Chapter 1
The day before our wedding, James confessed he'd cheated.
He came home with a hickey on his neck, slid a share transfer agreement across the table, and spoke like he was closing a business deal.
He said, "Emily Hart is back.
"Our wedding's off.
"Consider this compensation."
For seven years, I had stood by him through his poorest days, helped him build NovaTech piece by piece, and watched him go from a shabby office in an old industrial park to where he is now.
But in the end, he thought 20% of the shares and a house were enough to erase seven years of my life.
I smashed his computer, tore up his proposal, and made such a mess that my hands trembled with rage. But he just frowned at me.
"Olivia, don't make this ugly," he said.
In the end, I signed the agreement.
But just as he turned to leave with the agreement, the wedding planner called me, her voice cautious.
"Ms. Grant, Mr. Sterling says the ceremony is still on for tomorrow, but the bride's name needs to be changed to Ms. Hart. Should we keep our story straight on this?"
It turned out the only thing that got canceled was me.
Just then, my phone lit up.
[Olivia, you lose. Isn't it time you keep your promise and give me that chance?]
I replied with a single word: [Okay.]
*****
The day before our wedding, James confessed he'd cheated.
He walked into the house holding a document, while I was kneeling on the carpet, arranging my wedding accessories. The living room was brightly lit, my pearl veil was scattered across the floor, and I was still torn about which brooch to wear tomorrow.
When I looked up, the first thing I noticed was his unbuttoned collar.
Just below his Adam's apple, a faint pink mark burned straight into my eyes.
The hairpin in my hand clattered to the floor and rolled away.
"What's that on your neck?" I asked.
James paused, his fingers brushing his collar before quickly pulling away. He looked like he'd rehearsed this, placing the document on the table and meeting my eyes. "Emily's back."
I didn't get it at first. "So what?"
"The wedding's off," he said. "Here's the transfer agreement. 10% of NovaTech's shares is compensation for you."
I stared at those papers. My mind went blank, as I'd just been hit on the head. "Say that again."
"I said, the wedding's off," he looked completely unfazed. "Emily didn't leave by choice back then. Now she's back, and I can't keep acting like nothing happened."
My knees were numb as I stood up, grabbing for his sleeve. "James, the wedding's tomorrow. Invitations are out, the venue's booked, the officiant's booked, and the guests are all invited. Everything's set. And now you're telling me it's off?"
He pulled his arm away, frowning. "Liv, just calm down."
"How am I supposed to calm down?" My voice shot up. "You walk in with a love bite on you, and the first thing out of your mouth is that you're canceling our wedding. How can I stay calm?"
He paused for a couple of seconds, like he was weighing his words, and then finally said, "It is what it is. Take the shares, and keep the house. Let's end this with some dignity. It's better for everyone."
Dignity?
His words hit me like a punch to the chest. I looked at him, and for a second, I almost laughed, but the sound just wouldn't come.
I shouted, "I've been by your side for seven years. When you couldn't afford an office, I convinced my dad to help you. When your company almost ran out of money twice, I helped you hold your partnerships together.
"When you had a stomachache at night, I drove to the drugstore and bought medicine. And now you want me to just walk away?"