Chapter 1Labor Day weekend. My husband finally agreed to a family trip.
But at the airport, he and Emma were nowhere in sight.
Just a text:
[Derek Cross is at the firm for a partnership meeting. Bringing Emma—she wants to meet him. Go without me.]
Then Emma's voice message:
["Mom! Derek Cross is like, my hero! I really wanna go!"]
I stared at their messages.
Typed back: [Okay.]
Then I called my childhood best friend to pick me up.
When I saw him pull up, I smiled.
"Derek, aren't you supposed to be at my husband's firm right now?"
...
He stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
I didn't explain. Just yanked the door open and dropped into the seat.
"Draft me a divorce agreement. We're going to catch my husband in the act."
"Holy. Shit!"
Derek let out a sharp breath.
Then he slammed his foot on the gas, and we tore off toward Jordan's firm.
The office was dark. Locked up. Empty.
A clerk from the convenience store next door poked his head out.
"Looking for someone? It's Mr. Frost's wedding anniversary—he rented out the whole Riverside Estate. Everyone from the firm's there celebrating."
My stomach dropped.
Derek glanced at me, eyebrow raised. "Maybe you got it wrong. Sounds like he's planning a surprise."
I couldn't even smile. "Today isn't our anniversary."
His expression froze.
Something cold settled in my chest. My fists clenched tighter.
"Let's go. Riverside Estate."
We screeched to a stop in front of the estate.
I shoved the door open before Derek even cut the engine.
Two security guards moved to block me. I didn't slow down.
"I'm going in."
One of them stepped closer, smirking. "Invitation?"
I didn't answer.
"Didn't think so." His smirk widened. "This is Mr. Jordan Frost and Miss Bianca Lawson's wedding anniversary. Private event. Miss Lawson's family owns half this city—Sterling Global Corporation. So why don't you—"
"Sterling Global?" Derek's voice cut through, sharp as glass. His eyes flicked to me for a split second.
The name hit me like a slap.
Bianca. Jordan's so-called "work wife." The woman whose name came up in every other conversation for the past three years.
The guard was still talking. "—turn around and leave before we—"
I walked past him to the car, yanked open the glove box, and pulled out the estate's executive access card.
The second I held it up, both guards went rigid.
Their smirks vanished.
Without a word, they stepped aside.
I walked through.
Chapter 2
I shoved the ballroom doors open.
The place was packed. Music blaring. Laughter everywhere.
And right in the center of it all—Bianca, hands braced on a table. Jordan behind her.
A balloon wedged between them.
The crowd was banging on tables, whooping and hollering.
"Come on, Frost! Bianca just said your favorite position is from behind—so let's see you pop that balloon the old-fashioned way!"
I felt sick.
Jordan had always been so uptight with me.
In all our years of marriage, we'd barely had a sex life. Every time I tried, he'd shut me down, saying I was "too focused on the wrong things."
And now, here he was—hands on her ass, pressed up against her, grinding that damn balloon between them.
The crowd went wild. Whistles. Phones out, recording.
That was it.
I tore through the crowd. Slammed my foot into Bianca's side!
She hit the ground hard, choking on a scream.
Jordan didn't even look. He immediately pulled Bianca up. His head snapped up, furious.
But the second he saw my face, he froze.
"What are you doing back here?"
At the same time, Emma, who'd been playing nearby, quietly slipped behind Bianca.
I stared at Jordan's hand still on Bianca's arm. A cold laugh escaped me.
"Your wedding anniversary? With this bitch? What the fuck am I to you, Jordan Frost?"
The whole room froze.
People exchanged glances. Whispers started.
"Wait—who's the actual wife?"
"Is he seriously pulling this shit?"
Jordan went beet-red, then ashen.
Bianca looked up at Jordan like I'd just murdered her entire family. "Jordan..."
He instantly straightened. Looked me dead in the eye.
"Enough, Ava! We're done! I've moved on! Why can't you just leave us alone?!"
I stared at him, stunned.
"What are you talking about? When did we—"
"Don't play dumb!" His voice rose. "You wanted a divorce! You walked away! And now I've got a family, so stop this obsessive bullshit!"
I pointed at Bianca. Then at myself. I let out a cold and sharp laugh.
"Jordan. Look at me. Who am I? Who's Emma's mother?"
Derek stepped forward. "You're still legally married to her, Frost—"
"Who the fuck are you?" Jordan cut him off. "This is none of your damn business!"
He turned back to me, his tone cold.
"Ava, walk away. Right now. Before you embarrass yourself even more. My wife Bianca is Derek Cross's protégé. And her family? They own Sterling Global Corporation! You don't want this fight."
Chapter 3
Now Derek froze.
I looked at him. He looked back at me. Shook his head slowly.
The whispers around us got louder. People's expressions shifted—disgust, judgment.
"Is this chick for real? Crashing her ex's wedding anniversary?"
"She looks classy, but yikes. Stage-five clinger."
"Poor guy. Can't even celebrate without his psycho ex showing up."
Right on cue, Bianca stepped forward.
She wrapped her arm around Jordan's shoulders, positioning herself between us like she was protecting him.
"Ma'am, Jordan already told you he doesn't want anything to do with you."
She turned to the crowd, her voice trembling. "The past is the past. Jordan and I have a family now. Please, just leave us alone."
I stared at the two of them. Rage boiled over.
My hand moved on its own. Her head snapped to the side.
The crack echoed through the ballroom. Everyone went still.
Bianca's hand flew to her face. "Jordan!"
Jordan's expression flipped. "Hold her down!"
Two guards in black suits instantly rushed over, grabbed my arms, and slammed me to the ground.
Pain shot through my knees. I gasped.
"You're insane!" I fought against them, screaming. "I'M your wife! And you're hitting me for her?"
Jordan said nothing. Eyes red. He spun around, snatched up a chair, directly slammed it down on my back!
Pain ripped through me. My back was burning.
He wasn't finished. Stepped forward. Kicked me in the ribs. Again. Again.
Derek instantly lunged forward to stop him, but a guard tackled him down.
Pinned to the floor, he yelled: "Jordan, stop! That's your wife!"
Jordan didn't hear him. Kicked harder.
Blood surged up. I spat it out.
Suddenly—Emma came running.
"Don't hurt my mommy!"
My chest tightened—warmth flooded in.
"Emma, stay back—"
Then she ran past me.
Straight to Bianca.
Her small hands clutched at Bianca's dress. When she looked up at me, her eyes were full of hatred.
"Stop hitting my mommy!"
Her voice was high-pitched, tearful—but not for me.
"Mommy Bianca gets me all the toys I want! She takes me places! You never do anything!"
I froze.
The pain in my back faded. All I felt was a crushing weight in my chest.
Before I could process it, Emma suddenly lifted her little foot and kicked me hard in the knee!
Right where the skin was already torn and bleeding.
"Go away! Stop bullying Daddy and Mommy!"
She kept kicking, her small face twisted with anger I'd never seen before.
"Daddy says you're mean! You make him sad! I don't want you!"
