The next morning, Maddie Mills woke to find Archer Williams moving around the kitchen, his broad shoulders tapering to a lean waist in a silhouette that still had the power to make her chest ache. It was a reminder, tender and painful, of how Archer had learned to cook just for her.

She remembered the hellish stretch when Williams Corporation had been under siege. His business rivals had come at him through her, bribing someone to poison her food. She'd slipped into a coma for three days and nights. When she finally woke, Archer was right there, eyes bloodshot, gripping her hand like it was the only thing keeping him upright. The formidable man had looked so broken then, holding her while tears streamed down his face.

After that day, Archer threw himself into cooking and took over every meal she ate. Within a month, the man who couldn't tell salt from sugar was cooking like a professional chef.

A phone rang, slicing through the memory. Maddie glanced over. Archer's phone. She didn't reach for it. Archer came out of the kitchen, apron still on, and picked it up. His tension was subtle, but she caught it. Maddie pretended not to notice and headed to the bathroom to wash up.

By the time she came back, breakfast was on the table and Archer was slipping into his suit jacket. He smiled that gentle smile. “Something urgent came up at the office. I can't stay for breakfast.”

Maddie's voice was cool. “Work is important.”

Archer was in enough of a rush that he missed the strange coldness in her voice as he hurried out the door. Maddie watched him go, face blank, then dumped every bite of breakfast in the trash.

She picked up her phone and dialed. “I've reconsidered your offer. I'm in.”

A burst of excitement came through the line, followed by a rush of eager words. “Maddie, why the sudden change of heart? You always said marriage was your priority.”

Something mocking flickered through Maddie's eyes. Marriage? Their marriage had been a sham from the start.

The call was with her former mentor from her time studying abroad. He'd recently reached out, asking her to join his new project team. She'd turned him down before because she was still thinking about Archer. Now, she regretted not seeing the farce of her marriage sooner.

After she hung up, Maddie checked her passport and booked the earliest available appointment to renew it. Expedited processing would still take time.

But before she left, there was one more thing she had to handle.

That evening, Maddie walked into a private auction at the Ritz-Carlton. She was there for one thing: a piece of her mother's belongings.

Her mother had died when Maddie was eight. Not long after, the family estate sold off her mother's heirlooms. Over the years, Maddie had slowly tracked down the lost items, though she'd only managed to recover a handful.

One of tonight's featured lots was a rare antique jade bracelet that had belonged to her mother. No matter the price, Maddie was getting it back.

She settled into her seat before the auction began. She was flipping through the catalog when she heard Archer's voice nearby.

“Didn't I already buy you a set of emerald jewelry? Still not satisfied?” His tone held that familiar tenderness—the one Maddie knew too well.

A playful voice answered. “Your taste is terrible! I want to pick out my own birthday present!”

Maddie stayed quiet, watching from a distance as Archer and the woman beside him, Bailee Wagner, crossed the room. Their eyes met. Archer's expression shifted instantly.

Almost reflexively, he pulled free of Bailee's hold and hurried over to Maddie. “Maddie,” he said urgently, reaching her side. “I called you, but you didn't answer. Were you trying to surprise me?”

He tried to hide it, but panic lingered in his eyes. Maddie played dumb, her voice indifferent. “My phone was on silent. I didn't hear it.”

Archer visibly relaxed. He took her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his voice gentle with concern. “Your hands are freezing. Didn't I tell you it was getting cold today? You should've dressed warmer. If you get sick, it'll break my heart.” He signaled a server for a blanket and carefully draped it over her shoulders.

Maddie didn't react. Her gaze slid to Bailee, whose expression had gone dark. Bailee bit her lip and sulked into the seat beside Archer, resentment burning in her eyes.

Archer leaned in and lowered his voice. “Our company just landed a major project, and Bailee put in a lot of work. Her birthday's coming up, so I figured a gift was in order—sort of a bonus for her efforts.”

He looked at Maddie anxiously. “You're not upset, are you?”

Bailee chimed in, her voice delicate. “Ms. Mills, if my presence bothers you, I can leave. I don't want to interfere.”

Maddie smiled, a thin curve that didn't reach her eyes. “We're married now. Something this trivial doesn't bother me in the slightest.”

The auction began soon after. Archer barely spared Bailee a glance. His attention stayed on Maddie as he flipped through the catalog and bid on almost every item.

“Darling, this piece would look stunning on you,” he murmured, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Maddie's gaze flicked to the corner, where Bailee sat in silence, clutching the edge of Archer's jacket. Their eyes met in a covert exchange, thick with silent understanding.

Maddie hid her mocking smile. The whole thing was absurd. There sat Archer, blissfully indulging in his two loves, convinced he was being fair to both. One woman had the title, the other had the open affection—where was the injustice?

But Maddie had never wanted to balance those scales. Archer was just a minor mistake on her path—one she intended to correct.

“Next up, a rare antique jade bracelet, beautifully carved and exceptionally well preserved—starting bid, seventy-five thousand dollars, with a minimum increase of five thousand!”

The auctioneer's enthusiastic announcement named Maddie's target for the evening.

Numbers flashed on the screen as bids climbed fast. “Paddle seventeen, ninety thousand! Paddle nine, one hundred twelve thousand five hundred!”

“Any higher offers?”

As the first round wound down, Maddie raised her paddle. “Two hundred twenty-five thousand.”

The bid doubled in an instant. The bracelet was exquisite, but it wasn't the night's centerpiece. At Maddie's steep bid, the room went silent. No one else moved.

“Paddle eleven, two hundred twenty-five thousand!”

“Two hundred twenty-five thousand going once! Going twice!”

The auctioneer lifted his gavel. “If there are no further bids, I declare, two hundred twenty-five thousand—”

“Two hundred thirty-two thousand five hundred.”

A soft voice cut in. Bailee had nestled up beside Archer, timidly lifting her paddle. Her voice was small. “Do I put my bid in here?”

Maddie narrowed her eyes and threw out another bid. “Two hundred fifty thousand dollars.”

Almost instantly, Bailee matched her, bumping the price by only five grand each time—the minimum increment.

Turning to Maddie, Bailee pleaded, “Ms. Mills, you already have so much jewelry. Could you let this one go? I really love it. I’ve wanted it for so long. Would you really begrudge me this one thing? If the price goes any higher, I won’t be able to keep up.”

Maddie didn’t even look at her. A faint smirk tugged at her lips. “Isn’t Archer backing you? What’s there to worry about?”

Bailee’s face went pale. She softened her voice. “But Mr. Williams works hard for his money. I think it’s only fair to save where I can.”

Her words were coated in sensibility, painting her as the understanding, thoughtful one.

After several rounds, the bracelet hit three hundred thousand. Maddie sneered, ready to raise her paddle again, when Archer’s voice cut in.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you let Bailee have this one?”

Maddie went rigid. Her fingers curled, her fingernails digging into her palm. She turned to him, and whatever warmth had been in her eyes turned to ice. “What did you just say?”

Archer sighed and patted her hand like he was soothing a child. “Honey, I promised Bailee a gift tonight. She’s really set on this one. Can’t you let it slide?”

“Besides, haven’t I already won you several pieces? Isn’t that enough?”

His tone was light, almost teasing—like he was joking.

Maddie shut her eyes for a beat. A bitter taste flooded her veins, cold and choking, wrapping around her heart until she could barely breathe.

With Bailee’s family background, even affording three hundred thousand was a stretch—let alone getting into a high-end auction like this. The only reason she was here, bidding against Maddie, was Archer’s backing.

In a quiet voice, Maddie said, “What if I insist on winning it?”

She raised her paddle again, voice ringing out. “Four hundred thousand dollars.”

The room went silent. The auctioneer, sensing the tension, sounded a little unsteady. “The lady has bid four hundred thousand dollars. Any further bids?”

Bailee’s eyes shimmered with tears. She looked about to cry as she pleaded with Archer and added another measly five thousand.

“Four hundred and five thousand dollars.”

Maddie’s expression turned colder. She was about to raise her bid again when the manager hurried over and whispered, “My apologies, Ms. Mills. During financing verification, we found your account has been frozen. Do you have another account?”

The words hit her like a thunderclap.

Maddie turned her head—and caught Archer averting his gaze.

A chill ran through her. It was him.

Her primary account was tied to a credit facility Archer controlled. He could have revoked her access or asked the bank to block transactions pending review.

Pride lit up Bailee’s eyes. With a satisfied smile, she said, “Maybe you should give way, Ms. Mills? You have so much already. Can’t you let me have this one thing?”

The auction continued, the screen fixed on Bailee’s latest bid of four hundred and five thousand dollars.

Bailee couldn’t contain her excitement. Her voice went sweet with anticipation. “Quick, announce it!”

But just as her voice faded, a faint golden glow appeared behind the curtains of a second-floor private suite.

After a beat, the room buzzed with excitement.

“An absentee bidder from suite 317!”

Even the auctioneer looked stunned. The bidder had left instructions with the auctioneer to keep bidding on his behalf, whatever it took to secure the lot.

The auctioneer announced, “Lot seventeen: an absentee bid placed on behalf of our guest in suite 317. Four hundred and ten thousand dollars!”

In this city, anyone sitting in a second-floor private room was either filthy rich or dangerously powerful.

Maddie looked up, trying to make out the figure behind the curtains. She could only see a silhouette.

Even without seeing his face, the authority in his relaxed posture was unmistakable.

The auctioneer slammed his gavel. “Sold! Lot seventeen goes to our guest in suite 317 for four hundred and ten thousand dollars! The house is pleased to extend platinum VIP privileges to our buyer!”

The auction house reserved those privileges for a tiny circle of its most valued clients.

Who could he be?

Maddie unclenched her fist, her feelings tangled—partly relieved that her mother’s keepsake hadn’t fallen into Bailee’s hands, partly anxious about getting it back from a stranger.

Just as she considered approaching room 317 to negotiate, the usher carrying the bracelet emerged again.

“What’s going on? Is the gentleman in room 317 backing out?”

“There’s no precedent for backing out of an auction.”

“He must have left bidding instructions with the house. I’ve never seen anyone go that far for a single lot.”

Amid the speculation, the usher walked up to Maddie with a smile and gave her a courteous bow.

“Ms. Mills, the gentleman in room 317 wishes to present this bracelet to you as a gift. He hopes you’ll stay true to yourself—and wishes you all the best.”

The room erupted in chatter. Eyes turned toward Maddie—envious, suspicious, surprised.

“Isn’t that Mrs. Williams? What’s her connection to the gentleman upstairs?”

“Maybe he’s just extending a courtesy to Mr. Williams.”

“Or not. Out of all the treasures here, why choose this bracelet for Mrs. Williams? I’d say there’s more to their relationship.”

The murmurs reached Archer. His expression turned cold. “Maddie, what’s your relationship with the person in room 317?”

Meeting his intense gaze, Maddie answered calmly, “I don’t know him.”

“That’s impossible!”

Archer shot to his feet and gripped her wrist hard enough to leave a mark on her fair skin.

Maddie winced and pulled away. “Archer, what’s wrong with you? Haven’t you done enough today?”

But Archer seemed oblivious to her feelings, his gaze fiery and searching. “What’s your connection to him?”

“Maddie, all these years we’ve been married, I’ve done everything to please you. I’ve given you everything you wanted. Why are you doing this to me?”

He was convinced Maddie’s relationship with the man upstairs was inappropriate.

If it were really about him, he’d know the man’s identity. In this city, anyone seeking his favor came straight to him.

Maddie smirked coldly.

“You’re so corrupt, you assume everyone else is, too.”

Her words were so direct that Archer paused. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes.

“Sorry, Maddie. I didn’t mean it that way. I shouldn’t have gotten jealous over you and a stranger. That’s completely on me.” Archer’s eyes reddened with emotion. “But Bailee and I have nothing going on. I invited her here as a gesture of thanks. Can you ever forgive me?”

Beside him, Bailee Wagner dropped her gaze, her expression pitiful, her voice catching. “Yes, Ms. Mills. I’ve kept my distance from Archer to avoid any misunderstandings.”

“All I wanted was a decent birthday gift,” she went on. “My family can’t compete with yours. You’ve been spoiled since birth, and you married a man like Archer. Can’t I even choose my own gift?”

“A simple gift?” Maddie pressed. “Ms. Wagner, this isn’t about the gift. It’s that you’re an employee of Williams Enterprises—and you’ve overstepped.”

When Maddie stepped closer, Archer instinctively moved to shield Bailee, speaking softly. “Maddie, if this really bothers you, I’ll have her transferred to another branch after the gala.”

“But just for today—for my sake—let her have the bracelet. I’ll get you anything else you want later.”

Bailee nodded, tears shining in her eyes. “Ms. Mills, I really love this bracelet. You have everything. Why fight me over this one thing? Or is it because you don’t like me, so you’re targeting me?”

“Why should I care?” Maddie sneered. “This bracelet was mine to begin with. Why should I give it to you?” She took the bracelet from the auction host, a smile on her lips that didn’t reach her eyes. “Ms. Wagner, know your place.”

Maddie’s refusal to back down finally snapped Archer’s patience. His tenderness vanished in an instant. “Maddie, do we have to do this in front of everyone? What about my dignity?”

“It’s just a bracelet. Does it really mean more to you than I do?”

He seemed to have forgotten the vows he’d made—the promise to reclaim every one of her mother’s belongings that had been sold.

Maddie raised her hand and slapped him across the face. The crack echoed through the room, and stunned gazes swung toward them.

Archer turned his head, face flushed with anger. He glared at her, forcing the words through clenched teeth. “Maddie, have you had enough? Have I spoiled you so much that you’ve forgotten how to be reasonable?”

Maddie reined in her emotions, her tone steady. “Archer, you’d better not regret this.”

Then she turned and walked away without looking back.

Once she disappeared from sight, Bailee gently touched the red mark on Archer’s cheek, her voice full of concern. “Are you okay, Archer? Ms. Mills was out of line. How could she hit you like that in front of everyone?”

Archer shook off her hand. His nails dug into his palm as he stared after Maddie. “I’ve spoiled her too much. She’s forgotten who gave her everything she has.”

Bailee watched his expression shift and ventured carefully, “About the bracelet, Mr. Williams…”

Archer rubbed his swollen cheek, then pulled a credit card from his pocket and handed it to her. “There’s five hundred thousand on this card. Buy whatever you want.”

Maddie headed to suite 317, intending to thank whoever had bought the bracelet in person.

She knocked. No answer.

She flagged down a passing server. “Excuse me, do you know where the gentleman in that suite went?”

“He left right after buying the last item.”

Disappointment flickered through her eyes, but she pressed on. “Do you know who he was?”

The server gave her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Ms. Mills. We can’t disclose our guests’ identities. Please don’t make this difficult for us.”

Maddie realized she’d crossed a line and stepped aside. “Thank you.”

An hour later, Maddie got home from the gala. She went straight to the study, opened her laptop, and pulled up the assets listed under her and Archer’s names.

After compiling the financials, she picked up her phone and called Attorney Zack. “I’ve sent you the asset division files for Archer and me. I need the property division paperwork finalized by tomorrow.”

Attorney Zack received the files at once and nodded respectfully. “Understood, Ms. Mills. I’ll get on it right away.”

Maddie’s eyes stayed fixed on the screen, her grip on the mouse tightening. “In a case where Archer Williams committed bigamy, how are assets typically divided?”

“A second marriage does not automatically transfer his assets to you,” Attorney Zack said. “We can trace your contributions, examine any fraud, and pursue the property and financial claims the evidence supports.”

Half of Archer’s current assets were investments Maddie had made to support his career.

Her expression darkened as she sent Archer and Bailee’s marriage certificate to the attorney. “Please use every legal means to recover what’s rightfully mine.”

After she hung up, Maddie sank into her chair. Exhaustion pressed down on her, but sleep wouldn’t come.

Archer would fight the divorce—she was sure of it. So until everything was settled, she couldn’t let him see even a hint of change.

Suddenly, the study door burst open.

Archer threw his jacket onto the desk and yanked Maddie up from her chair. “Do you have any idea how your impulsiveness just ruined my reputation in this community? What are you trying to prove? Are you still hung up on what happened before?”

Maddie opened her eyes slowly. Her gaze landed on Archer, calm and unreadable, but she said nothing.

The fire in Archer’s chest burned hotter, his voice climbing with anger. “Since we got married, have I wronged you even once? I come home on time every day. I tell you about every business meeting. If a woman’s going to be there, I don’t go. I’ve done all of that, and it’s still not enough for you?”

Every incident, every concession he believed he’d made to marry her was burned into his memory.

Maddie suddenly found the whole thing laughable.

She didn’t want to look at Archer another second. She rose and left the study without a backward glance.

Behind her, Archer’s voice came low and firm. “Maddie, no matter what you think, my conscience is clear.”

Her heart felt like it had been crushed under shards of ice. A piercing bitterness spread through her body, the words echoing over and over in her mind.

A clear conscience.

To him, he had done everything with a clear conscience.

The next morning, by the time Maddie woke, Archer was already gone. Breakfast sat on the table, made just the way she liked it.

Maddie pressed her lips together, a tangled mess of emotions stirring inside her.

After everything that happened last night, Archer had still remembered to make her breakfast. And yet this was the same man who had lied to her for years.

No matter what, her ties to Archer had to be cut.

Maddie ignored the breakfast and went straight to the office. Over the years, she hadn’t paid much attention to Archer’s business dealings, and many of the accounts were outdated. She needed the latest financial statements.

When the secretary saw her, she froze for a moment before greeting her. “Mrs. Williams, are you here to see Mr. Williams?”

“No,” Maddie said calmly. “Have the finance manager come see me.”

Her shares in the company were second only to Archer’s, which gave her the authority to involve herself in every business matter.

The secretary hesitated, then nodded and complied. Maddie noticed her making a quick call afterward—probably to warn Archer. Maddie didn’t stop her. Let her.

She sat in the finance office, sipping her coffee absentmindedly and flipping through the magazines on the shelf. Most were celebrity gossip rags, with a few novels and comics mixed in.

Frowning, she noticed details she’d missed before: the checkered desk mat, the scattering of cute plush toys. The most conspicuous was a pair of stuffed dolls with two English letters—A and B—printed on their clothes.

A sudden realization struck her—just as the office door swung open. Bailee hurried in.

“Sorry, Ms. Mills.” She held a cup of coffee, her voice apologetic. “I didn’t know you’d be coming by so suddenly…”