Chapter 1

I hit it off with a parent at the preschool today.

She told me her child’s father was named Julian Cross, and that he was always too busy on film sets to help with the kids.

My husband's name was also Julian Cross. And he just happened to be an actor, too.

If she was Julian’s wife, then who the hell was I?

It wasn't until I handed him divorce papers that I realized... we were never legally married in the first place.

......

"His father is always filming on location, so I'm the one who handles Leo’s schooling. Just come to me if anything comes up, Miss Vance..."

From the moment she walked in, the woman couldn't stop bragging about how amazing her husband was and how much he adored her.

Then I flipped open the boy's enrollment form and froze.

In the father's section, two words jumped out at me: Julian Cross.

My husband was Julian Cross. And he was an actor, too.

My mind went blank. I stared down at the boy's photo on the application.

Leo Cross, eight years old. He was the spitting image of Julian.

My hands started shaking. A cold chill spread straight down my spine.

"Is something wrong, Miss Vance? There won't be any issues with Leo's enrollment, right?"

"No, of course not. Mrs. Cross... is that your lock screen? You and your husband?"

"Yes! We took that on our honeymoon in the Maldives. His movie was shooting on location there at the time! That was actually where we conceived Leo."

Her eyes curved into a sweet smile. A delicate pearl necklace rested against her collarbone.

She had the effortless glow of a woman born into wealth, spoiled rotten by her husband.

"That was eight years ago. Just last year, he took us to Thailand, too!"

She unlocked her phone and began flipping through vacation photos.

Staring at the smiling family of three, tears spilled over my eyelashes before I could stop them.

My chest tore open. A wave of nausea hit me so hard I gagged, nearly throwing up right there.

"Miss Vance? Miss Vance! Are you okay?"

Her concerned voice dragged me back to reality.

Julian and I had been together for fifteen years, since we were eighteen.

Yet he had been married to another woman for eight years. I had even given him a ten-year-old daughter.

I was the biggest joke on the planet.

I pressed a tissue hard against my mouth, desperate not to burst into hysterical sobs.

"Miss Vance, do you need me to take you to the clinic? I..."

Her phone rang, cutting her off. The caller ID flashed: *Darling Hubby.*

She put it on speaker. Julian's deep, smooth voice came through the receiver.

"I booked a table at that French bistro downtown for tonight."

"Babe! You're the best! How did you know I was craving that?"

Her voice was soft, playful, drenched in affection. A voice that had never known hardship. Completely unlike mine.

I had always been insecure. I had always walked on eggshells in our relationship.

I thought I had found true love, never imagining it was just a gilded cage he built to trap me.

"Well, Miss Vance, I'll be on my way."

Serena said goodbye and walked out. I sprinted into the stairwell and broke down, letting my tears soak through my clothes.

That was Julian's voice. I would know it anywhere.

I took the rest of the day off. I needed to see it with my own eyes.

Not ten minutes after I reached the parking garage, a familiar black Bentley pulled up.

He smoothly opened the passenger door, took Serena's hand, and affectionately took the designer bag from her shoulder.

Even though he wore a black mask and sunglasses, I knew every line of his body. It was Julian.

"Where's Leo? We really should have brought him."

"Babe, we need our alone time, too. The nanny's watching him."

I clutched my aching chest, lurking in the shadows of the concrete pillar, listening to them flirt.

As soon as I got home, I texted Julian, telling him to come back immediately.

He replied almost instantly: *On my way, honey.*

The restaurant was close by. He arrived in less than five minutes.

Watching him hurry through the door, looking out of breath, all I felt was pure disgust.

"What's wrong? Why the rush?"

He wrapped his arms around me like he always did, whispering gently, "Elena, tell me what happened."

He was so attentive. It made the scene in the garage feel like a nightmare I had made up.

*SLAP!*

I put every ounce of strength into that slap, until my entire arm went numb.

Julian froze, his eyes wide in utter shock.

"Julian, let's get a divorce."

The moment the words left my mouth, the cruel irony hit me. We were never legally married. We had only had a private ceremony and a trip.

Fifteen years together, a ten-year-old daughter, and I had just realized... I was the mistress all along.

Julian had never seen me like this. He reached out to wipe my tears. "What are you talking about? What happened?"

I balled my trembling fists and screamed at him:

"Are you still going to lie to me? Where did you just come from?!"

"Why did you deceive me?! You're married! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Did you ever think about me? Did you ever think about Kaylee? Are you even a man?!"

Exhausted, I collapsed onto the couch, sobbing uncontrollably.

Panic flashed across his face as he tried to pull me into his arms. "No, Elena, let me explain—"

"Get out! Don't touch me! I never want to see you again!"

Every drop of energy drained out of me.

Julian opened his mouth, but closed it without a word.

It was true. He really had married someone else. I was just the side piece.