Chapter 2

Jonathan seemed pleased by my "sensible" compliance. He nodded and said, "Fine. I probably won't make it back for dinner tonight. Don't wait up."

I didn't linger. I turned on my heel and walked away from the bar, away from the tangled stench of whiskey and smoke and hollow laughter.

Behind me, their voices picked up again, lower now, laced with a conspiratorial edge.

Jack said, "Seriously, Jonathan, isn't Evelyn a little too agreeable? She signed those divorce papers without blinking. You tell her to jump, and she asks how high. You've gotta tell me your secret, man."

Jonathan's voice came next, rough at the edges from the cigarette, thick with the smugness of a man who owned every room he walked into. He said, "What, jealous?"

Jack let out a crooked laugh and said, "Hell yeah, I'm jealous. Where do you even find a wife that obedient? But honestly, man, her reaction was almost creepy. Who signs that fast? You sure she's not sitting on something big?"

Jonathan chuckled dismissively and said, "What could she possibly be planning? You've been watching too many movies."

Jack's voice climbed a pitch as he'd just hit on a brilliant idea.

He said, "You never know, brother. A woman's mind is a bottomless pit. Here's an idea. Let's bet on it. Twenty days from now, does Evelyn walk into that courthouse and sign the final papers without making a scene?"

Jonathan sounded amused. He said, "A bet?"

Jack practically shouted, "Yeah. I'm betting she doesn't show. Or if she does, she's gonna blow the whole thing up. No way a woman walks out of a marriage this quietly.

"So what's the stake? Your car? Your watch? How about that new Patek Philippe you just got shipped in? What do you say?"

Another friend jumped in to egg him on, laughing, "Damn, Jack, that's cold. You've been eyeing Jonathan's watch forever, haven't you?"

Jonathan stayed silent for a few seconds, as if weighing the offer.

Then I heard the strike of a lighter, followed by Jonathan's voice, certain and mocking. He said, "Fine. You want a bet? You're on. But you're going to lose."

His voice came slow and steady, and each word landed against my eardrums like a hammer.

He continued, "Here's my bet. Twenty days from now, nine o'clock sharp, she'll show up at the courthouse right on time. She'll be dressed properly, her hair and makeup flawless."

He paused, as though reading from a script he had already written. He went on, "No matter how much it tears her up inside, she'll sign the papers quietly, just like she did today. She won't say a single word out of line."

He let out a cold laugh and added, "Jack, you don't know her at all. Bet against me and you'll lose every time."

Jack shouted with excitement, "Holy shit, Jonathan, you're that sure? Alright, it's a deal! That watch is as good as mine!"

The others burst out laughing along with him, as if they were discussing some hilarious piece of entertainment that had nothing to do with the person involved.

The door clicked softly shut behind me and cut off the rest of the bets and the uglier laughter that followed.

The hallway was quiet, and the only sound was the sharp click of my heels against the floor.

I walked toward the elevator one step at a time, and Jonathan's mocking tone kept replaying in my head.

My phone buzzed against my palm, so I pulled it out.

The screen lit up with a number I had never saved but knew by heart.

The message was almost jarringly simple, but its weight made my fingertips tremble.

It read: [Evelyn, I know the timing is terrible. But if you're willing, will you marry me? This isn't a merger or a deal. I'm just begging you to give me the chance to take care of you. I've waited too long.]

The sender was Jason Cooper, Jonathan's biggest rival.

I stood at the edge of the street, watching the endless rush of headlights stream past like rivers of light.

Then I raised my phone, tapped into the reply box, and typed two calm words: [I will.]

I hit send.

The delivery confirmation had barely faded from the screen when my phone exploded to life in my hand, buzzing hard against my palm.

Jason's name lit up the display.

I answered.

His breathing came through the line, quick and strained, despite every effort he made to steady it.

Jason went silent for two full seconds. Then, in a voice raw with disbelief, he said, "Evelyn, did you mean what I think you meant? Are you really saying yes?"

I kept my voice even and said, "Yes. I'll marry you."

I heard him pull in a sharp breath, as he'd finally confirmed this wasn't some hallucination he'd been drifting through.

His voice came back shaking with an excitement he couldn't push down. He said, "Really? Are you serious? Tell me I'm not dreaming."

Then he forced himself back under control, and his tone shifted into something measured and careful.

He asked, "Do you want to move out tonight? I can have a place ready for you right away. Somewhere quiet, somewhere safe, where no one can touch you."

I agreed without hesitating.

If I spent one more second in that so-called "home," I was going to suffocate.

I said, "Okay."

He said, "I'll send a car and a driver over right now. They'll be waiting downstairs. How long do you need?"

I said, "An hour."

He said, "Okay. See you then, Evelyn."