in the industry, I figured we were a team. I didn't keep track of the money.

Without telling me, he had even submitted a resignation letter on my behalf, claiming he wanted me to be a "queen" at home.

"I'll take care of you," he had promised. "My money is your money."

Now, he was using that same money to keep me on a leash.

Luna stepped out from behind him and grabbed my arm, her voice trembling.

"Mrs. Miller, please. Gavin only took me in because he felt sorry for my situation. Don't be angry with him because of me."

I looked down at her hand, my voice cold as ice. "Let go."

She flinched and pulled back, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Mrs. Miller, please don't divorce him. It would break my heart to be the cause of this."

I let out a sharp, bitter laugh.

She played the "innocent victim" role perfectly, and Gavin fell for it every single time.

He pulled her into his side, rubbing her shoulder to soothe her.

"That's enough. She's just a kid out of college, Jada. Stop bullying her."

I was speechless.

I hadn't even said two words to her since I walked in, and yet I was the villain.

I picked up the papers and shoved them closer to his face. "If she's so precious, then sign the damn papers."

Luna squeezed out two perfectly timed tears. "I'll leave right now, Mrs. Miller. Just please, don't stay mad."

Gavin grew frantic at the sight of her crying. "Luna, honey, this has nothing to do with you."

Then he turned back to me, his eyes freezing over.

"You want the divorce? Fine. But you better not make things difficult for Luna."