Chapter 1

Auremburg, Carmoria.

The Buxtons had this stuck-up tradition—some fancy end-of-year bash where outsiders weren't welcome.

Except this time, someone didn't get the memo.

Enter Gianna Payne. Calvin Buxton's ex. His "one true love."

They strolled in late, dinner already in full swing. Calvin had one arm around her, and guess where they headed?

Straight. To. Me.

I looked at his smug face, and my eyes started to burn.

He was the only guy I'd ever loved. Three years married, and I still hadn't made it past the velvet ropes into his heart.

"Get up. That's not your seat."

No shame. No hesitation. Just straight-up humiliation in front of everyone.

And yeah, he was right. That chair wasn't mine—it belonged to 'Mrs. Buxton.'

Legally, that was me. Emotionally? I might as well have been a ghost.

Now that his precious Gianna had slithered back into Carmoria, I was supposed to just... vanish.

Every pair of eyes in that room turned into knives.

I couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Years of swallowing this kind of crap had left me numb.

Right as I started to stand, Calvin pulled out a bank card and dropped it like he was tipping a waitress. "Is this enough?"

Gasps and whispers shot across the table like sparks off a short fuse.

Three years in, and this wasn't even the first time he tried to slap a price tag on my pride.

CEO of heartless transactions, that's Calvin Buxton for you.

When I didn't react, he blinked like I'd glitched his system. "We've been married three years. You're not raising your price now, are you?"

Boom. One sentence. Instant pride-killer.

I dropped my gaze, about to say something—then Gianna beat me to it.

"Calvin, it's a family event. Don't start drama," she cooed.

Then, like she was doing charity, she slid her bracelet into my hand. "He gave me this for my birthday. It's secondhand now, but you might like it."

I forced a smile, about to pass it back, but she clutched my hand and went in for the kill.

She pointed at my ring and giggled. "That ring? Calvin gave me that too. I told him it was hideous and to toss it. Didn't think someone would actually wear it. Guess you're giving it a second life."

Silence. Thick, choking silence.

I didn't need to look up to feel the stares.

Gossip. Pity. Smirking amusement.

I didn't want anyone's pity.

My nails cut into my palm as I yanked the ring off and set it on the table.

I turned to leave. Calvin's voice stopped me. "Wait. Don't forget the card."

And just like that, I heard it—the sound of my heart cracking.

"Fine."

'Calvin, I forgot to mention... I'm pregnant. And this baby? They'll never know a man like you.'

***

Back home, I stuffed the pregnancy test results behind a stack of sweaters in the closet.

I'd planned to surprise Calvin.

Well, mission accomplished—he beat me to it.

Perfect.

At the bitter end, we finally synced up.

Mutual disappointment: check.