Chapter 1

I loved Edward Payne for seven years.

From seventeen to twenty-four, I gave my best years to a man who never loved me back.

Three years of marriage, and I did everything a wife could possibly do, cooking for him, waiting at the door for him, putting up with everything, always backing down.

But all I got in return was him saying, "You have too much time on your hands."

Then at one rainy night, I saw Edward shielding another woman from the rain while I stood outside the hospital, clutching my miscarriage report.

Suddenly, I felt nothing.

It wasn't relief. It was the death of my heart.

Later, Edward stood in the rain for three days and nights. The whole city whispered that he'd lost his mind.

But I just watched him for a moment through the glass, then turned away and closed the curtains without a second thought.

Some people, once missed, were gone forever.

*****

Two weeks after the miscarriage, I went back to the Payne family's house for the first time.

My body was still weak, but I gritted my teeth and spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen, putting together a full spread of dishes for them.

Everyone had arrived.

Sophia Payne, Edward's sister, pointed at the Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Citrus Glaze.

"Is this fish boneless? I really can't stand picking out bones," she said.

I replied softly, "Don't worry. I made sure it's completely boneless."

"Really?" She picked up a piece with her fork, popped it in her mouth, then immediately spat it out.

"Yuck! What the hell is this?" she cursed.

The next second, a bowl of scalding hot Cream of Mushroom Soup was hurled right into my face.

The soup ran down my hair, my face stinging from the heat.

The whole dining room went dead silent.

Sophia stood up, towering over me with a condescending glare.

"A nobody who only knows how to cook, thinks you're good enough to sit with us? Do you seriously believe you're Mrs. Payne?" she sneered.

I didn't say a word. I just looked at Edward, seated at the head of the table.

He'd watched the entire scene with icy detachment.

Only now did he finally frown, not for my sake, but because Sophia had stained the tablecloth.

He pulled a napkin, wiped his hands, and glanced at me.

"Go clean yourself up," he said.

His voice was dripping with disgust. "You smell like the kitchen."

That was the moment something inside me broke for good.

*****

Three days later, at the county clerk's office, the air conditioning was broken.

The July heat clung to everyone's throat like a damp hand, making it hard to breathe.

I sat on a plastic chair and slid the divorce papers to Edward.

"Sign it," I said.

My voice was steady, as if I were just making a casual remark about the weather.

Edward looked at me, his brows drawn together in a slight frown.

His suit was immaculate, and he wore a new pair of platinum-and-diamond cufflinks, a birthday present from Vivian Lucas last week.

I looked at the cufflinks, and the corner of my mouth lifted in a faint smile.

Edward pushed the divorce papers back toward me, his voice laced with impatience. "What are you making a fuss about now?

"Didn't we already agree last time? Stop getting hung up on Vivian. She's just my business partner."

I remembered that "last time."

Three months ago, I spotted a lipstick stain on his shirt collar. He told me it was just some client who'd accidentally rubbed against him at a business event.

And I believed him.

The time before that, about six months ago, I found an earring in his car. He claimed it belonged to the driver's wife.

And I believed him, just like always.

There were so many times. I lost track.

"Edward," I said. I looked up, gazing into his eyes.

There was a time I found those eyes captivating, so deep and cold, like a winter lake.

Now, to me, they were nothing but dead water.

I took out a manila envelope from my bag and placed it on the table. "I'm not making a fuss.

"These are the hotel booking records—thirty-seven times you and Vivian checked into The Celestial Hotel together.

"And here's a list of everything you bought her with our joint account: two designer bags, a watch, and a car. The total was 1.6 million dollars.

"And these are the boarding passes from last month. You claimed you were on a business trip to San Jose, but the tickets were actually for Aurelia Island, for both of you."

I laid them out one by one on the table, like offerings at an altar.

I still remembered our first wedding anniversary. He bought Vivian a limited-edition necklace, then had me go pick it up and hand-deliver it to her myself.

Vivian took the box and smiled at me, "Thanks for your trouble, Ms. Sinclair."

Edward's expression changed abruptly, his face clouding over.

"You investigated me?" he demanded. His voice went icy, full of outrage.

I suddenly found it funny.

I replied, "Yeah, I did. So now, sign it."