Chapter 1

All because the little side piece Sebastian Cross kept around said she didn't like how condoms felt, he went and booked a vasectomy that same night.

Before the anesthesia, he unlocked his phone in front of me for the first time.

"Password's 010208. Look through whatever you want."

"But once I'm out of surgery, the divorce papers get delivered to you."

Then he put in his Bluetooth earbuds, and when he spoke again, his voice went soft.

"Hey, don't worry. Just a tiny procedure."

"You know all the bank codes and the safe codes. While I'm under, if anyone gives you trouble, that money's your safety net."

When he said "anyone," he glanced at me. Just a little. Just enough.

Three years ago, when I first found out Sebastian was cheating, I went completely off the rails trying to find the other woman.

Following him. Taking pictures. All of it.

But other than the tuition he wired to Wharton every semester, he didn't let me find a thing.

When I didn't say anything, Sebastian got impatient.

"Nadia, it's been three years. Aren't you tired? 'Cause I'm tired."

"When I wake up, can you just let me go?"

The nurses started rushing him for pre-op, and I quietly took the phone he was holding out.

He didn't know that the car crash he'd set up two weeks ago—just to punish me for finding his mistress's address—

hadn't just landed me in the ICU for seven days. It had killed our only child.

Turns out I wasn't the only one tired of this cat-and-mouse game.

...

When he saw I'd actually started calling lawyers, Sebastian's eyes went dark. He turned to his assistant right away.

"Put another team on Nadia. I want eyes on her every move."

"And take her off her duties as Executive Vice President. Temporary suspension."

His eyes went cold.

"Pretending to back off so you can get what you want won't work on me."

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Some people aren't yours to touch."

A nurse came over with the surgical checklist.

"Mr. Cross, just need one last confirmation before surgery."

"What's your fasting window?"

He frowned. Before he could answer—

I did.

"Eight hours no food, three hours no liquids."

"Any drug allergies?"

"Penicillin. Broke out in a rash once."

The nurse ran through a few more questions.

Back and forth, one after another—and the whole time, Sebastian just stared at me. That dark, unreadable stare.

"Mr. Cross, your wife really cares about your health. You two are so sweet."

"Wife?" He laughed. Not a nice laugh. "She won't be for long."

"Even if she's got every detail of my life memorized, it doesn't change anything."

There was a time I would've lost my mind demanding to know what that little bitch had that I didn't.

But now? I just sat there. Didn't say a word.

A few minutes later, the surgical light flicked on.

I pulled myself together and grabbed the bag in the corner. My change of clothes. My toiletries.

When I lifted it, it felt way lighter than it should've.

I opened it. Empty.

The assistant came over with this awkward little smile.

"Mrs. Cross, Mr. Cross told us to toss everything in the bag."

"He was worried you might...bring something you shouldn't into the hospital."

I let go of the bag. And honestly? It was almost funny.

How paranoid did he have to be to search through a couple of shirts?

Did he seriously not trust me at all?

I took a breath, threw the bag in the trash, and tossed Sebastian's phone in right after it.

I was barely out the hospital doors when my best friend Sienna Walsh called.

"Okay, Nadia, spill. I heard Sebastian actually handed over his phone. Like, voluntarily."

"Three years of hiding and he finally grew a conscience?"

I was beat.

"He just got tired of pretending."

She went quiet for a sec.

"So... we still digging? Clarity Sinclair should be back from London by now."

Clarity was the girl Sebastian had been keeping under wraps for three years.

Finance major at Wharton. He shipped her off to the London campus for two years during her master's.

Now she was back in New York, about to start an internship at Cross Industries.

He thought he was so smooth. But I'd already found plenty.

For three years, all I'd done was prove it to myself over and over—Sebastian didn't love me anymore.

But this time? I didn't have it in me to keep dragging it out.

"No more digging."

This time, I wasn't going to find the other woman.

I was going to disappear from Sebastian's life before he realized I was gone.