Chapter 1

The day after I signed my divorce papers with Julian Vanderbilt,my ex showed up at my door.

Carter Reed,the tech billionaire who ruined my life,stood there wearing a smug smirk.

"You've had your fun,Elara,"he said,taking a step closer.

"You got out of that cage.Now isn't it time to come back to me?"

He dialed back the Silicon Valley arrogance and played the devoted man."I'm done with Maya.I swear,Elara.This time,I'll give you everything."

Hearing that name made my blood run cold.

Maya.

She was the waitress Carter bankrolled into a Hollywood star.

Because of her,I lost my baby.

Because of her,the hands that were supposed to play Carnegie Hall were ruined.

Carter had taken a Juilliard prodigy and driven her to the edge of madness.

So I looked him dead in the eye and said,"Coming back?Not in a million years."

Carter dropped the act instantly."Why?"he snapped.

"Julian took over the Vanderbilt empire.

The whole Upper East Side knows he dumped you.

Who else is going to take you in?"

I turned to look at him,my eyes cold."Who said he dumped me?"

...

Carter paused for a beat,then let out a scornful laugh."Elara,you never change.Always living in your own little fantasy.Julian Vanderbilt is the sole heir to a billion-dollar empire.He went back to claim what's his.

Why would he keep a girl with no family and a ruined past?He got bored.Face it."

Let him believe that.

Sure,the papers are signed.But Julian didn't dump me.

Five years ago,he walked away from his trust fund just to marry me.

The succession war within his family was getting vicious.

To keep me and our daughter safe,he had to go back and claim his throne.

This divorce is just a cover.

It's our little secret.

But to Carter,I was nothing but a woman the old money had chewed up,spit out,and forgotten.