Chapter 5

The most precious memory we shared, she had blackened with her own hands.

My eyes were red-rimmed, and I couldn't stop shaking.

I turned to the assistant. "Do you still remember who funded your education and got you into Hayes Group?"

He lowered his head. "I do. It was you, sir."

I forced the words out through clenched teeth. "Then tell me honestly. Why is Ciara doing this?"

The assistant was quiet for a long moment, as if steeling himself. Then he spoke slowly. "Mr. Shaw, the first night Ms. Hayes slept with Neil, she gifted him a house. After that, she bid on a watch worth millions of dollars, just for him.

"For his birthday, she booked out an entire resort, all for him.

"He mentioned once that he wanted to learn to dive, and she immediately bought a private-island diving package and hired a personal instructor to go with him."

He paused, then added, "People in the circle say Neil is the poster boy for hitting the jackpot."

My heart felt as if someone were tearing it apart with their bare hands.

Those numbers, those places, all the romance I'd never even thought of. She'd given all of it to another man without batting an eye.

"Enough," I demanded. "What are you trying to say?"

The assistant looked up and met my eyes. "Mr. Shaw, have you ever heard the saying, 'Where the money goes, that's where the love is'?

"Ms. Hayes doesn't love you anymore. Why keep wasting your time on her? She doesn't deserve you."

I closed my eyes, my knuckles white from clenching.

After a long moment, I opened them and looked at him calmly. "I was never here tonight. Understood?"

He nodded.

I walked away.

When I got home, the entryway light was off.

I stood in the middle of the living room and slowly lifted my head. My eyes settled on the huge wedding portrait on the wall.

In the photo, my smile was so real, and Ciara was looking at me with such focus.

Even the photographer had said that just watching us made him believe love was real.

Back then, I'd believed it too.

Now I just wanted to laugh.

I reached up, ripped the frame off the wall, and hurled it to the floor.

Glass shattered everywhere. The two smiling faces were cut apart into countless pieces by the cracks.

When Ciara pushed the door open, she took in the mess on the floor, then looked at me sitting calmly on the couch. Her brow furrowed.

"What's gotten into you?" Ciara asked.

I raised my head. My voice was too calm for a man who'd just smashed something. "Let's get a divorce."

Ciara thought she'd misheard.

Her voice was full of confusion and irritation. "Just because I didn't have dinner with you today? Everything was fine between us. What is wrong with you?"

I just repeated those four words. "Let's get a divorce."

Ciara lost her patience completely, her face going cold. "Looks like the stress really has been getting to you. You're not thinking straight.

"I'll have someone handle things at your company. Take a few days off and rest."

I stared at her for a long moment, then slowly closed my eyes.

Maybe I really wasn't thinking straight, still hoping to part with her on decent terms. 'But why should I?

'She was the one who'd betrayed me. She was the one who'd thrown my heart on the ground and stepped on it, again and again.

'I wasn't the guilty one here.'

I opened my eyes. My voice suddenly turned calm. "No need. I know exactly what I'm doing.

"And you remember this. You're the one who refused the divorce."

With that, I walked straight past her and out the door.

The door closed behind me.

Ciara's brow stayed tightly furrowed as she watched me disappear.

She thought I'd been acting strange lately, but she couldn't put her finger on what.

Then a thought struck her. 'Did he know something?'

Her heart skipped. She picked up her phone and called my assistant.

His tone was normal. "No. Mr. Shaw's been swamped with the Free Water launch. A lot of pressure. He even blew up at the office yesterday."

Ciara's brow relaxed a little.

Stressed out, throwing a tantrum. That was all.

She hung up, leaned back into the couch, and slowly let out a breath.

That flash of guilt was like a gust of wind, blown away and gone.

She stood up, walked into the kitchen, and opened the fridge. She'd make him breakfast tomorrow. A little coaxing would smooth things over.

The next day, I went to the office.

My secretary asked, "Mr. Shaw, the marketing budget for the Free Water line, are we still approving ten million dollars like before?"

I sat at my desk, that one line replaying in my head. 'Where the money goes, that's where the love is. If she could throw a fortune at Neil, why couldn't I do the same?

'At least every dollar I spent on Vivian, I could earn back twice over.'

I looked up. "No. This time, take the budget to the maximum. Whatever it costs. I want Vivian's face and my perfume in every major mall in every top-tier city in the country."

The secretary blinked, stunned for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, sir."

Free Water launched on schedule, and the ad campaign swept across the country.

Vivian's market value doubled overnight. The brand and the face behind it both topped the charts. A beautiful win-win.

I was in my office going over the numbers when Vivian sent a message. Vivian: [To thank you, how about we meet tonight?]

Sean: [Sure.]

The message had barely gone through when my office door swung open.

Ciara walked in, her eyes fixed on my face. "Sean, how long has it been since you came home? Are you still sulking about the other day?"

I glanced up at her, expression unreadable. "I don't even remember anymore."

Ciara stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me, her voice softening. "If you don't remember, then come home for dinner tonight. I'll cook."

I turned my head away, avoiding how close she was. "I have plans tonight."

Her hand froze.

The air went quiet for a few seconds.

Then she let out a cold laugh. "Seems you're even busier than I thought."

She gripped my chin and forced my face toward hers. "Is it business, or are you going behind my back to see Vivian?"