Chapter 2

Cedric and I headed to the mall nearby. I just picked a few luxury stores at random and started shopping like crazy.

Didn't matter if I liked it or not. If it was pricey and would hold its value, I snatched it up and handed it off to Cedric, who was following me around.

He didn't complain at all. He just lugged my haul and followed me around like my personal assistant.

After grabbing bags and clothes, I hit up the gold and jewelry section. By the time I finally stopped, I'd dropped close to one million dollars.

I walked into the last designer jewelry store, planning to pick out a few more pieces before heading out.

Just as I had chosen a necklace, a couple walked in. The woman was clinging to the man's arm, looking all lovey-dovey.

I recognized them instantly. It was my husband, Michael, and his first love, Emily Shaw.

Even though I can't recognize faces, I could instantly tell that shirt. Michael was wearing the one I had custom-made for his birthday last year. I'd designed it myself, with a special embroidery on the collar—totally unique, just for him.

My heart sank.

Emily spotted me too and saw the necklace in my hand. She pointed at me and then pouted at Michael, acting all spoiled and clingy. "Honey, I want that one."

"Of course, anything for you." Michael gently tousled her hair and then turned to the salesperson. "Could you bring us another one just like it?"

But the salesperson interrupted, gesturing toward me. "Sir, this is a one-of-a-kind piece in our store. This lady has already claimed it."

"Ring it up for me," I said, giving a cold nod.

"If she hasn't paid, it's still yours, isn't it?" Emily shot back. She marched over, snatched the necklace box right out of my hand, and said loudly, "I'll pay three thousand dollars extra!"

"Uh..." The salesperson looked pretty uncomfortable, not sure what to do.

"Six thousand dollars extra," Emily said, raising her offer with a sly, knowing smile. "I'm offering this extra cash, so if you bump up the price, your commission goes up too, right?"

"Well..." The salesperson looked a bit conflicted and shot me an apologetic look. "Ma'am, maybe you'd like to check out some of our other pieces?"

I turned to look at Michael. He was still holding Emily close, just letting Emily snatch the necklace right out of my hands.

My heart turned completely cold. I scoffed, "Anyone can throw money around, right? I'll raise the bid too. Ten thousand dollars!"

Then I turned and leaned against Cedric's chest, acting all sweet as I looked up at him. "Honey, is that okay with you?"

"Whatever you want." Cedric nodded, gently running his fingers through my hair, his touch soft and affectionate.

I looked up and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. "You're the best, honey."

Even without turning around, I could feel Michael's icy glare burning into me.

He was cheating on me without a hint of guilt, even taking advantage of my face blindness to parade his affair right in front of me.

But the moment he saw me getting close to another guy, he got all jealous. How dare he?

I sneered inwardly and snatched the necklace back. "Then let's settle at that price," I said coldly.

The salesperson's eyes lit up, and she didn't waste a second. "I'll wrap it up for you right away!"

The necklace was originally worth only thirty thousand dollars, and the salesperson probably thought Emily wouldn't raise her bid anymore. But Emily wasn't about to back down.

She gritted her teeth and stopped the salesperson. "I'll pay eleven thousand dollars!"

"Twenty thousand dollars," I shot back, not even waiting for the salesperson to react.

"Twenty-one thousand dollars!" Emily snapped, her voice sharp with frustration.

"Thirty thousand dollars," I answered, totally unhurried.

"Forty thousand dollars!" Emily shot back, not missing a beat.

"One hundred thousand dollars." I just threw out the highest bid, since I didn't even bother with her anymore.

Then I pulled out my backup card from my bag. "Put it on this one. Whatever she offers, I'll top it."

After all, this card was from Michael. Every dollar in it belongs to him. If I didn't spend it, who else would?