Chapter 1

On the exact day of our third wedding anniversary, my husband asked me to return my wedding ring.

The wedding ring on my finger belonged to another woman.

Gideon Hale had reserved the entire top floor of the museum restaurant.

I had thought he was celebrating the three years we had survived together.

Then the heavy oak doors opened.

Celeste Ward walked in wearing white.

Gideon was on his feet before I could even set down my glass.

Three years ago, Celeste had disappeared hours before she was supposed to marry him.

I had stepped into her dress, faced three hundred guests, and become Gideon Hale’s replacement bride.

Everyone expected the marriage to last a few months.

Instead, I stayed.

I stood beside Gideon while he took control of Hale Industries. I rebuilt the family foundation, took his mother to every hospital appointment, and handled every crisis he missed.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped feeling like a substitute.

I thought Gideon had stopped seeing me as one too.

He placed a document in front of me.

"Sign it, Mara."

A divorce settlement.

Beside the document lay a faded jewelry sketch.

I recognized the diamond immediately. I had worn it every day for three years.

At the bottom of the page, beneath Gideon’s handwritten measurements, were four words.

Custom fit for Celeste Ward.

The ring suddenly felt too heavy on my finger.

I had known the dress was hers. I had known the ceremony had been planned for her.

But when Gideon slid this ring onto my hand and promised to honor me as his wife, I had believed at least one thing from that day belonged to me.

For three years, I had been wearing a ring sized for someone else.

Celeste stopped beside Gideon’s chair.

"Thank you for taking care of everything while I was gone," she said softly.

As though I had been keeping her seat warm.

"The centennial gala is tomorrow night," Gideon said. "I’ll announce Celeste there."

His gaze dropped to my hand.

"You’ll return the ring at the gala."

I pressed my thumb against the cold metal until the edge cut into my skin.

He wanted me to wear it for three more days, then remove it beneath the ballroom lights so everyone could watch him restore his intended bride.

"And what exactly happens to me?"

Gideon’s expression barely changed.

"Nothing needs to happen to you."

"You’ll remain head of the foundation. My mother will still rely on you. Your rooms at the Hale estate will stay as they are."

For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood him.

"You want me to divorce you," I said coldly. "And then continue to maintain this family for you?"

Gideon sighed softly.

"I am just giving Celeste back the position that originally belonged to her," Gideon answered. "This doesn't mean everything between us has to disappear. No one is trying to kick you out of the Hale family."

He truly believed this was fair.

He believed I would finish the gala, take his mother to the hospital next week, and return to my rooms as though only my title had changed.

Because for three years, I had always stayed.

My heart stopped aching. It just went completely cold.

I picked up the pen.

Celeste’s shoulders loosened. Gideon looked relieved.

Neither noticed that my hand had stopped trembling.

I signed my name.

Gideon collected the papers.

"Go back and rest tonight," he said. "Tomorrow we still need to confirm the gala schedule."

I stood up.

"You think I'm still going to prepare your gala tomorrow?" I asked.

"This is a family gala," he answered smoothly. "You have always known what is most important."

He was absolutely confident that I would swallow my pride, put his family first, and keep working for him just like I always did.

I walked past them without looking back.

Gideon did not stop me. He was too certain I would be back in the morning.

Outside, I found a number I had not called in three years.

Julian Sterling answered on the second ring.

"Mara?"

Three years ago, he had told me I did not have to spend my life being someone else’s replacement.

I had chosen Gideon anyway.

Now I looked through the restaurant windows at the man who had already returned to his intended bride.

"Is your offer still valid?"

"Tomorrow morning. Nine o’clock," Julian said. "This time, don’t make me wait."