Chapter 1

My throat was so dry I couldn't force out a single word.

The whole thing was absurd.

One of them was my wife, and the other was my best friend, the man I'd known since childhood.

Years ago, Finley Graham had been conned into a disastrous marriage. His wife constantly belittled him and had even become physically abusive.

After I helped him get divorced, I was worried his wife would keep hounding him, so I took him in and let him stay with me for a while.

I never imagined that his temporary stay would eventually lead him into my wife's bed. And he left her carrying his child.

...

The silence stretched on until the night grew deep and heavy.

Finally, Lexi Berry frowned and pressed me for an answer.

"Well? Have you made up your mind?"

I ignored the question and asked the one that had been eating away at me. "Lately, you've been coming home later and later, practically every night. Were you with him?"

"Yes," she admitted. "He was sick."

"Postponing the wedding, changing the venue, even changing the entire theme..." I pressed, raising my eyebrows. "Those were his ideas too, weren't they?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Seeing us plan our wedding upset him."

Every answer landed like a blade driven straight into my chest. All her bizarre, cold behavior over the past few months made sense now. She had done them all for another man.

"Edward," she added impatiently, "what's the point of dredging up the past? If you want a divorce, I'll have my attorney deliver the paperwork tomorrow."

The fragile composure I had fought so hard to maintain shattered on the spot.

"I'll never agree to it!" My voice rang through the room as I glared at her. "You want me to step aside so the two of you can have a happy family? Don't even think about it!"

"Fine." Lexi rose, grabbed her coat, and headed for the door.

"Wait!" I called after her. "Where are you going?"

"Today is Wednesday," she replied matter-of-factly, peeling my fingers away from her arm, one by one.

"This is our wedding night!" I said with wide eyes.

She looked back at me, as if I were an unreasonable child throwing a tantrum.

"We established the schedule," she said evenly. "Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays belong to him. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays belong at home. You agreed to this."

The clock on the wall already read six in the afternoon.

Lexi frowned and strode toward the foyer. "Stick to the schedule. If you can't accept it, file for divorce."

"Lexi, wait!" My chest burned as I chased after her. I tore off my wedding ring and hurled it at her. "To hell with your damn schedule!"

The heavy ring grazed her wrist, leaving a sharp red mark across her skin.

Ever since she had taken control of the Berry Group, no one had dared lay a hand on her. Her gaze turned cold in an instant, but I was unfazed, letting out a bitter laugh.

"Serves you right!"

But instead of getting worked up, she merely shook her head.

"If you want to trash the house, go ahead. Just don't hurt yourself."

She walked out, and I lost my mind.