Chapter 2

"Explain?"

My father-in-law sneered and shoved me.

"You broke nobody—what makes you think you can demand explanations on our turf?"

My mother-in-law clutched the Hermès shawl I'd given her tighter around her shoulders, smirking.

"Exactly. Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to ask us anything?"

"Get out. Now. Or we'll throw you into the ocean ourselves."

I could see it was pointless talking to these two.

"Where's Chloe? I want to see Chloe."

I started shouting her name, heading for the stairs. My father-in-law grabbed me and punched me square in the nose.

"What are you yelling for? Why are you looking for our daughter?"

"Shout one more time and we're calling the cops!"

My assistant's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his skull.

"You are the Sterling heir, and these are the in-laws you gave up everything to help?"

The two immediately started cursing.

"Stop lying! He's not worthy of being called the Sterling heir. There's only one Sterling heir in this world—Felix Sterling!"

The man leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching like this was all some show, finally stepped forward.

He grabbed me by the collar, a cold smirk on his face.

"They're right. What the hell are you? You think you're good enough to set foot on my yacht?"

Looking closer, I was certain—I'd seen this guy before.

But I couldn't remember where.

I grabbed his hand and twisted. He yelped and let go.

My assistant handed me my marriage certificate. I opened it right in front of Felix's face.

"I'm Chloe's husband. I'm here to see my wife. Got a problem with that?"

I thought that would end this circus.

Instead, my mother-in-law pulled something out of her purse.

"What are you so smug about? You're just her Ex-husband."

I looked down at the document in her hand. My breath caught.

"Divorce papers?"

"That's impossible. Chloe and I—we're fine. We never got divorced—"

I snatched the certificate and stared at it.

It was real.

My brain raced. A few weeks ago, Chloe had been so excited, telling me she'd met some big-time CEO.

Then she said she wanted to help me switch jobs and asked me to sign a blank sheet of paper.

I'd signed without a second thought. I trusted her completely.

Turns out she'd divorced me—unilaterally, behind my back—a long time ago.

Betrayal flooded through me like poison. I tore the certificate to shreds and hurled it to the floor, my eyes scanning the room for Chloe.

"Chloe! Get out here and explain this!"

Felix saw me losing it. He lunged at me from behind.

I turned. His fist came flying. My assistant blocked it and swung back—hard.

Felix hit the deck, blood streaming from his nose, screaming.

"You dare hit me on my yacht? You're dead! Get them!"

A wave of security guards rushed us.

We couldn't fight them all. My assistant threw himself in front of a metal pole aimed at my head—and got flung overboard.

My eyes went wide. I dove after him, grabbed his hand, but my own body slammed against the railing and hung there, dangling.

The wind whipped around us. Cold sweat poured down my face. I shouted down at him.

"Hold on to me! The current's brutal here—if you fall, you're dead!"

He grabbed my other hand with a death grip, nodding through gritted teeth. I gasped for air and shouted toward the deck.

"Someone help me up!"

My in-laws looked at me dangling there—and took a step back.

Everyone else just stood there, watching like it was a betting pool. How long could I hold on?

Out of a dozen people, only one moved.

Henry. My son.

My chest warmed.

Even if the rest of the family were monsters, at least my boy had a good heart.

Then he lifted his leg—wearing the latest Air Jordans I'd bought him—and stomped on my hand.

"Loser. We told you not to come. You just had to show up and ruin everything."

"If you mess with my new dad again, I'll throw you off this boat myself."