Chapter 1

Everyone thought Susie Summers was a pushover.

She'd been married to Henry Ziegler for three years — working for him at the office by day, serving him in bed by night.

Even when she caught Henry fooling around with Lena Hampert right there in the office, the coworkers watching were sure she'd sweep it under the rug like always.

Three years of being ground down had finally broken something loose in Susie. She was done.

But before she could throw the divorce papers in Henry's face, William, The CEO of the Luis Group, showed up. He dropped to his knees in front of everyone, eyes red, begging Susie to come back.

The moment she kicked the door open, Susie saw the most revolting thing she'd ever witnessed in her life.

Henry's tie was crooked. Lena was draped all over him, one strap of her dress hanging halfway off her shoulder. Documents were scattered across the desk, and the air reeked of perfume.

Susie's head started ringing — but her hands moved faster than her brain. Her phone was already out, the record button pressed.

"Susie?" Lena reacted first, shrieking and stumbling backward, making a show of pulling up her strap. But her eyes were gleaming with satisfaction.

Henry turned around. His expression shifted — then curled into a cold smirk. "What are you doing here?"

"Dropping something off." Susie raised her phone and walked toward them, one slow step at a time. "Figured I'd get you both on camera. So you won't forget how pathetic you looked."

Her voice was completely calm. Calm enough to surprise even herself. Three years she'd stood up with this man. Today, she didn't have to anymore.

Henry lunged for the phone. Susie stepped back, and with her other hand pulled a folded letter from her bag and snapped it against his chest.

"Sign it. And expect divorce papers from my lawyer."

Henry stared down at the letter. Then he let out a short, sharp laugh. "You? Quit? Divorce me? Susie, have you lost your mind? You got this job through my connections. You think you can survive without me?"

Lena sauntered over then, dabbing at her eyes, her voice dripping with fake innocence. "Sis, you've got it all wrong. Henry and I were just going over some work stuff—"

"Shut up." Susie cut her off, her tone was ice cold. "Call me that one more time and I'll make you regret it."

Lena's face went pale. Then the tears started falling, and she spun toward Henry. "She's being so mean to me..."

Henry exploded. He grabbed the resignation letter and tore it apart, throwing the pieces at Susie's face. "You've got some nerve! You're useless — all you do is cause scenes and embarrass me. If you walk out that door, you leave with absolutely nothing. And don't think for a second you'll get anywhere near the kids!"

Susie smiled.

It was a cold smile. Cold all the way through. For three years she had put up with everything — the cooking, cleaning, raising the kids, pulling late nights, getting belittled and pushed aside — all because Henry introduced her as "my wife." She had shrunk herself into nothing more than his accessory.

But not today.

"I'm taking the kids," Susie said, word by word. "And you're not getting your hands on everything we have. And what you two just did in here? Everyone's going to know about it."

"You're threatening me?" Henry grabbed a mug off the desk and hurled it to the floor. Glass exploded across the tile. "You think I won't have security drag you out of here right now?"

Susie didn't flinch. She just held her phone up higher. The footage on the screen was crystal clear.

Out in the hallway, a crowd had gathered. Coworkers were craning their necks, their faces a mix of amusement and nosiness. Not one of them stepped forward.

Susie wasn't surprised. They'd been waiting for her to fall on her face ever since her first day here.

"Susie, just let it go." Lena's voice softened into something sweet and poisonous. "Henry has been so good to you. Aren't you grateful? The only one looking bad right now is you."

Susie turned to look at her, eyes sharp. "Cut the innocent act, Lena. You weren't worried about looking bad three years ago when you crawled into Henry's bed, were you?"

"That's a lie!" Lena screamed. "That never happened!"

"Didn't it?" Susie laughed, lifting the phone. "The angle on this is pretty clear. Want me to send it to the whole company and let everyone decide?"

Lena went pale as a sheet of paper and threw herself at Henry, sobbing harder than ever.

Henry was shaking with rage, opening his mouth to lay into Susie — when a sudden ripple moved through the crowd.

"Mr. Luis is here!"

Everyone stepped back at once, parting like a wave.

Susie looked up.

William was walking down the corridor toward them. His suit was immaculate. His expression was dark — the kind of dark that settles in right before a storm. His gaze swept past everyone in the room and landed directly on her.

Susie's heart slammed against her ribs.

William—her college crush, the boy who once said, "Susie, wait for me. I'll come back and marry you"—was now the CEO of the Luis Group. And her direct boss.

She never thought their paths would cross again.

"What's going on here?" William stepped into the doorway, his voice was dangerously low.

Henry instantly slapped on a smile. "Mr. Luis, it's nothing—just family stuff, me and my wife—"

Susie didn't let him finish. She held her phone out to William.

"Mr. Luis. This is the evidence."

William looked down at the screen. The footage showed Henry and Lena tangled together—too disgusting to describe.

His expression darkened with every passing second. His fingers tightened around the phone until his knuckles went white.

The office fell into an eerie silence. You could hear everyone breathing.

Henry scrambled to explain. "Mr. Luis, don't listen to her—she just wants to get back at me—"

"Shut up." William raised his head, his voice cold as ice. "Henry. Lena. You're both fired."

"What?"

Henry and Lena stared, the color draining completely from their faces.

"Mr. Luis, you can't do this!" Henry blurted out. "She's my wife! She's my wife! Don't let her fool you!"

William didn't even look at him. His gaze shifted back to Susie.

Then, in front of everyone, he dropped to one knee.