Chapter 2

While Saul and I were still arguing, shouting suddenly erupted from inside my car.

A nine-year-old boy darted out and ran to Saul, holding up a pendant in his hand.

A second later, my daughter, Charis Baldwin, climbed out of the car. Her hair was a mess, her eyes red and swollen. She looked like she was trying not to cry.

"Daddy, he started digging through our car as soon as he got in. He stole our family photo pendant!"

Before I could respond, Saul exploded.

"So that's it. No wonder you showed up here today. You hit my car and act fearless because you're trying to steal my wife!"

He clutched the pendant in one hand and swung his fist at my face with the other.

I blocked him easily, my voice going cold. "You know exactly who the outsider is."

He bared his teeth and lunged again, but I locked him down without much effort. I didn't spend decades in the boxing gym for nothing.

With a quick shift of weight, I sent him stumbling. He hit the ground, then instantly changed his tone.

"Everyone, come look! Is this what the world's come to? First, he crashes into my car, and now, he's trying to steal my wife in broad daylight!"

The louder he shouted, the bigger the crowd grew. People started pointing at Charis and me.

"I felt bad for him earlier, thought he was getting bullied by a rich guy. Turns out he's the one with bad intentions."

"How disgusting! And he's got a kid watching him act like this!"

I pulled Charis into my arms, pressing her face against my chest so she wouldn't hear any more of it. My heart pounded hard enough to hurt. This was unbelievable.

I took out my phone and showed the crowd our marriage certificate and wedding photos.

"Take a good look. I'm Hazel Bishop's legal husband. He's the one interfering in our marriage. And Hazel's not innocent, either!"

Someone leaned closer.

"That's her. I've seen her on the business channel. She's the General Manager of Milton Group."

"Did we get this wrong?"

The crowd's attention shifted back to Saul, this time with doubt.

A flash of something ugly crossed his eyes. He pulled out his own phone.

"Don't be fooled. He obviously photoshopped those! My wife and I just celebrated our tenth anniversary. I've got a video of it!"

The clip played.

He and Hazel were on a beach, holding hands, kissing, and feeding each other food. The photos were so intimate and brazen that the people around us actually flushed.

My head rang.

A month ago, when my mother was dying, Hazel told me she had a major overseas deal she couldn't miss. I begged her to stay, but she left anyway.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails cut into my palm.

So that was it. She had left me to be with him.

The fury of betrayal surged through me, raging out of control.

The crowd flipped instantly.

"He's right. Photos can be fake. Video doesn't lie."

"I bet that marriage certificate is photoshopped. He probably knew Ms. Bishop would be here today and planned the whole thing."

Saul's son, Alex Matthews, bent down, grabbed a rock, and hurled it at us.

"Stay away from my mom! Stop stealing her! And don't mess with my dad, or I'll kill you!"

I scooped Charis up and dodged.

When I looked up, I caught Saul's eye. He wasn't scared; he was smug. He even flipped the bird at me subtly.

I laughed. Not because it was funny, but because something inside me had snapped into place.

I wasn't going to stand there and argue anymore.

I moved fast. I buckled Charis into the car, shut the door, and started the engine. The roar cut through the noise.

Then, I hit the gas and drove straight toward Saul and Alex.

The crowd gasped. "What the hell…"

"Ahh!!"

Someone screamed.

I slammed the brakes with barely a foot of space left between my bumper and them.

Through the windshield, I saw Saul's face drain of color. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the pavement.

I smiled at him through the glass.

Scared already?

Then how was he going to handle what would come next?

At that moment, a black car sped toward us.

I glanced at the license plate.

Hazel was here.