Stop Chasing Me, Ex— My New Wife Is Out of Your League!

Valerie Pelt's expression shifted slightly, but her voice stayed nonchalant.

"A year apart, and now you've learned to lie? Matt, you should know that act doesn't work on me."

Of course I knew. She responded to a gentle approach, never to force, and she'd always liked it when others bowed their heads first. That was true in love, and just as true in business.

So I put my smile back on. Under her faintly expectant gaze, I held the contract out to her again. "Our company is truly sincere about this project. If..."

"Is the project all you care about?"

Displeasure flickered in Valerie's eyes. She knocked the contract off the desk, her mood turning on a dime.

"You know I'm not talking about the contract. To be honest, you talked for two hours just now, and I didn't hear a single word."

The smile froze on my face. After a long moment, I crouched down, humiliated, to gather the papers scattered across the floor.

Suddenly, the office door swung open, and Patrick Newman's voice rang out. "Ms. Pelt, the people from Aronowitz Corp are here. You can sign now."

I froze. The anger I'd been holding in for so long flared up, and I couldn't stop myself from snapping, "Aronowitz is our competitor. You never planned on working with us at all? Then why did you ask for me by name and make me talk for two hours?"

She shot Patrick a cool glance. "Didn't I tell you we'd discuss this in the afternoon?"

Patrick lowered his head and said nothing. That meek, long-suffering look was a carbon copy of how I used to be.

"I'll consider signing with your company," Valerie said, turning to me, "but only if you come back.

"Have dinner with me tonight. We'll talk about the contract, and about us.

"Agree, and I'll sign right now."

Patrick was stunned. "Ms. Pelt, the head of Aronowitz is my brother. You promised me..."

"Get out." Valerie frowned and cut him off, her voice cold.

His mouth hung half-open. He shot me a vicious glare, but in the end, he left.

"Since you never meant to work with us, let's forget it. Just do me a favor and say so sooner next time instead of jerking people around."

I left her with those cold words and turned for the door too.

Valerie finally couldn't sit still. She got up, came over, and grabbed my wrist. "Matt, you really don't know what I want?

"It's been a year. What's so hard about giving in? Didn't you always come back on your own within a few days?"

"That was then!" I yanked my hand free.

But the moment those words left my mouth, Valerie's face darkened. She snatched the phone from my hand and stared at the lock screen, at the photo of me with another woman. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"A wedding photo. You got married?"