Chapter 1
Three years into our marriage, Leon Grant walked in with his mistress.
It was a regular evening when he pushed the door open, a woman trailing behind him. Mia Goodwin wore a loose dress, her belly slightly rounded. Her gaze held a mix of nervousness and curiosity as she looked at me.
She didn't say a word, edged closer to Leon. Leon tossed his car keys onto the entryway table and stood there, not even bothering to take off his shoes.
"She's pregnant," he said, his tone as casual as if he were mentioning the trash needed taking out.
I stayed silent, waiting for him to go on.
He did, a faint smirk on his lips, like he was sure of himself. "Two options. One, you accept it, and life goes on. Two..."
He raised his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Divorce."
It had been nine years.
Nine years from the day we met to the day we got married. I never complained when he came home late, never argued when he ignored me. He thought I was completely dependent on him, that I couldn't live without him.
He never really knew me.
When he took Mia out to dinner, I was sitting by the window on the second floor, sipping my coffee. He didn't see me, but I saw them. That night, I got everything ready, signed the papers, and packed my things.
After that, every day I waited for him to come clean.
So when Leon stood there in the entryway, acting like he was doing me some big favor by giving me choices, I didn't even pause for a second.
I turned around, grabbed the suitcase I'd already packed from beside the couch, and pulled an envelope from my purse, placing it on the coffee table. "Divorce.
"The agreement's ready. Take a look. If you're good with it, we can sign tomorrow."
Leon's smile disappeared.
He froze in place, like a computer that crashed. Mia was just as stunned, her hand hovering awkwardly over her belly, her face way more animated than when she first walked in.
"You..." Leon tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out.
I dragged my suitcase right past him, didn't even look at him or Mia.
"Leon," I said, stopping at the door and finally turning to face him. "Did you really think I had no clue?"
The door shut behind me. The afternoon sun was perfect, brighter than any afternoon I'd ever seen.
I was finally free.
The day he finally came clean, the sun was shining bright.
The orchid I'd bought last year was in full bloom. Leon was sitting on the couch, wearing that dark gray cashmere sweater I'd given him for our anniversary.
He had his legs crossed, looking completely at ease.
That was the look that fooled me back then. I thought his gentlemanly vibe meant he was truly in love.
Next to him, Mia was huddled timidly against his arm, refusing to meet my gaze. When she glanced down, a glint flickered in her eyes.
It was smugness.
Leon let out a soft sigh, acting like he was forced to say something he'd rather not. "Tara Sutton, I don't want things to get ugly."
He glanced down at Mia beside him, with a touch of concern in his voice. "But Mia's pregnant."
He paused, as if giving me time to process it, or maybe picking his words carefully.
"It wasn't planned, but she's been through so much because of me," Leon said, his voice dropping lower. "Now that she's willing to start a family with me, I can't turn my back on her."
The sunlight hit the orchid's petals, making my eyes sting for a moment.
He looked up at me, and for the first time, his eyes were serious, not for me, but for her. "Two options. One, divorce. I'll give you about 1.67 million dollars. It's the least I owe you after all these years."
Mia leaned into his shoulder.
And instead of pulling away, he wrapped his arm around her. "Option two. You stay Mrs. Grant, the lady of Grant Holdings. But you have to acknowledge the child as your own. Your status won't change. You'll still be the lady of the house."
He glanced down at the woman in his arms, his gaze so soft it could melt anyone. "I'll be with her more often."
The living room was so quiet, the only thing moving was the orchid's shadow on the floor.