Chapter 1

My fiancé, Julian, hired a new assistant while I was away on a business trip.

She was his junior mentee from college, a classic sweet-faced nuisance.

She swapped Julian’s black coffee for a sugary kiddie drink and decorated our professional conference room with giant cartoon pillows.

I tried to tell her how unprofessional that was.

But Julian frowned, his voice laced with an indulgence I'd never heard directed at me.

“Skylar is still just a kid, with a pure heart. You’re older, Anya, be more understanding, don’t be so harsh.”

My fingertips went instantly cold.

Ten years of dating, seven years building this company side-by-side.

I thought we were equals, soulmates, building an empire together.

He saw me as a bitter old woman.

Fine. A kid, is she? Then I’ll spoil her with you.

I swallowed all my advice and just watched Skylar’s little performance unfold, a smile plastered on my face.

Until that day, when I watched her personally escort a client, dressed in a bespoke suit, into a rustic farm retreat’s goose pen…