Chapter 2

My hand stiffened around my ID.

Victor knew I would arrive tonight, but he had not even left me a place to sleep.

I took out my phone and called him.

"You got here?" His voice was casual. "I thought you were throwing a tantrum and weren't coming.

"Sophie isn't adjusting well to the city. The standard rooms have poor soundproofing, so I canceled your room and upgraded hers to a suite. Just find a budget hotel nearby for one night."

I forced down my anger. "Every hotel nearby is full because of tomorrow's bid. Where am I supposed to stay?"

Victor clicked his tongue impatiently. "Sophie is fragile. Can you try to be a little considerate of other people?"

"I'm in the lobby.

"You have five minutes. If you don't come down, I'll call our partner and cancel the deal."

In less than five minutes, the elevator doors opened.

Victor stepped out in a bathrobe, his hair still half-damp. Sophie followed behind him in a woman's silk nightgown that obviously did not fit her.

It was mine. I had packed it in Victor's suitcase as a spare.

I stared at the nightgown on Sophie. Victor followed my gaze, and something unnatural flickered in his eyes. It quickly turned into righteous irritation.

"Sophie's checked luggage had a problem. Her clothes got soaked, so I let her borrow yours. Don't look at her like that."

Sophie shrank behind Victor. "Lydia, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was yours. I'll take it off right now."

She reached for the buttons, but Victor grabbed her hand.

"Take it off for what? You'll catch a cold. It's just one lousy piece of clothing. Lydia, is this really necessary?"

I looked at the man I had loved for seven years and suddenly found him completely unfamiliar.

"Fine. She can have the clothes. What about the room? You want me to sleep on the street?"

Victor frowned, his tone almost charitable. "Sophie's suite has a couch outside the bedroom. Make do there tonight. Once tomorrow's bid is over, we'll go home."

I laughed from sheer anger.

"You want me to sleep on the couch in her suite? Victor Palmerston, I'm your wife, not your servant."

Victor's face darkened.

"Lydia, if it weren't for this project, I wouldn't even bother with you right now. Since you're here, give tomorrow's presentation script and core data to Sophie. She'll present onstage."

For a moment, I thought I had heard wrong.

"What did you say? You want her to present? I spent three months on this project. I wrote every line of code myself. What does she know?"

Sophie lowered her head, looking wronged.

"Mr. Palmerston, forget it. Lydia doesn't trust my abilities. I shouldn't make things harder."

Victor patted her shoulder and turned to glare at me.

"Tomorrow is a billion-dollar project. The room will be full of the top decision makers in New York. If you get onstage, you'll only embarrass me.

"Sophie has the right image and she speaks well. If you give her the data, she can read from the script."

I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms.

"Without my live demonstration, you won't get past the technical review."

Victor lost his temper completely. He pointed at my nose.

"Lydia Webb, do you have to fight me over everything? The company is mine. The project belongs to the company. You eat my food and spend my money, and now when I ask you to hand over some data, you act difficult. Are you trying to rebel?"

I looked at his furious face, and the last warmth in my heart cooled into ice.

"Victor, your startup capital came from me selling my old family house. All the core technology over the last three years was provided by me for free. And now you're saying I live off you?"