Chapter 2

Ethan and Rosalie both froze.

[Wait, this isn't how the script is supposed to go. Why isn't she freaking out?]

[Did she suddenly turn over a new leaf, or is she just holding back for something big?]

[I bet she's just acting, she's totally about to pull Rosalie out of Ethan's arms any second now.]

Rosalie reacted instantly, pulling herself out of Ethan's arms. Her eyes grew misty, on the verge of tears. "Luna, please don't get the wrong idea. I just have low blood sugar, and Ethan was just holding me so I wouldn't fall."

She kept calling him "Ethan" in that intimate, casual way.

Back then, I would've totally lost it.

But now, I just looked at her, my smile even gentler. "Oh, I see. Sorry for overreacting. But Ms. Rosamund, you should be more careful next time. Ethan's married now, and if people see you two getting all intimate like this, it could really hurt your reputation. Some might even think you're trying to break up his marriage."

I spoke slowly, my voice soft, but each word was like a needle, piercing right where Rosalie cared most, her reputation.

Rosalie's face turned pale in an instant. She bit her lip, looking at Ethan with a pitiful look, tears welling up in her eyes.

[Whoa, that's a pro move! Soft on the outside, sharp on the inside.]

[Is Luna acting weird? Did she see the comments too?]

[Love it! Watching Rosalie get shut down is the best.]

Ethan's face turned grim. He stepped forward, putting Rosalie behind him, and snapped, "Luna Linchester, why are you being so mean? Rosa's not feeling well, and instead of showing any concern, you're just being all snide!"

"Friends?" I laughed, like I'd just heard the funniest joke ever. "Ethan, why don't you ask her if she's ever actually treated me like a friend? Or is it that, in your world, all 'friends' get to be all touchy-feely with you like this?"

I locked eyes with him, the same eyes I once loved so deeply. Now, all I could see was cold disappointment and him defending another woman.

My heart suddenly tightened, the pain so sharp I could barely breathe.

Turned out, love was just an act, and betrayal was the real deal.

"You..." Ethan was left speechless, his face darkening with anger.

I didn't bother looking at him again. Instead, I turned to Rosalie behind him, flashing her a faint, mocking smile. "Ms. Rosamund, since you're feeling under the weather, you should get some rest. I won't intrude on your oh-so-close sibling act any longer."

Without another word, I turned and walked away.

Every step felt like I was walking on blades.

But I couldn't look back, and I absolutely couldn't collapse.

From now on, I must live for myself and my child.

[She just left like that? That can't be right!]

[I swear, a bigger storm is brewing!]

[Ethan's expression is epic, it's like he's meeting his wife for the first time.]

Back at the "home" I once called a safe haven, now it just felt like a gilded cage, I started my plan.

Step one: money.

I opened the safe, where I kept proof of the assets I owned before marriage, along with some jewelry my mom left me. Over the years, I'd sold off nearly all my wedding gifts just to please Ethan and prop up his business. What remained was my last bit of security.

[Yes, yes, yes! Move the money now! Otherwise, Ethan will freeze everything as "marital assets" in a few days and use it to patch up Rosa's company!]

The barrage of comments made my heart skip a beat.

I immediately called up my lawyer friend and got my assets officially documented and moved out as fast as possible.

Step two: evidence.

I pulled out the hard drive I'd stashed deep in my drawer. On it were things I'd found by accident, chat logs between Ethan and Rosalie, emails, and even a few photos of them snuggling up together in "our home" while I was away on business.

Back then, I couldn't bring myself to look at it, couldn't believe it, and kept telling myself it was just a misunderstanding.

Now, all of it had become my most powerful weapon.

I backed up all the evidence, one copy sent to my encrypted email, and another saved onto a new portable hard drive that I kept on me at all times.

Step three: secure an escape route.

I couldn't just sit and wait for disaster. According to the scattered spoilers in the comments, Ethan's influence in Evernight City was tangled and far-reaching. If I simply tried to run, he'd hunt me down in no time, and my fate would be even more miserable.

I needed a powerful backer who could go toe-to-toe with him.

[Speaking of which, Ethan's been fighting for that east side project lately, but his arch-nemesis, the Fuller Group, is hell-bent on snatching it up too.]

[Jasper Fuller, the CEO of Fuller Group, is a real tough guy, cold as ice and ruthless. Ethan's lost to him more than once.]

[If the main character could get in with Jasper, that'd be a real game-changer!]

Jasper Fuller.

I'd heard the name before. He was another legend in Evernight City, sharp, ruthless, and always playing hardball. Ethan's main competitor, the guy he could never beat.

An insane idea started brewing in my head.

If he was Ethan's enemy, maybe he could be my ally.

I took a deep breath and dialed the number I'd only ever seen mentioned in business news.

The phone rang for ages before a deep, magnetic male voice finally answered, sounding a bit impatient. "Who is this?"

Trying to steady my nerves, I said, "Hello, Mr. Fuller. This is Luna, Ethan's wife. I have something you might be interested in."