Chapter 1
His two sugar babies bailed. Again.
This time, the way he coaxed them back was with a signed divorce agreement.
That whole chase–me, catch–me act had played out in front of me too many times to count.
I’d cried, yelled, even stormed out like one of his golden girls.
But each time, he’d toss me another check–with more zeroes than the last.
Travis Langley’s lips curved into a mocking smirk. “Is that enough?”
I calmly took the divorce papers and signed my name.
He cupped my face with satisfaction. “Good girl. It’s just a temporary divorce. I’ll withdraw the
filing before it goes through.”
“Good that you get it. What man doesn’t want a challenge? Especially women like those two–total knockouts, way out of most guys‘ league. Once I’ve claimed them, I’ll come back and settle down
with you. Just like I promised.”
I didn’t argue. I bent down and picked up the check.
What he didn’t know was–I wasn’t going to wait for him ever again.
“Alright, the divorce is filed. It’ll be official after 30 days, once the court processes it.”
I accepted the filed copy from the clerk. Travis snatched it from my hand and took a photo.
Then he stared at his phone, grinning like some smitten teenage boy.
The girl behind the counter gave me a look full of pity.
After all the fake divorces I’d done with Travis just to appease those two mistresses, the staff here practically knew me by name.
It took him a while to finally look up. When he did, his gaze was all soft and gentle. He pulled out a red velvet ring box and opened it in front of me.
“Elise, isn’t it gorgeous?”
Chapter 1
19.30%
“You think Blair and Lila will like them?”
Inside were two insanely expensive rings. I nodded, expression flat. “Pretty.”
Almost unconsciously, I rubbed the pale indent on my ring finger–just a faint mark now.
A week ago, Blair had slit her wrists in some coastal village, and Lila had overdosed abroad, both demanding Travis propose. They even insisted he use the exact same custom rings he’d given me when we got married.
Mine had been one of a kind–designed by him, a true original.
While I slept, he’d slipped it off, saying it was being sent for cleaning.
But I knew he lied. He flushed both rings–his and mine–straight down the toilet, all to make his new darlings smile.
When we got into the car, he instinctively reached for my hand.
The interior I’d designed had been redone in pastel pink. I stared at it in disbelief, and Travis rushed to explain, “Those two are such silly little things–they wouldn’t stop whining until I
changed it. I’ll switch it back later.”
I gave a soft “Mm.” We were divorced now. Guess it made sense the ‘wedding car‘ got a makeover
too.
It wasn’t just the new air freshener–overpoweringly sweet–or the trunk packed with fresh
flowers.
It all made me sneeze nonstop, and finally, Travis looked up from his phone.
When he saw the rash blooming across my neck, his brows pinched together. “Damn. I forgot
you’re allergic to pollen.”
He ordered the driver to head to the hospital immediately.
But just as we reached a red light, his phone rang. His face darkened the moment he saw the caller
- ID.
“Pull over.”
He glanced at me. “Blair scalded herself with hot water–left a nasty welt. You know how obsessed she is with her looks. Normally she acts all cold and distant, but now she’s crying, actually asking
Chapter 1
19.30%
for me. I should go check on her.”
“Elise, you’ll have to go to the hospital by yourself.”
He pushed me out of the car. I stood there in the middle of traffic, dazed.
It wasn’t until I saw the notification on my phone–flight confirmed that I snapped out of it.
Then I flagged down a cab and headed to the hospital alone.
Chapter 1
