I stood in the plush, carpeted hallway of the high-end restaurant. The velvet box holding Brian's fifth-anniversary gift dug sharply into my palm. It was a limited-edition watch. I had spent months tracking it down.

I raised my hand to push open the heavy oak door of the VIP room.

"I only married Fairy so Rida and Shawn could be together without any issues," Brian’s voice drifted through the narrow gap.

I froze. My hand hovered inches from the brass handle.

A roar of laughter erupted from his friends inside. Glasses clinked.

"Seriously, man? Five years with that ice queen?" a guy asked. "I don't know how you survive."

"If Rida hadn't begged me to help her out, I would never have tied the knot with such a boring woman," Brian replied. His tone was flat. Indifferent.

My chest tightened. The air in the hallway suddenly felt too thin to breathe.

"So, what? You're playing the martyr?" another friend teased. "Taking one for the team so Shawn gets the girl?"

"I've only ever had Rida in my heart," Brian said. "As long as she gets to be happy, anything I do is worth it."

Five years ago, Shawn dumped me at the altar. He left me for my half-sister, Rida. I became the ultimate joke of the city's elite circles. Whispers followed me everywhere.

Then Brian stepped up. He proposed to me in front of everyone at a charity gala. He shook my father's hand and promised he would cherish me for the rest of my life. I thought he was my savior. I thought he was the only good thing to come out of that nightmare.

A lie.

Every single day of our marriage was a calculated lie.

I didn't push the door open. I didn't scream. I turned around and walked straight out of the restaurant, dropping the velvet box into the nearest trash can.

The drive home was a blur of neon streetlights. My hands gripped the steering wheel until my fingers ached.

I pushed open the front door of our house. Silence blanketed the living room, but a faint noise drifted down the dark hallway.

Skin slapping against skin. Wet, heavy sounds.

I walked toward the master bedroom. The door stood ajar.

"Fuck, Brian, right there," a woman gasped.

Rida.

"You like that?" Brian grunted.

I shoved the door wide open.

They were tangled on the center of my bed. Brian was driving into her from behind, his hands gripping her bare hips. Rida's breasts bounced with every hard thrust, her face buried in the pillows I slept on every night.

"Fuck, I love fucking you," Brian growled, slamming his groin against her ass. "Tell me whose pussy this is."

"Yours, Brian, it's yours," Rida whined. "Don't stop, keep fucking me."

"I'm going to fill you up," he grunted.

My stomach violently turned. I dropped my purse. It slammed against the hardwood floor.

Brian froze. He pulled his cock out of Rida. It was slick and wet, leaking onto my sheets.

Rida shrieked. She scrambled across the mattress to pull the duvet over her naked body.

Brian didn't flinch. He didn't panic. He reached for a discarded shirt and draped it over Rida's bare shoulders, shielding her from my view.

Then he turned to me. His face was a mask of cold annoyance.

"Why didn't you knock?" he demanded.

"Knock?" I choked out. "This is my bedroom."

"You're home early," he stated, completely ignoring the tears welling in my eyes.

"You're fucking my sister. On our anniversary."

Rida peeked out from behind his solid frame. "Fairy, don't be mad at him. We couldn't help it."

"Shut your mouth," I snapped.

Brian stepped forward, his jaw set. "Don't talk to her like that. We've been over this. I married you for her."

"So you could sneak around and fuck her while her husband is oblivious?" I asked.

"Shawn knows," Brian said flatly. "We all know. You were the only one kept in the dark."

The floor seemed to drop out from beneath me. Shawn. Rida. Brian.

"Shawn agreed to this?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Shawn loves Rida," Brian explained, his tone condescending. "But his family would never accept an illegitimate daughter as his wife. They wanted you. The perfect, legitimate heir."

"So he dumped me to make a point," I realized aloud.

"And I picked you up to fix the mess," Brian finished. "I gave you a respectable life. In exchange, Rida gets to be with Shawn, and I get to be with Rida whenever I want."

"You're sick," I whispered.

"I'm practical," he countered. "We all got what we wanted."

"I didn't get what I wanted!" I yelled.

"You got a husband who provides for you," Brian shot back. "You live in a mansion. You buy whatever you want. Don't act like a victim, Fairy."

"I was a shield," I said. "A convenient prop for your twisted games."

"And now the game is over," he said. "Get out."

"It's my house, Fairy," Brian reminded me. "I bought it. You're the one who needs to leave."

"You want me out?" I asked.

"Pack your things," he ordered. "I'll have my lawyer send over the divorce papers tomorrow. Don't try to fight me for alimony. You won't win."

I didn't argue. I turned on my heel and walked straight to the guest room.

I grabbed a suitcase from the top shelf of the closet and threw it onto the bare mattress.

Tears blurred my vision. I wiped them away with the back of my hand. No more crying over a man who never loved me.

I tossed in three pairs of jeans, a few sweaters, and my toiletries. I left the expensive jewelry Brian had bought me. I left the designer dresses he picked out to make me look the part of a dutiful wife.

I zipped the bag shut.

The house was dead quiet now. They were probably still in my bed.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and scrolled to the very bottom of my contacts. A number I hadn't dialed in seven long years.

I pressed call.

It rang twice.

"Hello?" a raspy, authoritative voice answered.

"Grandpa," I said, my voice cracking.

Silence stretched across the line.

"Fairy," he finally said.

"I want to come home."

I gripped the handle of my suitcase, my knuckles turning white.

"You've been gone a long time," Grandpa noted.

"I know."

"Are you done playing house with that pathetic family?" he asked.

"I'm done," I promised.

"You're finally willing to come back to me," Grandpa said. The sternness in his voice melted into something much warmer. "The position of heir to the Howard family has always been waiting for you."

"I'm ready to take it," I told him.

"Good. The Howard name commands respect. No one steps on us."

"I'll remember that."

"I'll send a car. Give me twenty minutes."

"Thank you."

The line went dead.

Footsteps approached the guest room. The door swung open.

Brian stood in the doorway, wearing sweatpants and nothing else. He leaned against the frame.

"Are you done yet?" he asked.

"I'm leaving," I said, grabbing the handle of my suitcase.

"Leave your keys on the counter," he instructed. "And don't bother trying to call my parents to complain. They already know about Rida."

I stopped walking. "They know?"

"Everyone knows, Fairy." He crossed his arms over his chest. "My mother never liked you anyway. She thinks you're too quiet. Too boring."

"So she prefers the woman who sleeps with two men at once?" I asked.

Brian's eyes flashed with anger. He took a step toward me. "Watch your mouth."

"Or what?" I challenged. "You'll hit me? Go ahead, Brian. Show me exactly what kind of man you are."

He stopped. A cruel smile touched his lips. "I don't need to hit you. You're already broken. You have nothing. No husband, no family, no money."

I stared at the man I had called my husband for five years. He looked like a complete stranger.

"You're right," I said quietly. "We never belonged together."

"Glad we finally agree on something." He stepped aside to let me pass.

I walked down the hallway, the wheels of my suitcase rolling over the expensive rugs. I placed my house keys on the kitchen island.

"Fairy?" Rida called out from the bedroom.

I ignored her.

I walked out the front door and let it slam shut behind me.

The night air was freezing. I stood on the sidewalk, wrapping my coat tighter around my shoulders.

Headlights swept across the dark street. A sleek black Maybach pulled up to the curb, its engine humming quietly.

The driver stepped out. He wore a sharp suit and white gloves. He bowed deeply.

"Miss Howard," he said. "Your grandfather sent me."

"Put the bag in the trunk," I told him.

I climbed into the backseat. The leather was warm.

As the car pulled away, I looked out the tinted window at the house I used to call home. Brian and Rida thought they had won. They thought they had ruined me.

But the game was just starting. And the Howard family never lost.

I had planned to leave at dawn, but my suitcase zipper stubbornly jammed. Before I could force the metal teeth together, the front door downstairs slammed open.

Heavy footsteps echoed up the stairs.

Brian marched into the guest room, his face a mask of fury. Rida trailed right behind him, clinging to his arm. Neither of them offered a single apology for the scene I had walked in on last night.

"You called my lawyer?" Brian demanded.

I released the suitcase handle and stood up straight. "I asked for the divorce papers. You said you would send them."

He let out a harsh laugh. "At seven in the morning? You think I’m stupid, Fairy? You’re trying to freeze my assets. You want half of my company."

A bitter smile touched my lips. The man who spent five years deceiving me now thought I was the schemer.

"I don't want a single dime of your money," I told him. "I just want out."

"Bullshit," Brian snapped. He crossed his arms, his biceps straining against his fitted shirt. "You’re throwing a tantrum. You think making a fuss will get my attention. You have nowhere else to go, and you know it."

"I'm leaving right now."

"You won't last a week without my credit cards," he challenged. "Stop playing games. Unpack your bag."

Rida stepped out from behind him. A massive diamond pendant rested against her collarbone. It caught the morning light, sparkling brightly against her skin.

"Do you like it?" Rida asked, her fingers brushing the jewel. "Brian bought it for me last month. He always remembers the things I mention in passing."

I stared at the necklace. Last month was my birthday. Brian had handed me a generic gift card and claimed he was too busy with work to shop.

Rida stepped closer, her voice dropping into a sickeningly sweet register. "Fairy, please don't be mad. I was just so heartbroken over Shawn. I felt so alone, and Brian was there to comfort me. I got confused."

"Confused enough to strip naked in my bed?" I asked.

Rida pouted. "You know he always loved me best. He only married you to protect me."

She reached into her designer handbag and pulled out a glossy photograph. She tossed it onto the mattress next to my luggage.

I glanced down. It was Shawn, holding a massive bouquet of roses, kneeling in front of Rida. The timestamp in the corner read five years ago. The exact day Shawn was supposed to be at the altar with me.

"They both chose me," Rida whispered, leaning in close so Brian wouldn't hear. "You were just a convenient placeholder. A prop. You’ll always be my backup."

My phone buzzed in my pocket, cutting through the thick tension in the room.

The caller ID flashed. *Dad.*

I pressed answer and lifted the phone to my ear.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" my father barked. His voice was so loud I had to pull the device away from my face.

"Good morning to you too," I replied flatly.

"Don't use that tone with me," he yelled. "Rida called me in tears. She said you threw a jealous fit and threatened to ruin her reputation!"

My grip on the phone tightened. "Did she mention she was sleeping with my husband?"

"She made a mistake!" my father shot back. "She’s fragile right now. You are the older sister. You are supposed to protect her, not attack her."

The air rushed out of my lungs. A sharp pain pierced my chest.

"Protect her?" I repeated. "She destroyed my marriage."

"You never deserved Brian anyway," my father growled. "Apologize to your sister right now. If you don't make this right, you are no longer my daughter."

I looked at Rida. She was smirking, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. Brian stood by the door, completely indifferent to my humiliation.

All these years, I had bent over backward to please my father. I swallowed my pride when he brought his illegitimate daughter into our home. I kept quiet when he gave her the best rooms, the best clothes, the best opportunities.

None of it mattered. I would never be enough.

"Consider me dead to you, then," I said.

I ended the call and dropped the phone into my purse.

"Are you done with this act?" Brian asked, checking his watch. "I have a meeting at nine."

I unzipped the front pocket of my bag and pulled out the divorce agreement my own lawyer had drafted overnight. I grabbed a pen from the nightstand and signed my name on the bottom line. I didn't ask for alimony. I didn't ask for the house.

I slapped the papers onto the dresser.

Then, I twisted the diamond wedding band off my finger. It hit the wooden surface with a sharp ping.

"It's signed," I told him. "Keep the house. Keep the money. Keep Rida."

Brian frowned. The confidence in his posture faltered for a fraction of a second. "Fairy—"

I didn't wait for him to finish. I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and yanked it off the bed. The jammed zipper finally gave way, sealing my belongings inside.

I walked past them, my shoulder bumping hard against Brian’s chest. He didn't try to stop me.

A loud crack of thunder shook the windows as I reached the bottom of the stairs. Heavy rain began to pound against the glass.

I pushed the front door open. The cold wind whipped my hair across my face.

A sleek, black Maybach idled at the edge of the driveway, the engine purring softly. The paint gleamed under the gray sky.

An elderly man in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit stepped out of the passenger side. He opened a massive black umbrella and hurried up the walkway, his posture completely rigid and formal.

He stopped right in front of me and bowed low.

"Miss," the butler said, his voice carrying over the sound of the pouring rain. "The Master sent me to bring you home."

"Thank you, Arthur," I murmured.

He took the heavy suitcase from my hand as if it weighed nothing. He held the umbrella high, shielding me from the storm as we walked toward the luxury vehicle.

Up on the second floor, Brian stood by the bedroom window. I could see his silhouette through the rain-streaked glass.

He stared down at the Maybach. His jaw was tight. He probably thought I had found some wealthy old sugar daddy to fund my escape. He probably thought I was bluffing about the divorce, just trying to make him jealous.

He had absolutely no idea who I really was.

Arthur opened the rear door for me. I slid onto the warm leather seat.

"Shall we head to the estate, Miss Howard?" Arthur asked from the front.

"Yes," I replied. "It's time to take back what belongs to me."

As the car pulled away from the curb, I watched Brian's house disappear into the rearview mirror. He thought he held all the power. He thought he had left me with nothing.

He was about to find out exactly what happens when you cross the Howard family.

My grandfather sat at the head of the massive mahogany dining table. He tapped his cane against the marble floor.

"The Howard empire is yours, Fairy," he announced. The dozen board members and family associates in the room nodded in unison. "But to secure your position, you need a suitable husband."

I set my teacup down. The porcelain clattered against the saucer.

"No," I said. "I am not doing that again."

"Brian was a parasite," Grandpa dismissed, waving his hand. "I am talking about an equal."

"I don't want an equal," I replied, my voice hard. "I just escaped five years of lies. I am not stepping into another trap."

"It isn't a trap if you hold the keys," Grandpa insisted.

The heavy oak doors of the banquet hall swung open.

A tall man strode into the room. He wore a sharp black suit that tailored perfectly to his broad shoulders. His eyes, dark and unreadable, locked onto me instantly.

Arthur Kane.

Heir to the Kane conglomerate. Brian's biggest rival.

Grandpa chuckled. "Arthur. You have impeccable timing. I was just asking my stubborn granddaughter to consider a marriage of convenience. Are you interested in the position?"

It was a half-joke. A test.

Arthur didn't blink. He didn't look at my grandfather. He kept his gaze pinned on my face.

"I am," Arthur said.

The room went dead silent.

My fingers curled into my palms. His stare felt too heavy, carrying a raw, possessive edge that made my skin prickle. He looked at me like I was a prize he had already won.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"I accept the proposal," Arthur clarified, his tone entirely serious.

"I didn't offer one," I shot back.

Arthur finally smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. "You will."

Forty minutes later, the formal dinner ended. I tracked Arthur down in my grandfather's study. He stood by the window, swirling amber liquid in a crystal glass.

"Call it off," I demanded, shutting the door behind me.

He turned around. "Call what off?"

"This sudden engagement," I said. "I am not a bargaining chip for your corporate alliances. And I don't believe in love at first sight."

Arthur set his glass on the desk. He picked up a manila folder and slid it across the polished wood.

"I don't need you to believe in love," Arthur said. "Look at the file."

I stepped closer. I flipped the cover open.

Inside were blueprints, financial projections, and contract drafts. Every single page bore Brian's company logo. These were the harbor expansion projects Brian had spent the last two years desperately trying to secure.

"Why do you have these?" I asked.

Arthur pulled his phone from his pocket. He dialed a number and put it on speaker.

"Sir?" a voice answered on the first ring.

"Kill the harbor deal," Arthur ordered.

"But sir, Brian's team just signed the preliminary—"

"I said kill it," Arthur interrupted. His voice stayed perfectly level, yet it commanded absolute obedience. "Pull our funding. Lock them out of the supply chain."

"Understood."

Arthur ended the call and tossed the phone onto the desk. A dangerous smirk curved his lips.

"You can refuse to marry me," Arthur said. "But are you really going to let the people who humiliated you keep winning?"

My throat tightened. I stared at the canceled contracts.

"You did that just to make a point?" I asked.

"I did that because I can," he corrected. He stepped around the desk, closing the distance between us. "Fairy, if you want, I can make Brian lose a lot more than a harbor."

He wasn't the polite, polished gentleman he played in the boardroom. He was ruthless.

"Why me?" I asked, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze.

"You hate him," Arthur stated. "I want to destroy him. We have common ground."

He reached for a remote on the desk and aimed it at the flat-screen television mounted on the wall.

"Watch this," Arthur instructed.

The screen flickered to life, displaying a live broadcast from the Starlight Charity Gala. The camera panned across the opulent ballroom.

There was Brian. He stood by the champagne tower, looking smug in his tailored tuxedo. Rida clung to his arm, wearing the diamond pendant he bought her. She was laughing, whispering something to the women around her.

I knew exactly what she was saying. She was calling me a discarded housewife. A pathetic loser who got kicked out of her own home.

"They look happy," Arthur noted dryly.

"For now," I muttered.

Suddenly, the gala's main stage screens glitched. The soft jazz music cut out. A news anchor's face appeared on every monitor in the ballroom.

"We interrupt this broadcast for breaking financial news," the anchor announced. "The notoriously private Howard family has just officially named their sole heir."

On the television, Brian frowned. He turned toward the screens.

"Fairy Howard, granddaughter of the family patriarch, will inherit the entire Howard empire," the anchor continued. "Furthermore, the family confirms she is engaged to Arthur Kane, merging the two most powerful conglomerates in the West."

The camera zoomed in on Brian.

His jaw dropped. The champagne flute slipped from his fingers. It shattered against the marble floor, splashing alcohol over his expensive shoes.

Rida gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. Her face drained of all color.

Brian stared at the screen, sheer panic widening his eyes. The arrogant smirk he wore all morning vanished completely. He looked terrified.

Arthur leaned close to my ear.

"Look at him," Arthur whispered. "He just realized he threw away the crown."

I watched Brian scramble, pulling his phone out with trembling hands. He was probably trying to call me. Trying to fix the catastrophic mistake he just made.

"So?" Arthur asked, stepping back. "Do we have a deal?"

I looked away from the television. I met Arthur's dark, calculating eyes.

"Yes," I said.

Arthur's smile widened. "Good. Because your ex-husband is about to find out exactly what happens when he touches my fiancée."

My phone vibrated in my pocket. The screen lit up with Brian's name.

Arthur glanced at the glowing screen. "Are you going to answer that?"

I picked up the phone.

I pressed decline.

"No," I told him. "Let him sweat."

Arthur chuckled, a low, harsh sound that filled the quiet study. "I think you and I are going to get along perfectly, Fairy."