All Chapters of The Gilded Shackle: Rise of the Diamond Heiress: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

Ivy stared at the cold pasta on the table. It was their third anniversary, but the seat across from her was empty. Again.She adjusted her baggy, gray sweater. It was three sizes too big, making her look small and unimportant. This was her "uniform." For three years, she had played the part of the poor scholarship girl who got lucky and married the richest guy at school.The front door kicked open at midnight. Julian Vane walked in. He looked like a movie star in his sharp suit, but his face was full of disgust the moment he saw Ivy."Why are you still up?" Julian asked. He didn't even look at the "Happy Anniversary" banner she had spent an hour hanging."I waited for you," Ivy said. Her voice was quiet. "I made dinner."Julian walked past her, tossing his car keys on the counter. "I told you I was busy with Bianca. She’s stressed about the graduation gala tomorrow. I don’t have time for your little domestic games."Ivy felt a familiar sting in her chest. "It’s our anniversary, Julian

Ivy didn’t look back as the police arrived at the gate. She could hear Julian’s voice fading as the car drove him away. He was still calling her name, but she felt nothing. No pity. No sadness. Just a cold, clean space in her heart where his memory used to live.She spent the rest of the night working. She didn’t need sleep; the adrenaline was enough. She looked through the files of Vane Holdings. It was a mess. Julian had been spending money on flashy projects that made him look good but earned him nothing. He was playing at being a businessman while Ivy had been the one actually doing the work from their kitchen table.Morning came fast. Ivy stood in front of her walk-in closet. She bypassed the soft fabrics and picked a suit that looked like armor. It was sharp, white, and cost more than Julian’s sports car. She tied her hair into a high ponytail. She looked ready to win."The board members are waiting," Xavier said, meeting her in the hallway. He looked at her suit and whistled. "

The helicopter landed with a roar in the empty lot next to the bakery. Ivy didn’t wait for the stairs to fully lower. She jumped to the ground, her white suit glowing under the streetlights.Her heart was racing. The bakery was a small, brick building. It was the only thing she had left that smelled like her mother’s flour and her father’s sugar. It was her home, and Julian was standing on the roof with a lighter."Ivy! You came!" Julian shouted. He looked terrible. His hair was messy, and his eyes were wide and shaky. He held up a red can of gasoline. "I knew you wouldn't let this place burn. You love this dump more than you ever loved me!"Ivy stopped at the edge of the police line. "Julian, put that down. You’re making a fool of yourself. The police are right here. If you drop that lighter, you’re going to jail for the rest of your life.""I don't care about jail!" Julian stepped closer to the edge. "I lost my company. My father won't even pick up my calls. Bianca is gone. I have n