Chapter 1

The day after my wedding, I brought my marriage certificate to the office to file for leave.

The HR manager took one look and her face changed.

"This document is fake, isn't it?" She lowered her voice, but loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. "Mr. Foster got married a year ago. Mrs. Foster's maiden name is Hayes. How could it possibly be you?"

The office went silent for half a second, then erupted in laughter.

"Mrs. Foster, she says. Maybe take a look in the mirror first."

My face burned. I clutched the document and was about to explain when the elevator doors opened.

My husband, Ethan Foster, stepped out with a woman on his arm.

She wore a white skirt suit, her hand looped through the crook of his elbow.

Ethan stood before everyone, his tone warm and easy. "I'd like to introduce my wife, Lily Hayes. She's officially joining the company today. I hope you'll all make her feel welcome."

Lily raised her hand in a little wave.

On her ring finger sat a wedding band identical to mine.

My head filled with a deafening buzz.

"Ethan, who is she?"

Lily gave me a passing glance. "Do you honestly not know what you are?"

She turned to the security guards, her voice quiet but dripping with casual contempt. "Please escort this woman out."

I stared at Ethan in disbelief.

Yesterday, at our wedding, he'd held my hand and sworn he would never let me down for the rest of his life.

Now, all he did was frown.

"Emma, you forged documents just to attach yourself to the Foster name." He looked at the HR manager. "Effective today, she no longer works here."

The laughter around me grew louder.

Someone called me crazy. Someone called me shameless. Others already had their phones out, recording.

As security dragged me through the front doors, a message from Ethan lit up my screen.

"Lily is the real Mrs. Foster. As long as you don't make a scene in front of her, come home tonight and I'll make it up to you."

I stared at those words, and a laugh escaped my throat.

Then I called my father.

"Dad, Ethan Foster publicly humiliated me. Called me the other woman."

"I want them to pay for this."

After I hung up, I stayed at a hotel until dark before going back to the apartment to pack my things.

I pressed my fingerprint to the lock three times. Each time, it denied me access.

This penthouse was a wedding gift from my father. Just yesterday, after the ceremony, Ethan had held my hand while I registered my fingerprint. He told me this would always be our home.

One night. That was all it took for me to be locked out of my own door.

I was about to call building management when the door swung open.

Ethan's mother, Margaret, stood in the doorway with a cold expression and kicked my suitcase to my feet.

"What are you doing back here?"

The latches had been forced open. Clothes spilled across the floor.

I was so angry I laughed. "This is my house. Move."

Margaret scoffed. "The deed is in my son's name. What does it have to do with you?"

My fingers clenched tight.

The apartment was bought outright by my father. Back then, Ethan had said he wanted his mother to feel secure, so I agreed to put his name on the title for the time being.

So even then, he'd already planned for today.

"Mom, who is it?"

Lily walked out from inside.

She was wearing one of Ethan's shirts. On her wrist was my mother's jade bracelet.

Yesterday, after the wedding, Margaret had said she wanted to take it to a jeweler to check the sizing. She'd removed it from my wrist herself. Now it was on Lily's.

I pushed past Margaret and walked straight in.

"Give me back that bracelet."

Lily raised her wrist and dangled it in front of my face. "A Foster family heirloom belongs with the real Mrs. Foster."

"That was my mother's. She left it to me."

I reached for it, but she let out a sudden shriek and threw herself to the ground.

Ethan came rushing out of the bedroom and pulled her into his arms.

"Emma, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Lily's eyes glistened red. One hand drifted to her lower belly. "Ethan, don't blame her. She only found out yesterday that she's the other woman. It's normal that she can't accept it."

The other woman?

I looked at Ethan. "You said you'd explain tonight."

Ethan gently helped Lily to her feet. "Lily is pregnant. Don't upset her."

A roaring filled my ears.

"How far along?"

Lily stroked her belly and smiled at me. "Two months."

Two months ago, Ethan had been on his knees in front of my father, begging for my hand.

He'd said that if he ever betrayed me, he deserved to lose everything.

It was all a lie.

I raised my hand to slap him, but Margaret grabbed my wrist and held it down.

"You dare hit my son?"

She slapped me across the face.

"Lily is carrying the Foster heir. What could you possibly have to compete with that?"

My cheek burned with stinging heat.

I looked at Ethan.

He didn't stop her. He just gave me a cold warning. "If you're done making a scene, leave. As long as you stay away from Lily, I'll set you up in an apartment somewhere and give you a monthly allowance."

I laughed in disbelief, stepped around them, and went straight for the study.

Inside the safe, I found the authorization documents for my mother's three patents.

The three-year licensing agreement had been changed to a permanent, royalty-free authorization. Underneath it was a share transfer agreement. Once Foster Industries went public, my shares in Carter Group would all transfer to Ethan's name.

I flipped to the signature page and went cold all over.

The signature was a perfect copy of mine.

But the date was three months ago.

That day, I had been overseas.

"These are forged."

I immediately pulled out my phone and started taking photos.

I'd only gotten two pages when a hand reached from behind and snatched the documents away.

Ethan shoved the papers back into the safe and slammed it shut.

"Who said you could go through my things?"

I stared at him. "Forged contracts. Stealing Carter family shares. That five million wired to the company account—you put that in my name to frame me for leaking trade secrets, didn't you?"

Ethan went still.

I turned to leave. "I'm calling the police."

The color drained from his face.

The next second, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged me back into the study. He ripped the phone from my hand and smashed it against the floor. The screen shattered on impact.

"Emma, I gave you a chance."

"Since you won't behave, you're not leaving this room tonight."