Chapter 4

Three days later.

Lucas finished his overseas trip and flew back on his private jet.

The moment the plane landed, his assistant returned his phone.

"Mr. Ashford, while you were away, Ms. Blake called several times. I returned her calls on your behalf."

Lucas nodded, a hint of exhaustion between his brows.

Out of habit, he opened SnapChat to check for any important messages.

Then he saw our chat history.

The last two messages were especially jarring.

"I'll give you a hundred million dollars. Divorce me."

"OMG! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner!"

Lucas's pupils contracted sharply.

His slender fingers gripped the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white.

He realized almost immediately—he hadn't sent that message.

He had never once thought about divorcing me.

Even though our beginning wasn't ideal.

But over this past year, this woman named Emma had quietly taken root in his cold, rigid world, like a silent plant.

He'd grown used to coming home to that lamp left on for him in the living room.

Used to her soft voice calling him "honey."

Used to the meals she cooked.

He thought they had plenty of time to slowly transition from a business marriage to becoming a real family.

But now she had told him, in the most jubilant tone, that leaving him was "great news."

A panic he'd never felt before seized his heart, making it hard to breathe.

"Go... go home!" he rasped to his driver.

The car raced through the streets, running several red lights, finally stopping in front of the Ashford mansion half an hour later.

Lucas practically leaped out of the car.

He burst into the mansion. The living room was empty—that familiar lamp wasn't on.

"Emma?"

He called out. No one answered.

He rushed upstairs and pushed open the master bedroom door.

The room was neat and tidy, but cold and lifeless.

He opened the walk-in closet. Her side was completely empty.