Chapter 2

The next morning, I arrived at the courthouse on time.

Nathan finally answered my ninth call. He sounded barely interested.

“I'm in a meeting. Whatever it is, it can wait.”

He hung up before I could speak.

For a long moment, I held the phone in silence. Then I lowered it and waited.

Couples passed through the doors. Some walked stiffly beside each other without a word. Others had swollen eyes and couldn't stop crying.

I remembered Nathan taking me to get our marriage license after I left the hospital.

I'd asked why he never wanted to talk about my past.

He'd cupped my face and smiled.

“A lot of bad things happened to you. If you've been given a chance to forget them, why not start over? I'll stay with you for the rest of our lives.”

I'd looked into his tender eyes and believed every word. I'd thought I was the luckiest woman alive.

Remembering it now, I could hardly believe how naive I'd been.

A notification interrupted my thoughts. Vivian had posted on Instagram.

“I officially have the sweetest man in the world. He went out early to get my breakfast, then waited beside the bed for me to wake up. So happy!”

She'd tagged the hotel: the Ashford.

A week earlier, she'd asked to connect with me online, supposedly to make coordinating work easier.

I'd known what she really wanted. A young woman fresh out of school had landed a handsome, wealthy man. Of course she wanted to show him off.

For once, I was glad I hadn't called her on it.

I drove to the Ashford and went straight to the front desk.

“Nathan Caldwell checked in last night. What room is he in?”

The clerk's expression shifted before she gave an apologetic shake of her head.

“I'm sorry. We can't disclose information about our guests.”

“So he is here.”

I set down my identification and the copy of our marriage certificate I'd brought for the court paperwork.

“I'm not trying to make a scene. But if you'd prefer not to have a lobby full of reporters, please help me reach him.”

After a tense exchange, the manager came over. Rather than give me a key, he escorted me upstairs to the room and knocked. When no one answered, he announced himself and opened it with his key card.

The lock beeped.

“Someone's in here!” Nathan snapped from inside.

Hurried footsteps followed. I pushed past the opening door before anyone could stop me.

Nathan stood in front of me, shirtless.

I looked past him to Vivian, sitting on the bed with the comforter clutched against her chest.

“Sorry to drop in. Am I interrupting?”

Nathan's face darkened.

“What are you doing here?”

“Getting a divorce.” I held up the agreement. “Get dressed. We're going to the courthouse.”

For a second, he looked stunned.

“Claire, you're serious?” His tone changed. “It was a joke. Why are you taking it like this? Vivian and I are only…”

He stopped.

I couldn't help laughing. He didn't want to hurt Vivian's feelings.

What about mine? What about the public humiliation he'd put me through?

“You might not mean it. Do you think the reporters know that? What about everyone watching?”

I held his gaze.

“I'm your wife. You announced another woman to the world. What exactly was I supposed to do?”

He had no answer. He could only frown.

“Everyone knows you're the one I love.”

I was done listening.

“Are you coming or not? If you won't cooperate, I'll have my lawyer push the case forward without an agreement.”

His temper flared.

“One o'clock. Courthouse.”

Then he slammed the door.

I'd barely returned to my car when Daniel Hayes, the head of one of our key business partners, called.

“We were already negotiating the project. Why pull out now?”

I ran my fingers over the folder holding my marriage certificate.

“I'm divorcing Nathan. I can't stay in this family anymore.”

There was a brief silence.

“I understand. I'll handle ending the negotiations on our side.”

I pressed my lips together.

“Thanks, Daniel. Give our old professor my best.”