Chapter 1

Ethan Parker hit the ground hard but quickly scrambled back to his feet, furious.

"So, you're the guy who's been crossing the line with a married woman? And you have the nerve to call her your wife?" He sounded disbelieving.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson about staying away from married women!"

He had clearly come prepared. He and the other men pulled out batons and swung at me.

I grabbed Ethan's arm and forced it down, doing my best to stay calm.

"We must be talking about two different people. I hate cheaters myself. Why would I ever want to ruin someone else's marriage?"

More and more bystanders gathered around us, quickly crowding the road. This made me worried I wouldn't make it home in time to see my grandfather.

I tried to reason with him. "Sir, if you have a problem with me, you can take it up with my lawyer. I need to get home to see a sick family member, and I don't have time for this."

I turned and tried to push through the crowd.

Then Ethan pulled out a photo of my wife and me.

Without thinking, I said, "That's my wife and me."

Ethan completely lost it.

"Lauren always told me that you were nothing more than a childhood friend! And now you have the nerve to call her your wife?

"Oh, I know! You being her 'best friend' is nothing but a cover. You're actually her lover!"

The crowd, which had begun to disperse, quickly closed in again. Everyone stared at me suspiciously, as though I were some shameless man who had actually done something wrong.

Ethan raised the baton and swung it at me without hesitation.

With the crowd hemming me in, I had nowhere to run. I could only brace myself as the blows came down.

Pain shot through my arm, leaving it numb.

"That's enough!" I snapped. "My grandfather is seriously ill. I need to get to him. Move, or you'll be hearing from my lawyer."

My grandfather, William Astor, had only one grandson—me.

He had always spoiled me, even handing over the company he'd built from the ground up to me.

Now that he was seriously ill, I needed to be by his side.

But Ethan wouldn't stop screaming.

"I'll make damn sure you know who I am. I'm Ethan Parker, the legal husband of the woman you keep calling your wife!" He declared.

"You shameless homewrecker! You've used your 'best friend' status to take my wife overseas, sleep with her, take wedding photos with her, and even meet her family! I'll beat you senseless today. I'll make sure you regret ever coming near her!"

He hurled insults without holding back as the baton continued raining down on me.

I sucked in several sharp breaths, struggling against the pain.

I could understand why someone would be furious after being betrayed by their spouse. But that didn't give him the right to attack me.

I caught the baton with my bare hand and glared at him.

"That's enough! I've been married for five years. My marriage certificate is in my bag. My wife and I have a good marriage, and neither of us would ever cheat on each other. You've definitely got the wrong guy."