Chapter 1We took a trip over Memorial Day weekend, and some fortune teller told me my husband's gonna have TWO wives in his life.
I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Me and Jude? We've known each other since we were SIX!
I know EVERY INCH of that man, inside and out.
Hell, last year when I totaled my car, he didn't even blink before giving me one of his KIDNEYS.
A man like that? Cheat on me? Come on.
I was about to tell this hack where he could shove his crystal ball when Jude slid his black Amex across the table.
"Yeah, you got me pegged."
My smile froze.
I jabbed his shoulder. "What the hell? Why are you feeding this scam artist?"
Jude didn't even flinch.
"He's not wrong. I do have another wife. Married her overseas last year."
I stood there, mouth open, brain completely offline.
Then he added casually.
"You know that woman who T-boned you last year? Yeah, her. Wild as hell in bed. Real fun time."
...
"Why?"
I locked eyes with Jude, waiting for him to explain this shit.
His voice was flat—like he was talking about the WEATHER.
"No reason. Just tired of hiding it. We've been together so long, fucking you is like jerking myself off."
"You know why I brought you HERE?"
"Because I've got my girl stashed in this town."
"Every 'business trip' the past six months? Yeah, I was here banging Summer."
My throat closed up.
It took forever to choke out: "So?"
Why TODAY?
Why the bitch who KILLED my baby?
Tears burned down my face. Everything inside me was screaming.
Just a moment ago, I thought I was the happiest person in the world.
Jude reached over and wiped my tears—his voice colder than I'd ever heard it.
"Didn't wanna tell you, babe. But Summer's knocked up. Can't have my kid born a bastard, right?"
My heart STOPPED.
"What the fuck are you saying?"
The corner of his mouth twitched up.
"What I'm saying, wife, is we need to get divorced."
I froze—blood turning to ICE.
Divorce? He wants to DIVORCE me?
He KNOWS my parents split when I was fourteen.
KNOWS they both called me dead weight—wouldn't take me.
I got shoved around like GARBAGE outside the courthouse.
Dad's boot swung at my ribs—Jude threw himself in front of me.
Blood on his lip, but his eyes were shining when he looked at me.
"They won't keep you? Fine. I WILL."
Sixteen years. He kept that promise for sixteen YEARS.
From some broke kid working three jobs to put me through school, to Jude Fucking Hartwell—CEO with his name on half the buildings downtown.
We've been each other's WHOLE lives.
And now he's throwing me away.
I couldn't hold it—dropped to my knees and puked.
Before, Jude would've been RIGHT there, rubbing my back, whispering it's okay.
Now? He just stood there.
Watched me heave with this blank look on his face.
Finally he sighed. Crouched down. Wiped my mouth like I was some kid he felt sorry for.
Like nothing had happened.
But the next second, the feel of an A4 sheet of paper came from my fingertips.
My brain refused to think. Instinctively, I tried to throw it away.
But Jude grabbed my chin, forcing me to look down.
It was the divorce papers he had signed.
His voice came from above me, calm as ever.
"Sign it, you'll get 70% of the assets."
"Don't worry, it's not a real divorce, just need to legitimize her kid. We'll remarry after."
"But the lakehouse stays with me. Summer loves the view."
I stared up at him.
That soft smile on his face when he said her NAME.
I SNAPPED.
Ripped my face out of his hand and CRACKED him across the mouth.
"Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME, JUDE?"
"Twenty years! TWENTY FUCKING YEARS and you just—what? Decided I'm BORING now?"
"You're screwing the bitch who KILLED OUR BABY! How do you live with yourself?!"
"He had FINGERS, Jude! He could KICK! If she hadn't—he'd be calling you DADDY right now!"
"You make me SICK!"
I grabbed my bag and swung it at his head.
He didn't move. Let me hit him.
But his expression turned cold when I called her bitch.
"She's NOT a bitch."
Chapter 2
The bag slipped from my fingers.
God, this is INSANE.
Everything I just said—and THAT'S what he heard?
Jude's voice came from above me, bored.
"Done? You hit me, screamed at me—can we move on now?"
I didn't answer.
His tone sharpened.
"Babe, don't be dramatic. It's not a REAL divorce. Why the tantrum?"
I laughed—ugly, broken.
"So I'm the bitch for not rolling over for your MISTRESS?"
Jude's face turned completely cold.
"She's not a mistress."
He grabbed my hand, jammed the pen between my fingers.
"Sign it. NOW. Or you walk away with NOTHING."
His grip crushed my wrist—I could feel bone grinding.
I struggled desperately, tears dripping onto his knuckles.
His grip on me faltered slightly, but then his strength returned.
"Just SIGN it. I've fucked you over enough—I can't do the same to Summer."
Like being slapped in the face, I suddenly lost the strength.
So he KNOWS he screwed me.
But somehow SHE'S the one he can't hurt?
I stared at the asset split. Suddenly smiled.
"Fine. I'll sign."
I took the pen.
Signed my name.
Jude glanced at me with a complicated expression, clearly surprised.
Guess he thought I'd fight harder.
Can't blame him. Ever since my parents dumped me, I'd been PATHETIC—clinging to him like he was oxygen.
Jude's Adam's apple bobbed. He opened his mouth—
Summer's call lit up his phone.
His expression softened instantly.
I don't know what was said on the other end of the line, but it made his eyes crinkle with a smile.
When he hung up, he was practically glowing.
He carefully put away the divorce papers, then patted my head like he was petting a pet.
"Don't worry. I'll never leave you."
I turned away from him, shaking my head.
"Don't bother."
"What?"
Jude didn't hear me clearly and leaned closer.
I quickly pushed him away, pointing to his lit phone, "She's waiting. Don't waste time on me."
He froze, a knowing smile appearing on his face.
"She's young, you know? Gets needy. Can't help it—she's just CRAZY about me."
That smirk deepened.
"Hell, that's why she have caused your miscarriage to get my attention."
Ice water in my veins.
I looked up, my voice trembling.
"You're saying... she KILLED my baby... for YOU?"
I had always thought it was an accident.
Even after finding out about the affair, I figured they hooked up AFTER the crash.
But no.
My baby died so she could FLIRT with him.
My eyes widened, speechless.
"Don't look at me like that, babe. I gave you a KIDNEY. We're square."
My mind was buzzing. I waved my hands, trying to get away from him.
Jude sighed, stepped back.
"Okay, okay. You're upset. I get it."
"Here—" He pressed something into my hand. "Plane ticket. Go abroad, cool off. Come back after Summer has the baby."
The light plane ticket landed in my hand, but it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
I forced back my tears and turned to run away.
Jude just stood there. A smile even played on his lips.
"First class not good enough? Take my jet if you want."
"Just wait a few months, babe. I'll marry you again."
My pace quickened.
I only stopped to breathe heavily when Jude was completely out of sight.
I booked a hotel and settled in.
My phone buzzed.
A video loaded—naked bodies, moaning.
Text underneath:
"Lucky I only killed your BRAT, hag. Now I'm Mrs. Hartwell, aren't I?"
"Check out how your husband FUCKS. Even with one kidney, he did me FOUR TIMES last night."
I hurled the phone across the room.
But the message notifications kept going off.
Chapter 3
Summer sent hundreds of intimate photos of herself and Jude.
The last few, however, focused on the passenger seat of his car.
For twenty years, I'd known Jude, and this had always been MY seat.
Summer followed with a voice message, dripping with smug:
"Bet you didn't know—while you were getting your dead baby scraped out, he fucked me RIGHT HERE. Couldn't even wait for a hotel~"
My hands SHOOK as I zoomed in on the screen.
There—stitched with my name—a dark, dried bloodstain.
My mind went blank.
I suddenly remembered how Jude always hesitated when I asked him to wash the car.
At the time, I was curious why a NEAT FREAK like him would leave that spot unwashed.
But I never imagined it would be for such a disgusting reason.
I couldn't hold it in any longer and vomited into the toilet.
When I came up for air, it hit me—I hadn't had my period in WEEKS.
Two months ago, on my birthday, Jude and I were still sleeping together.
I ordered a pregnancy test from a takeout delivery service.
Two lines.
I immediately went to the hospital for a checkup.
The results confirmed it. I was really pregnant.
I placed my hand on my lower abdomen, hesitated for only two minutes, and then scheduled the earliest possible abortion.
I grew up a divorce kid—tossed between parents who didn't want me.
I will NOT do that to my baby.
The cold anesthetic was injected into my vein, and I lost consciousness.
When I woke up, my lower abdomen was in excruciating pain.
Dragged myself out of recovery, leaning against the wall—
And there he was.
Jude. With SUMMER. At her prenatal appointment.
The nurses were practically SWOONING.
Seeing my blank stare, they even came over to explain things to me.
"Girl, that's Mr. Hartwell and his WIFE! They're SO in love!"
"He's like, the most devoted husband EVER. Brings in top specialists for every checkup."
"He even warms the ultrasound gel in his hands first so it's not cold on her belly!"
A bitter taste rose in my throat, and I forced a smile.
"That's... nice."
I turned to leave, but ran straight into them.
Jude looked puzzled.
"Ava? What are you doing here? Are you feeling unwell again?"
Seeing my pale face, he instinctively started to take off his coat—
"Oh!" Summer gasped. "The baby just KICKED!"
Jude's attention SNAPPED to her.
The coat he had taken off fell onto Summer's shoulders.
She looped her arm through his, smirking at me.
Then, she nervously clutched her lower abdomen.
"You followed me here, did you?"
Her eyes welled up.
"I know I messed up before, but the baby didn't do anything wrong! If you're mad, take it out on ME!"
"I just need to be Mrs. Hartwell for a few months—just till the baby's born, I SWEAR. Then you can have him back. Please?"
She made this big show of dropping to her knees.
Jude YANKED her up, shoved her behind him.
Looked at me like I was TRASH.
"So THAT'S why you're here?"
"She's trying to make this right. You can't have kids—she's having this baby FOR you. And you're gonna pull this shit? Don't be ungrateful."
People were STARING now.
Someone whispered: "Rich people are insane. Which one's the wife? Which one's the side piece?"
