Chapter 2

His eyes were full of blame and disgust, and his grip tightened.

He wrenched the whip back. "Zoey, you're the Sanchez wife now, but that doesn't mean you always will be!"

"As long as you don't lose your mind, she can't threaten your position. Besides, do we really need to split what's yours and what's mine?"

Did Val actually think I cared about being the Sanchez wife?

The pull threw me off balance for a second. I lifted my eyes and looked coldly at Freya Fox.

"Fine, you wreck my car. Last time it was your underwear, the time before it was sex toys, and now it's a whip. Do you think I'm running some kink hotel?"

"Cash or card?"

Freya flinched and buried herself into Val's arms like a terrified animal, her tears soaking through his shirt.

The picture of a fragile little flower.

"I really didn't mean to. Those things just accidentally got left in the car."

"Mr. Sanchez only wanted to make sure madam had a good experience, so he tested it out with me beforehand—"

I caught the flicker of smugness in her eyes and yanked her out of Val's arms.

"Tested it out? Tested it until you'd crashed three of my cars? The repairs plus damages come to tens of millions. How exactly are you going to pay that?"

Freya bit down hard on her lip, her whole body shaking as she started to sink to her knees.

The next moment Val swept her up in his arms and murmured soothing words to her.

He shot me a furious look. "What are you doing, making her kneel!"

He pulled out a blank check and threw it at me.

"Zoey Sawyer, since when did you get so vain! They're just a few cars."

"Take this check. Write in whatever amount you want. You're disgusting."

I looked down at the check where it had fallen to the floor, and the corner of my mouth curved coldly.

"What's madam laughing at? Isn't everything you spend right now coming from Mr. Sanchez's company dividends?"

"Without Mr. Sanchez, you're nothing."

Freya taunted in that soft, shrill little voice of hers.

I lifted my foot and stepped on the check, grinding my heel into it a few times.

Freya was wrong.

It was without me, Zoey Sawyer.

Val Sanchez was the one who was nothing.

If he hadn't stood in the rain for ten full hours begging to marry me back then,

why would I have ever married him?

"Val, are you sure about this?"

He glared at me as if I were the demon tearing him and Freya apart.

"Then don't come regretting the consequences."

Something like panic flickered in Val's eyes, then he covered it up.

I gave the check a kick, said a few words to the insurance company, and turned and walked away.

Once I was in the car, I called my father.

"Dad, I want to sue Val and Freya Fox, and I'm cutting off every last cent the Sanchez family spends."

My father's authoritative voice came down the line. "If you're going to act, act hard. Put Sanchez Group away for good."

I made a sound of agreement and hung up.

I drove to my son's school and waited until his classes let out.

But I watched him walk right past me and throw himself straight into Freya's arms.

Watching how close they were, my heart felt like a thousand blades were driven through it, the pain leaving me unable to breathe.

I switched to one of the sports cars and drove through the city to clear my head.

My phone rang without stopping. It was the Sanchez family.

I watched coldly as call after call came up and cut off.

By the time I got home, the whole Sanchez family was sitting in the living room with black looks on their faces.

I had barely set down my car keys when a vase came flying at me.

Val's father, his face livid, jabbed a finger at me and swore.

"You're really going to fret over one little secretary? My son isn't even divorcing you. Was there any need to make a scene and cut off the family's money?"

"I went out with my friends this afternoon to get facials and my card wouldn't go through. They were definitely laughing at me behind my back!"

Val's father and mother took turns berating me, back and forth.

And my son stood off to the side, watching coldly.

Val kissed my cheek softly and coaxed me in a gentle voice.

"Honey, you've made everyone miserable. Just turn everyone's cards back on. Whatever jewelry you've had your eye on, I'll buy it for you."

The Sanchez family's credit card statement my assistant had just sent was still sitting in my phone.

Every year I settled hundreds of millions in charges for them.

Because I loved him, I had never once complained.

And now, over a few frozen cards, they were already this desperate?

None of this had ever been Val's to begin with. When would he ever understand that?

"Doesn't your company pay you dividends? Take that out and give it to them."

I shoved him away, my face blank.