He threw money on the bed after our one-night stand.
I threw it back in his face at his own inauguration.
By sundown, we were engaged. By the week's end — married.
Franklin Flemington needed a wife to secure his empire. I needed a miracle to save my family. For two years, we played our parts flawlessly — the golden couple the whole city envied.
Behind closed doors, I was invisible to him.
When the two years were up, I handed him divorce papers without blinking.
He stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "I've given you everything a husband should. What more do you want from me, Octavia?"
I smiled, signed my name, and walked out.
I thought that was the end. I thought I'd finally won.
I forgot one thing — Franklin Flemington has never lost anything in his life. And he has no intention of starting with me.
Game on.

Seeing Octavia tremble like this completely tore through my chest. I wrapped my large arms securely around her waist, pulling her tightly against my chest. I held her close, burying my face in her neck and rubbing her back in long, slow strokes until the violent shaking in her shoulders finally started to stop.


I let out a long, heavy sigh against her skin. Looking down at her stressed, beautiful face, a deep weight settled in my gut. I realized right then that I couldn't hide the dark, messy family history from her anymore. She deserved to know what kind of person we were really dealing with.


"Take a deep breath, sweetheart," I murmured softly, guiding her over to the edge of the bed. We sat down together, and I kept her hand tightly locked in mine. "I'm going to tell you everything I know. Just breathe."


She nodded, looking up at me with wide, anxious eyes.


Chapter 265 - ~ 265