Chapter 2

When the morning sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains into the bedroom, Lionel was already gone. Anna Lane reached out to feel the cold sheets beside her—there wasn't even a trace of warmth left behind.

She got up as usual, but spent a few extra moments in front of the mirror getting ready.

In the reflection, Anna saw a girl with bright, clear eyes, skin silky smooth, and lips dusted with a pale pink. Twenty-one was young enough to look stunning with zero effort. But for the first time, Anna wondered if there was anything else that really mattered about her beside her face.

"Mrs. Hoffman, breakfast is ready," Cora Greene, the housekeeper, called softly from outside the door.

"No need to make breakfast for me today. I'm meeting a friend to eat out," Anna answered, brushing on some quick, light makeup. She fished a simple beige dress out from the back of her wardrobe—the kind she'd loved wearing before marriage.

After she'd married Lionel, though, he'd called it "not fancy enough," and it had been left untouched ever since.

The registration area for the adult university was a hive of activity—way more packed than Anna had pictured. The line snaked with tired office workers and young people just like her. Clutching her finished application form, Anna could feel her palms starting to sweat nervously.

"So, you're applying for Illustration Design?" A staff asked as he skimmed through Anna's papers. "Have you ever done anything like this before?"

Anna nervously pressed her lips together. "I've always loved drawing since I was a kid but honestly, I've never had any real training."

"That's perfectly okay," the staff reassured her with a warm smile. "Adult education's all about giving eager learners a chance. Our classes are every Tuesday and Thursday night, six to nine. Think you're up for the commitment?"

"Yes, absolutely!" Anna answered, maybe too quickly, biting back a little embarrassment at her own enthusiasm. After paying tuition and picking up her new textbooks, she hugged them tight, her heart bubbling with a sense of possibility she hadn't felt in ages.

Her phone buzzed, and a message from Lionel popped up. [There's a cocktail party tonight. The driver will pick you up at seven.]

Anna hesitated above her screen for a few seconds before replying: [Okay. What color should my dress be?]

Lionel's reply came back terse and almost icy. [Black. Lydia will arrange it.]

Anna mouthed the name to herself, recalling the comment she'd seen on Lionel's phone that day—[Not half as sexy or sophisticated as Lydia.] She took a steadying breath and slipped her new textbooks into the very bottom of her handbag, hiding them away.

*****

As twilight settled in, the Harp Hotel's ballroom sparkled with elegant gowns and lively chatter. Anna stood in the black backless dress Lydia had chosen for her, anxiously tugging at the straps.

The outfit felt much too sophisticated for her taste, and the large open back made her feel completely exposed.

"Mrs. Hoffman, you're just in time," Lydia suddenly appeared at her side, a sly smile curving her red lips. "Mr. Johnston and the others have been looking forward to meeting you."

Before Anna had a chance to collect herself, she was swept over to a group of industry leaders. Their conversation raced from stock market trends to global trade, all at a dizzying pace she couldn't keep up with.

When someone asked her about the central bank's latest move, all she could do was offer an awkward smile.

"My wife isn't really interested in this sort of thing," Lionel interjected smoothly, slipping his arm around her waist. Leaning closer, he whispered in her ear, "Didn't I tell you to read a bit more finance news?"

Anna dropped her gaze. "I'm sorry. I…"

"Mr. Hoffman, you're a lucky man—your wife is simply stunning," Richard Johnston joked with a broad smile, his gaze drifting over Anna's exposed back for a beat too long.

Lydia returned with two glasses of wine. As she handed one to Anna, she deliberately let it slip—velvety, dark red wine splashed right across Anna's pricey dress.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry!" Lydia gasped, whipping out a tissue in dramatic fashion. Her movements were deliberately slow, making sure everyone nearby caught sight of Anna's mortifying predicament.

Lionel's brow furrowed. He said to Lydia, "Can you not be more careful?"

"It's my mistake," Anna jumped in before Lydia could say a word, forcing her smile wider as she tried to hold herself together. "I'll take care of it in the restroom."

Once Anna closed the door of the restroom stall behind her, she finally let the tears fall. Clumsily, she dabbed at the wine stain on her dress with a wet wipe, but her efforts just made things worse.

The sound of a few women's voices floated in from outside, their laughter unmistakable.

"Is that Mr. Hoffman's wife? She looks like she should still be in high school."

"I heard she dropped out of university to get married. Besides being young, what else does she actually have?"

"Miss Chapman is the real power behind Mr. Hoffman. Bringing arm candy to a business event like this—Mrs. Hoffman is basically asking to be laughed at."

Anna bit down on her lip so hard she could taste blood. She pulled out her phone, opened up the photo she'd snapped of her class schedule that morning, and stared at it for a long while. Only then did her breathing finally slow and steady.

When Anna finally managed to compose herself and walked out of the restroom, she collided right into someone.

"Careful!" The young man steadied her by the arm just in time, sparing her another awkward scene. He wore a simple dark blue suit without a tie—cool, effortless, but totally put-together.

"Thanks," Anna said hurriedly, snatching her arm back.

"Your dress..." The guy nodded at the stain on her skirt, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a stain-remover pen. "Try this—it's the real deal for stains."

Anna hesitated, then gave it a few gentle dabs on the spot. Amazingly, the stain started to disappear.