CHAPTER ONE

Anna

It's been three months since I my marriage fell apart.

And today is the premiere of the new movie I've been working on for the past three years. My blockbuster. One that's meant to put me right in the center of the elite people of New York City.

El Diablo Me Quiere.

Such an important moment. One which I'm forced to share with...Collins.

My ex-husband.

When he walked in a few minutes ago into the event venue, Diana draped around his arm, her smile bright and scathing, until they found me and turned blood red in anger, I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Miss Anna," Hermes, my manager and one of our leading sponsors calls me. "Meet Collins Black. He's the cousin to Geoffrey Black, our lead actor for El Diablo Me Quiere..."

I nod my head, not even bothering to extend my hand for a handshake, and from the way Collins looks away as though he's annoyed to be here, I'm pleased that the feeling is mutual. Diana eyes me conspicuously, her nose twisted up in a sneer.

Today of all days...

Hermes isn't aware that Collins and I were once married. In fact, no one in New York City knew. Except the priest who joined us together. It was a mutual decision to keep our marriage a secret while we faced our jobs for a few years to raise enough money to start a proper family.

Now that I think about it, it must have been Diana who suggested such an idea to Collins in the first place.

She giggles when Hermes praises the sunflower earrings she has on. "Oh, thank you very much, Sir! It's all Collins. He takes very good care of me!"

She clutches Collins by the tweed elbow of his suit, while Collins beams at her adoringly. Poor Hermes is impressed with her display of affection.

Me? I want to dig a hole and hide.

For the first time, I wish that I was allowed to drink on the job. It's probably for the best that I'm not, though because I'm sure I'd just waste the night drunk, and sulking over again over Collins's betrayal.

The painful part is, Collins and I had planned to announce that we're married to the world today. It seemed like the perfect opportunity while El Diablo Me Quiere is doing amazing with the critics. It's a highly anticipated movie, so the elite of New York City are all here. Celebrities mill about, chattering and saying hi.

It would've been perfect.

So, so perfect.

Hermes moves away to welcome the president, leaving me to deal with Collins and Diana. Collins pretends not to notice me, beaming down at Diana as though she's the center of his universe. I suppose she is, they were once madly in love with each other while all three of us were in college. That love, I realize now, never waned.

I'm so unlucky.

"Oh, come on sweethearts," Diana breaks the silence, batting her fake lashes at me. "Are we really going to do this? Here?"

"Do what?" I tilt my head to one side.

"Act like we have beef with each other? It's your movie premiere, Anna. And we're in public. At least we can pretend to be amicable with one another."

Collins's gaze grows cold as he scans me up and down. "You're always looking so tacky. Couldn't you have found a black dress to put on? You stick out so much like a sore thumb."

I look down at my simple plaid red gown and bite down hard on my bottom lip, willing my nerves to stay put. I want to say something smart. Something equally painful.

But no words come to me.

I just...stand there. Looking at him with so much sorrow.

I feel the tears I refuse to shed lodge like shards of glass in my throat, and no matter how hard I try to coax myself into retaliating, it won't come.

I won't give them that pleasure. Not again.

Diana smooths her left hand on his chest, and leans into him. "Cut her some slack, baby. You know it's always been her thing. Keeping it simple. Always the modest one. It's an act she's perfected so well over the years. We can't expect her to change now." She turns to me now and shoots me that fake smile of hers. "By the way, Anny, you forgot your diamond necklace at our place. I would have brought it for you, but I wasn't sure if you have much use for it anymore."

I wince. Collins gave me those earrings as an anniversary gift. One year together. Not a lot of time, but it felt like a much longer time for me.

"You can have it," I croak through a painfully tight throat, looking away. "It was always meant for you anyway."

"You're such a sweetheart!" she preens. "They'll look better on me, anyway. Collins told me you rarely ever wore it. Such expensive piece of jewelry shouldn't be left sitting at home like that..."

Oh, fuck you sideways with a socket wrench.

Fuck Collins, too.

I clear my throat. "If you'll excuse me⁠—"

"Going somewhere? Oh Anny, don't be like that." Diana purrs and nuzzles Collins's shoulder. "You can't blame Collins for wanting better for himself."

My vision goes red. "Excuse me?"

Diana sighs and dramatically rolls her eyes. "We've talked about this, Anny. Remember? Back in prep school? You have to put in more effort. Do better; be better. Dress better, if nothing else." She eyes my wrinkled outfit with a matching wrinkle of her nose. "I mean, look at you. It's no wonder you couldn't keep your man interested."

Once again, I remind myself that it's good that I'm not allowed to drink on the job.

Or the broken stem of a champagne flute would be lodged in her throat right about now.

Instead, I feel a warm hand grab my elbow. "Steady, girl," my colleague and close friend Blair whispers in my ear. "She's baiting you to be mad. Stay calm. Just a few hours more left."

I nod, grateful to her for coming at the right time. She didn't want to attend the premiere, and had a date scheduled with her long term boyfriend Andy. I didn't believe I would talk her into coming, and now, I'm glad I succeeded. Blair is nothing like Diana. She would never abandon me.

When I'd told her about my broken marriage to Collins, she just shook her head, sighed and said. "His loss. You're so much better off without him."

"May I steal her for a moment?" She asks Collins and Diana, and without waiting for them to answer, steers me in the one direction I've been avoiding this whole time — the bar. "Let's get some drinks to soften the mood."

I try to dig my heels in. "B, I can't. I'm on the job."

"You can, and you will, and if anyone wants to argue, they can kiss between my booty cheeks. I dare Hermes to so much as try, because I am not in the mood for his brand of bullshit."

A quick glance locates him in the corner, chatting up a rich heiress from Long Island.

I sigh and my shoulders slump. "Okay. Thank you."

"Attagirl." Blair turns to the bartender. "I need two double shots of absinthe, please."

My eyes damn near bug out of my head. "Um, absolutely not! I have to work!"

"Oh! Right! Because dealing with Collins and his floozy's bullshit is best done sober." She rolls her eyes sarcastically and hands me both shot glasses. "Knock these back. Leave no drop behind. Do yourself a favor and live a little—and then do us all a favor and consider them tranquilizers to stave off your murderous rampage. Not that I'm not here for it—believe me, I absolutely am—I just need to earn all my commission before the bloodbath ensues."

I can't help but laugh. Somehow, she knows just what to say and when I need to hear it. "Fine. You win. But I will not be held responsible for whatever happens after I consume these."

She waves a hurry-up hand at me. "Say less. Drink more."