Chapter 1

The day I find out my husband, Edward Grant, is cheating, I don't shed a tear. I don't make a scene.

Instead, I find the necklace he orders for her, fasten it around my own neck, and snap a quick selfie.

Then I send it to him with sweet words: [Thanks for the New Year's gift, darling. I absolutely love it.]

So he cheated. So what?

I've always been the bigger person. My heart's wide open, and I can let anything slip right through my fingers without looking back.

Love? Men? I can watch them walk away without batting an eye.

But there's one thing I will never let go of.

That is the money. That's where I draw the line.

*****

I had known Edward Grant was cheating for a while.

The realization dawned on me the day I found a condom wrapper on the passenger-side floor mat.

It was just lying there, sprawled out at my feet as if it had been deliberately left for me to find.

So, what did I do?

The moment he glanced away, I snatched it, my fist closing around the crinkling plastic.

I didn't let go until I was out of the car, where I discreetly tossed it into the nearest trash can.

Only then did I let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

That was close. I had almost caused a scene.

Honestly, how careless could he be? If he was going to cheat, at least clean up after himself.

*****

Was I going insane?

No. The old me would have slapped him across the face right then and there and run home crying to my parents, demanding a divorce.

But things were different now. I needed to tone it down. After all, I was the fake heiress.

The real one didn't surface until two years into our marriage.

Edward got the short end of the stick marrying me, and I knew it.

So I made my peace with the situation a long time ago. I was prepared to lose everything, except for the money, of course.

So, when I stumbled upon a diamond necklace in Edward's study, it didn't even occur to me to be angry that he gave something so valuable to his mistress.

In fact, I exclaimed, "Aww, my husband loves me so much! He even got me a surprise!"

With a smug smile, I clasped the necklace around my neck, snapped a picture, and sent it to him.

[Got my New Year's gift. Thanks, hubby.]

Never mind that I knew perfectly well the delicate "L" engraved on the clasp wasn't for me. Then again, who was to say it didn't stand for "Love"? Or even "Lucky me"?

When Edward got home that night, his eyes went straight to the necklace sparkling against my collarbone.

The diamond glittered, practically blinding. I watched the muscle in his jaw tighten. Maybe the sparkle was giving him a headache.

But who was Edward Grant? As the head of Grant Holdings, there was nothing he couldn't handle.

He just smiled and pulled me into an embrace.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

I nestled against his chest and rolled my eyes secretly, but I couldn't hide a sly grin.

"Obviously."

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest.

"Good. I'm glad."

He led me to the dining table, cleared his throat, and launched into his pre-rehearsed speech.

"I have a work thing on New Year's Eve, and I was worried you'd be upset. That's why I wanted to give you your gift early.

"I didn't expect you to find it yourself.

"You're not mad, are you?"

Watching him tiptoe around me like that was, I had to admit, kind of amusing.

The first two years of our marriage were a honeymoon phase that never seemed to end. We were childhood sweethearts, and Edward never tried to hide how much he loved me.

Even in the third year, after the truth about me came out, he insisted his love hadn't changed.

But at that time, I had already mellowed out a lot.

He held me tight and swore, "We are the family we chose for each other. That will never, ever change."

And for three years, he treated me just the same.

Until he started cheating.

The other woman was a chick named Lily Johnson.

She was an intern at Grant Holdings, but she was still a student at the university where Edward, of all things, was a guest lecturer.

I had actually met her. I was representing Grant Holdings at a university charity event for underprivileged students. She was one of the recipients.

At that time, she would smile at me with this incredibly innocent look on her face.

She said, "You're so warm, Mrs. Grant. You feel like a big sister to me.

"My own sister wasn't so lucky. She dropped out of school and started working so that I could go to college."

I was reminded of who I was and then of everything the true heiress had suffered. A wave of guilt hit me, and I just felt a desperate need to help her in any way I could.

I even broke my own rule and let her add me on social media.

It wasn't until later that I understood how foolish I had been. What I had mistaken for gratitude was, in fact, a blatant provocation.

The thought of it still makes my stomach churn.

But I kept my smile plastered on and shifted into a playful pout.

"You're the big boss. What kind of work has you schmoozing on New Year's Eve?" I teased, nudging him. "Who knows what you're really up to? Sneaking off to see some little college girl?"

His eyes narrowed for a split second, but his smile never wavered. He cut a piece of steak and held the fork to my lips.

"Now you're just being silly," he murmured. "Isn't one girl at home enough trouble for me? Be good."

He reached out and ruffled my hair.

"Besides," he grinned, "your real New Year's gift hasn't even arrived yet."

Hearing that, I gave a reluctant nod.

"Fine."

I knew Edward. His gifts were always extravagant.

And who was I to argue with a hefty price tag?

Still, after all these years, a part of me felt a dull ache.

"I guess I'll just be ringing in the New Year all sad and alone..." I sighed dramatically.

At that, he pulled out his phone and, with a few taps, sent me an eight-figure wire transfer.

He shifted to wrap me in a tight embrace, his gaze pleading for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry. Call a friend and go have fun. Once this crunch is over, I promise, we'll celebrate our own new year."

Whatever. Honestly, I'm not sure I want you around for it anyway.