Chapter 1
Aria Saxon stood in the doorway of their swanky penthouse, her baggy pajamas practically drowning her slim frame, as Liam Cole, her husband of two years, dropped a bomb that hit like a freight train.
He stood there in a slick black trench coat, his chiseled face cool and unreadable, save for a faint flicker of guilt in his hazel eyes.
“Aria, I’m done. I want a divorce,” he said, voice flat. “I’m with Hannah now.”
She froze, her brain scrambling to catch up. “Wait–she doesn’t know you’re married?” Her words came out sharp, edged with disbelief.
Two years ago, a deadly epidemic had torn through Erenoland, spreading like wildfire and leaving chaos in its wake.
Liam, fresh out of grad school and working at a top hospital, had volunteered to head overseas.
They’d just picked up their marriage license, ink barely dry, when he hopped on a plane.
Now, after all that time, he waltzed back just to end it. And the woman he’d fallen for? Hannah Gibson, the golden girl of the Gibson family.
“We got hitched in a rush.” Liam said, like that explained it all. “Hannah was one of the first volunteers. She had no clue I was taken.”
Aria’s lips twisted into a bitter smirk. “So, what? You just forgot to mention your wife while you were making moves on her?”
www
“No way!” Liam firea back, his face flushing. “It wasn’t like that, Aria. That epidemic was a nightmare. Hannah saved my ass—more than once- putting her life on the line. We fought that virus together, day after day, and… feelings just happened.”
He softened, eyes begging her to understand. “Look, we both know this marriage was a quick fix. There’s no spark here. If your dad hadn’t bailed out my grandpa, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Hannah and me? It’s the real deal. We’re head over heels.”
Aria let out a sharp laugh, sarcasm dripping. “Oh, please, Liam. You’re the one who got down on one knee and sold me on forever. Don’t act like I held a gun to your head.”
She’d spent her life feeling like an outsider in the Saxon family, always chasing
real home.
a
sense of belonging. Liam’s proposal had been a lifeline, a shot at a
Out of gratitude, she’d thrown herself into saving his family’s sinking ship, the Cole Group. She’d sunk her own cash into it, taught herself business and economics from scratch, and worked herself ragged to keep the
afloat.
When Liam’s grandfather got sick, she’d juggled hospital
I runs and tracked down top
doctors.
His mom and sister wanted designer bags, jewels, and fancy dresses? She’d footed the bill without blinking. She’d run the company and the household, covering every cent the Coles burned through.
And now he had the nerve to say there was “no spark” between them.
Liam’s face reddened, but he pushed on. “I’m sorry, okay? Grandpa thinks you’re amazing, and back then, I figured you’d be the perfect Mrs. Cole. I went with it, made those promises, told you I’d come back. If I hadn’t met Hannah, I’d have stuck it out, played the part. We could’ve been one of those polite, no–fuss couples.”
Aria was done. No sense dragging this out. “Fine,” she said, voice like ice. “I’ll sign the papers. We’re through.”
Liam blinked, clearly thrown by how fast she agreed, but relief flooded his face. After a beat, he rubbed his neck and muttered, “So, uh… you staying on at Cole Group?”
She shot him a look, incredulous. “Are you for real? Why would I stick around after this?”
He shifted, uneasy. “Hannah helped develop the protease inhibitor for the virus. She’s already scored a big gig with Kerano Global Health. I’m still on probation, so I’m heading back to Erenoland.”
Aria’s jaw dropped, shock lacing her voice. “Hold up–Hannah worked on the inhibitor? How am I just hearing this?”
‘Why the hell didn’t the company suits looped me in? she fumed silently, her thoughts spinning.
Liam’s face lit up as he bragged about Hannah’s new gig at Kerano Global Health. “She’s a freaking superstar in medicine, a total whiz at drug research. But she’s too nice for the corporate shark tank–all that backstabbing and scheming. Cole Group would eat her for lunch.
“You, though? You’re in your element, swimming with the big fish. That’s why Grandpa’s got such a soft spot for you. He might not even sign off on dur divorce.”
1/2
1095 AM
Chapter 1
His words carried a sour edge, like he despised the dog–eat–dog world that bankrolled his cushy life.
Sitting pretty at the top, he looked down his nose at the people who kept his family’s empire humming.
Aria’s lips curled into a mocking smirk. ‘How did I ever think this guy was my rock?‘
Completely missing her shift in mood, Liam plowed ahead. “Here’s the deal: if you stay at Cole Group, Grandpa won’t make a fuss. Stick it out, and I’ll throw in 1% of the shares. That’s millions in dividends every month, no sweat.”
Aria let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. “One percent? You think I’m that desperate? You want me to sign the divorce papers, step aside for you and Hannah, and then stay to clean up Cole Group’s messes while you two cash out? Yeah, right.”
Liam’s jaw tightened, a flash of irritation in his eyes. He thought he’d tossed her a golden ticket, and here she was, trashing his family’s company. “Messes? Cole Group’s a damn money machine, with or without you.”
He leaned forward, his voice edged with heat. “Kerano Global Health’s the real deal, Aria. Hannah and I are out here doing work that matters- helping the country. You’re living the high life, so what’s your problem?”
2/2
