Chapter 2

Seven years later, in the grandest ballroom of Belgrade, I held my daughter Emily’s hand as we stepped into the venue. Her eyes lit up the moment she spotted the dessert table in the distance.

“Mommy, that little cake looks sooo yummy!” she said.

I crouched down, giving her chubby cheek a gentle pinch. “Only a little, okay? When Daddy and your brother get here, there’s going to be a giant pudding tower waiting.”

“Okay!” Emily’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

I couldn’t help but smile as I ruffled her hair and led her toward the dessert table.

Normally, my husband Daniel would never let me attend an event alone. Even after five years of marriage, his love was still as intense as the day we met. We were rarely apart for more than two hours.

Today, however, he had an unexpected international meeting to attend. Considering this was a welcome banquet in our honor, we didn’t expect anything to happen. Since Emily had been talking nonstop about that cake the entire way here, Daniel finally agreed we could come ahead of him.

I picked out a piece of mousse for Emily, and she skipped off to share it with her friends. Just as I was about to choose something for myself, a sharp, mocking laugh sounded behind me.

“Evelyn? What are you doing here?”

I turned and saw James standing there in a perfectly tailored suit, with a bejeweled Mia clinging to his arm. As one of the hosts, he looked every bit the successful businessman.

His eyes swept over me, stopping on my simple dress. His brows furrowed deeply. “You… Are you working here as a server? And stealing the guests’ desserts?”

On the way here, I’d stopped to rescue a stray cat stuck in a tree. My gown had gotten torn on a branch, so I’d changed into a casual dress.

Mia covered her mouth with a light laugh. “Come on, don’t say that, James. Maybe my sister-in-law here– Oh, right, ex–sister-in-law, was just hungry.”

The event manager hurried over, taking one look at my plain outfit. His tone was polite but firm. “Ma’am, tonight’s event is a private banquet welcoming Mr. Daniel Howard, the wealthiest man in Alcatraz, along with his family. We can’t allow any unrelated guests. Please show your invitation.”

Before I could speak, James raised a hand like he was being magnanimous and gave me a pitying look. “Seven years… I thought you’d at least be living better by now.”

He shook his head as if looking at a pathetic, fallen woman. “You divorced me because I wouldn’t buy you luxury goods—because you were jealous of Mia. And now look at you. You can’t even afford a proper meal.”

Mia leaned closer to him, her voice falsely innocent. “James, you have to understand. After the divorce, no one’s taking care of poor Evelyn.”

I let out a snort. “Mia, not every woman needs to live off a man like you do. Move.”

I had no interest in wasting energy arguing. I gestured for them to step aside, planning to wait for Daniel elsewhere.

“Wait!” Mia’s voice suddenly rose. Her gaze locked on my wrist, eyes widening. “E-Evelyn, what’s that on your hand?”

People nearby began glancing over, curious.

Before I could answer, Mia’s voice rang out, full of shock. “Is that… a Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce? The minute repeater edition? Limited to five pieces worldwide? Three million dollars?”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Under the bright lights, the luxury watch on my wrist shimmered with understated opulence.

Mia covered her mouth exaggeratedly, as if she had discovered something terrifying, but her eyes gleamed with malicious excitement. "Evelyn, you are the ex-wife of the CEO of Smith Group. How could you do something so shameful!"

Mia clutched her own wrist, drawing attention to her smaller rainbow-series model. “My flyback chronograph here is an authentic thirty-thousand-dollar piece. If you want, I could help you get a cheaper, genuine one. You really didn’t need to–”

She trailed off at just the right moment, her face the picture of pity, as if deeply embarrassed for me.

The looks from the surrounding guests shifted instantly, from curiosity to open contempt.

“It must be fake. I’ve never heard of her…”

“Some people just can’t stop pretending.”

“How pathetic…”

James’s face darkened. In his mind, I was the same “materialistic” woman I had been seven years ago.

He grabbed my wrist hard and said, “Evelyn, it’s been years, and you still haven’t changed! Take off this cheap knockoff and throw it away before you embarrass yourself further!”

I gave a sharp, humorless laugh, yanking my hand back. “When Daniel gets here, I’ll leave with him.”

“Daniel?” James blinked, then scoffed. “You mean Daniel Howard? Evelyn, are you insane? A man like that wouldn’t even know you exist.”

The event manager’s polite mask was gone. His voice was impatient now. “Ma’am, please leave immediately. This is an important event, and we can’t have you causing a scene.”

I clenched my fists, ready to speak, but before I could, the event manager reached out, clearly intending to drag me out.

“Don’t touch my mom!”