Chapter 1

Five years of marriage, and Chloe finally agreed to spend Christmas with my family.

Then her phone rang. One call, and she slammed the brakes—right there on the highway.

"Check the trunk. Something's rattling back there."

I set up the warning triangle and checked everything. Nothing wrong.

When I came back, the car doors were locked from the inside.

I'd left my jacket in the car to save time. The December wind cut right through me, and I couldn't stop shaking.

"Babe, come on. Let me in."

"Mr. Sterling just moved up the meeting. I need to drop off this proposal. You wait here—I'll be back."

Her eyes met mine through the window. Cold. Calculating.

"Besides, going to your parents' place is a waste of time anyway, Gabriel. I'm doing this so you won't cause a scene. Try to understand."

She floored it. The car disappeared down the highway.

I pulled out my phone and called my executive assistant.

"Close the next exit. Then come get me."

"And tail my wife's car."

"I want to know exactly who the hell thinks they can use my name to meet my wife on Christmas Eve."

Three minutes later, my assistant pulled up beside me.

"Mr. Sterling, you must be freezing. Get in."

"I thought you were going home for the holidays. What happened? Did you and the Mrs. have another fight?"

I climbed into the back seat, my frozen legs barely cooperating.

"Not a fight."

He relaxed a little.

"Good. Your father just calmed down. We can't have any problems now, not when—"

"An affair."

His face went white. He shrank back in his seat, didn't dare ask another question. He just hit the gas and stayed on Chloe's tail.

The highway reopened.

Chloe was flying—heels and all, she had the pedal to the floor.

I watched the direction. My brow furrowed.

The Sterlings don't do business deals by the ocean.

I called her again. Her voice dripped with irritation.

"Gabriel, are you seriously not done yet? Just because you don't have a job doesn't mean you get to interrupt people who do, okay?"

My son's voice chimed in next, parroting her tone.

"Dad, you've got it easy, sure, but don't forget—Mom's the one bringing home the money."

"She's carrying the weight for this whole family. How can you be so shameless, bothering her at a time like this?"

They hung up.

I watched them jump out of the car and climb aboard a yacht docked in the shallows—slick, rehearsed, like they'd done it a hundred times.

Funny thing: that yacht was my parents' eighteenth birthday gift to me.

I followed them, stone-faced. A server blocked my path.

"The Sterling heir's private family event. No outsiders allowed."

My assistant lost it. He grabbed the guy by the collar.

"There's only one Sterling heir, and he's standing right in front of you! Gabriel Sterling!"

The server's jaw dropped.

"But—but the manager said—"

My assistant rolled his eyes and called the beach property manager.

Two minutes later, the manager came sprinting over, bowing so low I thought he'd snap in half.

"Mr. Sterling, this is a misunderstanding—a complete misunderstanding."

"We were told Mr. Sterling was hosting a family event on the yacht. We didn't dare ask questions!"

"We'll stop everything right now and investigate everyone on board!"

I glanced at the sweat pouring down his face and frowned slightly.

"Don't make a scene. And don't tell anyone who I am. I want to see exactly who's got the balls to pull this."

The yacht turned around. The gangway lowered.

I stepped aboard. Everyone in the main cabin turned to stare. The moment they saw me, their faces twisted with rage.

"Gabriel, this isn't where you belong!"

"Who do you think you are, showing up on Mr. Sterling's yacht? Apologize to Mr. Sterling and get the hell out!"

I looked at the man they were all fawning over—the so-called "Mr. Sterling."

He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place him.

The two people yelling at me, though? I knew them very well.

My in-laws. Chloe's own parents.

I laughed—bitter, sharp.

"It's Christmas Eve. My wife doesn't come home with me. Instead, she shows up at a stranger's family event."

"Mom, Dad… care to explain?"