Chapter 1

My best friend and I both married into the incredibly influential Montgomery family in this city.

I married Liam Montgomery, the heir to the family enterprise.

She married Noah Montgomery, the wildly popular A-list actor.

She stared at the paparazzi photos of Noah having dinner with his old flame.

She asked me, her voice laced with pain, "Are you ready for a divorce?

"Once we're divorced, we can each take two male companions and travel the world."

I stared at the press release announcing his old flame was the new endorser for Montgomery Enterprises.

I hardened my heart. "Absolutely! A divorce it is!

"And the male companions? They have to be exceptional… better than Liam Montgomery in *every* way!"

No sooner had I finished speaking than a shadow fell over me.

Liam Montgomery's gaze was chilling.

"Darling, are you sure you'll find anyone?"

Maya and I sat side-by-side on the spacious sofa, glued to our phones.

Suddenly, her finger froze on the screen.

I leaned closer to look, and my jaw dropped.

A famous gossip site had snagged candid shots of her husband, Noah Montgomery, having dinner with Charlotte Hayes, a rising star who had just returned to the country.

Their arms were linked, their gestures undeniably intimate.

Charlotte and the Montgomery brothers had grown up together; their families had been long-standing friends.

Since we married into the family, Charlotte had only ever existed in our sweet, slightly naive mother-in-law, Evelyn's, constant chatter.

"Charlotte hasn't even called me, I miss her so much.

"Which one of you will ask Charlotte when she's coming back home?"

It was "Charlotte, Charlotte" all day, every day, and it left us feeling seriously uneasy.

Maya’s expression flickered with a hint of bewilderment.

But she quickly composed herself, asking me with a painful edge to her voice:

"I'm getting a divorce.

"Are you in?"

My heart rate jumped to 10%.

After all, I'd been Maya's shadow since childhood.

If she chose STEM, I chose STEM.

If she went to Eastbrook University, I followed.

If she married into the Montgomery family, I followed.

But my husband wasn't dining with Charlotte Hayes, so was divorce really going too far?

As I hesitated, she sweetened the deal.

"Noah gave me his debit card; I can totally support us.

"Once we're divorced, we can each find two male companions and travel the world."

My heart rate jumped to 40%.

Male models sounded pretty good, but just two? Liam's... *performance* is hard to beat. Two might not even warm me up.

"Ten! Ten male models!"

My heart rate soared to 80%.

My eyes widened, the word "Okay" poised on my lips, ready to burst out.

But a sliver of rationality still held me back.

*Ding dong!* My phone chimed, and a glaring headline abruptly seized my attention.

*Rising Star Charlotte Hayes Named the New Face of Montgomery Enterprises! Her Contract is Rumored to be Worth a Staggering Fifty Million!*

The accompanying photo showed her and Liam Montgomery cutting a ribbon together.

She wore a radiant smile, brimming with vibrant energy.

And behind her, my usually stoic husband, was gazing at her with an intensity I’d never seen directed at me.

He’d never looked at *me* like that.

Whenever I’d crack a joke with him, or do something silly, he’d just look at me like I'd lost my mind and say:

"Are you alright?"

Thinking of that, I immediately hardened my resolve and said, "Divorce!"

Maya beamed, instantly calling her lawyer.

She discussed the division of assets with impressive clarity.

Hearing her talk about taking half of the Montgomery family fortune, I was utterly dumbfounded.

How much money was that?!

She even haggled with the lawyer on the phone, asking for a 20% discount since it was two divorce cases.

No wonder Maya's always been the assertive one, and I'm her sidekick.

Her brain was just quicker than mine.

I stared at my phone wallpaper—our wedding photo, Liam’s and mine.

I still felt a little reluctant. After all, besides the money he gave me,

And in *other departments*, he certainly didn't disappoint...

I spoke up softly from the side:

"Um... make sure the male companions are *talented*."

Maya turned to me, her expression instantly stiffening.

Still lost in my delightful fantasy, I continued:

"They *have* to be better in bed than Liam!"

Maya clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a gasp, and her trembling finger pointed behind me.

Before I could even turn around, a familiar hand reached out.

He grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me to his side like a kitten.

His voice was chilling:

"Since I'm apparently 'flawless' to you, why are you getting a divorce?"