Chapter 1

While vacationing at their vineyard in Napa Valley, my husband Julian's family was bitten by venomous snakes.

His company was the only one in the entire country that stocked the antivenom.

I called him.

What came through the line was an ambiguous moan, mingled with the faint sound of running water.

Before I could get a word out, the call was cut off.

Julian's parents died in the hospital, treatment coming far too late.

Then Julian himself called me back.

"Don't cremate your parents' bodies yet. Have them shipped to my company. We'll use them as research specimens."

He thought it was my parents who'd been bitten by the snakes.

I hung up, looked at the five bodies behind me, and, per his instructions, had them sent to his company.

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By the time I got to the hospital, the Vance family was already on the brink of death.

The doctor told me this species of snake was extremely rare in California, and only my husband's company kept the specialized antivenom on hand.

I called Julian Vance frantically. Every call was declined.

On the hundredth try, he finally picked up.

"It's Chloe's birthday tonight. I'm spending it with her. Can you please stop being so paranoid?"

Thinking of his family lying in the trauma bay, I swallowed the accusation on my tongue and spoke as quickly as I could.

"Your mom and dad have been bitten by snakes. The hospital doesn't stock this particular antivenom. Only your company does. You need to bring it here now."

I hadn't even finished before Julian cut me off, his voice dripping with contempt.

"A single vial of that antivenom costs six figures, Seraphina. Does anyone in the Hale family have any dignity left?"

"The whole family gets bitten, and you come sponging off my company? What do you think I am, your personal cash machine?"

"Take a good long look in the mirror."

He hung up without mercy, and blocked my number for good measure.

I collapsed onto a bench in the hospital corridor, unable to believe those words had come out of my husband's mouth.

A push notification lit up my phone.

It was from the sales associate at the Hermès flagship in Beverly Hills — my parents had ordered a birthday gift for me. A limited-edition Birkin Himalaya, worth a million dollars.

My husband had just picked it up.

No need to guess.

That bag was, at this very moment, hanging from Chloe Sinclair's arm.

Stealing my things to give to his untouchable ideal — he'd done it more times than I could count.

Every time I objected, he sneered.

"You're a married woman now. What's the point of carrying something that expensive? No one's going to look twice at you. Let Chloe use it. She's been closing some big deals lately."

"Don't be so petty. Chloe's been by my side for years. She's practically my little sister. If you love me, you have to accept the way I look after her."

Chloe was the perfect fantasy he'd built inside his own head.

Limited-edition bags, sports cars, condos — he showered them on her hand over fist. Short of carving her name onto his own soul, there was no devotion he hadn't shown her.

Meanwhile I, his lawful wedded wife, wasn't even worth a few vials of life-saving serum.

Ridiculous.

I was typing a reply to the sales associate when a new post from Julian appeared on Instagram:

"The most precious gift, for the most precious woman — tonight belongs to us."

Chloe's post followed right after:

"My knight promised he'd always stand by his princess. Your medicine didn't just save my family — it saved my heart."

The photo showed the two of them nestled close, cheek to cheek.

Chloe had my bag over her shoulder and was holding up a vial of antivenom, beaming like she'd won the world.

Rage swept through me. I nearly blacked out.

Julian — that heartless bastard — throwing away a fortune to grovel at Chloe's feet while his own flesh and blood were left to die.

The doors to the trauma bay swung open. A doctor stepped out.

I rushed toward him.

"Please, just give me a little more time. I can get the medication here soon —"

He shook his head and pulled down his mask.

"That won't be necessary. There are no vital signs on any of the patients. I'm very sorry for your loss."

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