Chapter 1

Michael Cosby called me the moment he saw the comments.

"Evelyn, don't get the wrong idea. Nothing is going on between Ms. Sutton and me," he said.

Every so often, I could hear people cheering and teasing him in the background. I gave a humorless laugh.

"You two just had a wedding, and you're telling me nothing is going on?"

Michael sighed, sounding both gentle and helpless as he explained, "Evelyn, you know how my parents are. They've never liked the idea of me marrying some sheltered heiress who's never had to take care of anyone. They insist I need a wife who's good at homemaking.

"There was no talking them out of it, so I had Lylia step in for you. I swear, it's all for show. We're not getting a marriage certificate. Come on, don't make a scene over this. She's just an employee."

The longer he talked, the more reasonable he seemed to find his own explanation.

Somehow, he'd managed to make cheating on me sound like a favor, as though he'd only done it to spare me from dealing with his parents.

Before I could respond, Winona Ashe's disapproving voice came through the phone.

"Evelyn, it's bad enough that you use money to get your way with everyone. Michael finally gets to visit his hometown, and you're still checking up on him? Lylia kept stepping in whenever his relatives tried to get him to drink. She's already thrown up twice tonight. Could you have a little sympathy?

"Other than paying for things, what have you ever actually done for Mr. Cosby? Lylia's the one who's stayed late with him and worked through the night."

Hearing Winona defend Lylia so fiercely, I chuckled.

"Winona, did you forget who put you in that director position?"

She went quiet for a moment before letting out a cold laugh.

"And there it is. You always fall back on money and status whenever someone doesn't agree with you. Do you really think you can buy everything?

"Mr. Cosby's the CEO of a listed company. He doesn't owe you anymore, and neither do I. You don't get to tell me what to do."

As soon as she finished, Michael took the phone back, his voice carrying a hint of reproach.

"Evelyn, there was no reason to talk to Winona like that. She's only looking out for us. My relatives were a nightmare today, and Lylia took a lot of heat for me. Why don't you pick out a nice handbag for her tomorrow as a thank-you? Just have it sent to the apartment she recently rented."

I suppose I really should thank Lylia Sutton.

If it weren't for her, I might never have seen Michael's true colors.

A mocking smile touched my lips.

"Sure," I said.

Michael immediately relaxed and gave a quiet laugh.

"I knew you'd understand, Evelyn. Get some sleep. I'll be back tomorrow, and I'll spend time with you then."

After ending the call, I asked the hotel manager to come over.

"Get rid of everything. The roses, too."

He looked surprised, but he nodded and did as I asked.

I left the hotel and returned to the mansion where Michael and I had lived together for the past four years.

Only then did I realize the signs had been there all along.

There were always traces of lipstick around the collars of his dress shirts. Whenever I asked about them, he insisted they were nothing more than stains from bugs he'd swatted.

He used to wear sneakers all the time, but at some point, he'd switched completely to leather dress shoes.

When I asked why his taste had suddenly changed, he told me that his life was different now, so naturally, his preferences had changed with it.

Even the plain glass he'd always used for water had been replaced by a cute cartoon mug.

Another woman had already worked her way into every corner of his daily life, and I simply hadn't noticed.

I pulled out my phone and called my lawyer. "Mr. Warner, draw up an agreement to withdraw my investment. And when the timing is right, sell all the shares I own in Michael's company."