Chapter 1
The day before the big funding deal, my husband, Nick Grant, vanished without a trace. Three months later, I spotted him outside a luxury boutique.
He was smirking, all cozy with his beloved first love, Melissa Hart.
"I did it on purpose," he said smugly. "Women belong in the kitchen. I wanted Charlotte to see that without a man, she's nothing."
Melissa asked him, "When are you finally going to divorce her?"
He grinned, confident as ever. "Once I get my hands on the company shares and the tens of millions, I'll use them to propose to you. How does that sound?"
I kept out of sight in the shadows, listening quietly. As I heard their conversation, I felt a small weight lift off my shoulders.
Honestly, I didn't feel so bad about my own affair anymore. If he was cheating on me, too, why should I feel guilty?'
*****
As soon as I walked through the door, a warm body pressed up against my back.
Andrew Dalton gently wrapped his arms around me, holding a cup of water to my lips and helping me drink slowly.
He asked softly, "Are you still heartbroken over Nick? The thirteenth search and rescue team has already been sent out. I believe they'll find his body soon."
Andrew patted my back, comforting me.
"No need," I said, my voice cold. "I saw Nick today. He faked his death. Did you know about this?"
Andrew couldn't help but smile, looking genuinely pleased. "I know. Actually, it was my idea for him to fake his death."
"Why? Do you enjoy helping him do something so messed up?" I shot back, my eyes wide in disbelief.
"If Nick had truly been loyal to you, he wouldn't have gone along with my suggestion. He was the one who wanted to cheat." Andrew remained calm despite my anger.
He even gave my back a comforting pat.
He pulled out his phone and started playing a bunch of videos, all showing Nick hooking up with different women.
Andrew even thoughtfully added captions, pointing out exactly what I was doing at the time.
Two months ago, while I was busy dealing with shareholders giving me a hard time, Nick was messing around with some woman on the beach.
A month and a half ago, when I was stuck handling a supplier who bailed on us at the last minute, Nick walked into our home with his secretary, Melissa, in his arms, making out with her right on our bed like it was nothing.
"Why don't you just divorce her?" Melissa asked.
"Charlotte might be stubborn and built like a stick, but she brings in the cash," Nick said with a smug grin.
When I heard Nick humiliating me in front of Melissa, I felt my blood boil.
I shot up from my seat and hurled the phone at the wedding photo hanging on the wall across from me.
With a loud crash, the wedding photo hit the floor and splintered into fragments.
Just like what Nick and I had, broken beyond repair.
Tears streamed down my face as I choked on my sobs.
I cried for the six years I'd wasted on him.
I cried for being so clueless, for actually loving a jerk.
I finally knew when I was running myself into the ground, doing everything I could to keep Apex Prosper alive, he was out there, jumping from one woman to the next, living it up like he didn't have a single worry.
It just made me feel like a total clown.
I stayed kneeling on the floor for a whole hour before I finally pulled myself together, a cold glint flashing in my eyes.
Since he was "dead", he should stay dead and out of my life. Did he really think he could crawl back and get something out of me?
No way in hell.
With that thought, I slowly got up from the floor. My legs were numb and swollen from kneeling for so long, and I almost lost my balance.
"Careful," Andrew called out, quickly steadying me.
He thoughtfully helped me onto the couch, then half-knelt on the floor and gently massaged my calves.
I looked at his focused face, my heart a whirlwind of emotions.
I was not stupid. Honestly, Andrew definitely played a big part in how things turned out between Nick and me.
Thinking about it, I couldn't hold back and asked, "Mr. Dalton, how does it feel to be the other man?"