Rachel was still on the phone when midnight passed. "He said divorce," she told Vivienne. "Just like that. Calm as anything." Vivienne laughed on the other end. "Finally," she said. "Honestly Rachel, this is the best thing that could happen to you." "He's after my money." Rachel paced the living room. "I know he is. The IPO is in two weeks. The company is about to be worth three times what it is now and suddenly he wants a divorce?" "Obviously," Vivienne said. "That's the only reason a man like Jason would make that move. He has nothing. No career, no savings, nothing. He's been living off you for five years." "He won't get a single cent," Rachel said. "Not one." "He won't," Vivienne agreed. "Because I'll handle everything personally. I've drawn up tighter divorce agreements than this in my sleep. By the time I'm done, Jason Salford walks away with exactly what he came into this marriage with. Nothing." Rachel exhaled. "Come tomorrow morning," she said. "Early. I h

Vivienne couldn't move. She stood in the middle of the living room and stared. The butler. The old man. The convoy outside. All of it. Jason looked at her one final time. "If I ever hear you speak about my daughter like that again," he said quietly, "you will pay for it." Vivienne opened her mouth. Nothing came out. Jason took Sophie's hand and walked out the door. The butler stepped aside immediately. Richard Harmon smiled warmly at Sophie. The young woman beside him crouched down and said something soft to Sophie that made her giggle. The convoy doors opened. Jason and Sophie got in. The doors closed. The vehicles pulled away smoothly and disappeared around the corner. Vivienne stood at the window alone. The street was empty again. Quiet. Like none of it had happened. Then the fury hit her. She snatched her phone. "Rachel. He hit me." *** Rachel's voice went sharp immediately. "He what?" "Jason slapped me." Vivienne pressed her hand to her

Jason looked at Rachel. Then he smiled. It was a small smile. Cold. Almost pitying. "An affair," he said quietly. "That's interesting, Rachel." He glanced at Derek standing beside her. "You walked in here with another man on your arm the morning after our divorce. But I'm the one having an affair." Rachel's face flushed. "That is completely different," she snapped. "Is it?" Jason said. "Derek is a business partner." "Of course he is." Rachel pointed a finger at him. "Don't do that. Don't stand there and twist this around. You know exactly what you're doing." "I know exactly what I'm doing," Jason agreed calmly. "I came here for a meal. That's all." "With her." Rachel's eyes cut to Claire. "You just met this woman and you're already bringing her to hotels?" "Claire and I met this morning," Jason said simply. "That's the truth." Rachel stared at him. "You expect me to believe that." "I don't expect anything from you," Jason said. "Not anymore." Rachel's jaw tightened.

Sandra was still on her knees. Her hands were pressed flat against the marble floor and she was shaking visibly. The lobby had gone completely still around her. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. Even the background noise of the hotel seemed to have switched itself off. She looked up at Richard Harmon. "Mr. Harmon please," she said. Her voice came out thin and unsteady. "I didn't know. I swear I didn't know who they were. If I had known I would never have—" "Stop," Richard said. She stopped. Richard looked at Jason. Jason hadn't moved from the spot he'd been standing in since Sandra ordered his removal. Same posture. Same expression. Completely unbothered. Like a man who had expected exactly this outcome and had simply been waiting for the timeline to catch up. Sandra followed Richard's gaze to Jason. Then she looked at Claire. Then back at Jason. She turned back to the floor and bowed lower. "Sir, I am so deeply sorry. Please. I was wrong. I made a terrible mistake and I take f

Rachel stared at Mr. Park. Then she laughed. It came out wrong. Too high. Too quick. "Mr. Park," she said carefully. "There are journalists in this room. Cameras. Guests." She kept her smile in place through considerable effort. "This isn't the moment for jokes." Mr. Park looked at her. His expression didn't move. "I am not joking," he said. The smile on Rachel's face held for two more seconds. Then it fell. The room was completely silent. Every guest, every journalist, every photographer stood exactly where they were and watched. Rachel straightened. "The cooperation is practically finalized," she said. Her voice had lost its warmth entirely. "We had a verbal agreement. Everything was in place. All that remained was your signature on that contract." She pointed at the folder still sitting on the table. "You cannot come in here and cancel without cause. You cannot—" "The Harmon family has cause," Mr. Park said. Rachel stopped. "What cause?" she demanded. Mr. Park looke