Chapter 3

I drive to Greyford International Airport.

The second I get out of the car, I spot Ryan Calloway.

His red hair makes him impossible to miss.

He is standing there, talking to a girl beside him.

“...No, I can't. Someone's here to pick me up.”

Then he sees me.

“See? There she is.”

He walks over and throws an arm around my shoulders.

For a second, we're pressed close together.

I immediately try to push him away.

Ryan lowers his voice.

“Don't. Help me out.”

I frown.

“This girl followed me all the way back here. Just play along. You've done it before.”

That reminds me of high school.

I stop struggling and let him keep his arm around me as we head toward the car.

“You seriously attract trouble everywhere you go.”

I glance at the girl still standing behind us.

“Can't you behave for once?”

Ryan leans back in the passenger seat, looking completely relaxed.

“Hey, don't blame me. How was I supposed to know she'd be this persistent?”

I shake my head.

Ryan has always been like this.

A shameless flirt.

He loves getting attention from women, but commitment?

Never.

At lunch, I keep looking at my phone.

Sebastian is always busy with work.

Usually, I'm the one constantly texting him.

If I see a flower by the road, I send him a picture.

If I see a cute dog or cat, I send him that too.

Every random little thing in my day somehow ends up in his messages.

But now I force myself not to open our chat.

He already has someone he loves.

If I keep bothering him all day, I'm only making myself look pathetic.

I'm still staring at my phone when it suddenly rings.

Sebastian.

My heart jumps.

My hand slips, and I accidentally answer.

“Hello?”

His low voice comes through the phone.

It sounds so close that for a second, I almost feel like he's speaking right beside my ear.

We've been this close countless times.

After sex, Sebastian always pulls me tightly against him.

His hand slowly strokes my bare back.

His lips press soft kisses into my hair.

His breathing stays warm and uneven against me.

“Hello?”

Sebastian's voice pulls me back.

“Are you listening?”

I blink and quickly sit up straighter.

“Sorry. What is it?”

“Noah called me.”

His tone is calm, but there is something strange underneath it.

“He said you didn't pick him up from school.”

I tighten my fingers around the tablecloth.

“And you didn't bring me lunch either.”

He pauses.

“Did something happen?”

“I told you. I had something to do today.”

“What could be so important?”

I frown.

Sebastian almost never asks me questions like this.

Before I can answer, Ryan reaches over and snatches the phone from my hand.

“Hey, Ivy.”

He looks at the dishes on the table.

“Do you like the food? I ordered all your favorites.”

Then he glances at my phone.

“We finally get to hang out again and you're still staring at this thing. Give it a rest.”

I reach for it.

“Ryan, give me that.”

But he ends the call.

“Who keeps calling you anyway?”

I take my phone back and pick up my juice.

“My husband.”

Ryan raises an eyebrow.

Then he laughs.

“That cold-blooded snake shifter?”

He leans back in his chair.

“Seriously, I still don't understand what you see in him. He's cold, stiff, and probably freezing half the time.”

His fox tail slips out behind him and brushes against me.

I grab it and toss it away.

Ryan is a fox shifter.

“You should've married me back then,” he says casually. “Our families already know each other. I would've taken good care of you.”

I roll my eyes.

“You just wanted me as a shield against all the women chasing you.”

“And I don't even like you.”

Ryan shrugs.

“Since when does a marriage between powerful families need love?”

He gives me a look.

“You've been reading too many romance novels.”

Then he smiles.

“What? You and that snake have some great love story?”

My hand stops.

For a moment, I don't say anything.

Because he's right.

Sebastian doesn't love me.

“Yeah.”

I lower my eyes.

“You're right.”

Then I take a breath.

“So I think...”

I look at Ryan.

“I want to divorce him.”