Chapter 1

Before our anniversary trip, my husband, Liam Hayes, ignored my protests and insisted on bringing his female assistant.

His excuse? Work couldn't wait.

The first night, I'd just slipped into some seductive nightwear when his assistant called him for a meeting.

The second night, we were mid-sex when she interrupted, demanding he review proposals.

The third night, after he emerged from her room yet again, I told him I wanted a divorce.

He exploded:

"Avery, are you kidding me? You want to divorce over this small things?"

I nodded.

"Yes. I'm doing this for your own good. Wouldn't want to get in the way of your precious work, would I?"

"Reasons?"

Liam's eyebrows shot up.

"Avery, you better explain yourself."

I leaned against the window of our hotel room, the azure waters of the Maldives stretching out below.

We were supposed to be celebrating our romantic fifth wedding anniversary here, a trip I'd meticulously planned for over half a year.

But now, that brilliant blue gouged my eyes out, making my stomach churn.

"You'll know the reasons soon enough."

Just then, the doorbell chimed.

Liam turned. His female assistant, Chloe Davies, stood in the doorway.

"Mr. Hayes, the ten o'clock conference call is about to start."

Chloe's voice was deliberately hushed, dripping with a sickeningly sweet, humble politeness.

Her gaze flickered over me, a fleeting smirk playing on her lips.

My face remained calm.

"Liam, we've been on this trip for two days, and you've had over a dozen conference calls with your assistant."

"Day or night, you two spend more time together than you do with me."

"Do you honestly think this marriage is worth saving?"

Liam frowned. "Is there something wrong with that? You know how important this merger is to me!"

"The merger?"

I stepped forward, meeting his gaze directly.

"For our fifth wedding anniversary trip, you packed three suitcases."

"Two of them were filled with documents."

"You didn't pack a single outfit for me, not even your own swim trunks, but you somehow remembered to pack ten dresses for Chloe Davies."

"Care to explain why?"

Liam was speechless.

Chloe seized the moment, a sickeningly sweet, humble smile plastered on her face. "Miss Reed, I'm so sorry, it's all my fault."

"I didn't manage the meeting schedule well and disrupted your plans with Mr. Hayes."

She lowered her head slightly, her bangs falling across her forehead, making her look both innocent and incredibly wronged.

"He's been under so much pressure lately; sometimes he forgets things. Please don't blame him."

I watched her performance, noticing how her fingers brushed against Liam's wrist as she spoke, seemingly by accident, but I knew better.

Liam didn't flinch away.

"Chloe." My voice turned cold. "I'm talking to my husband. You're out of line."

Chloe immediately took a half-step back. "My apologies, Miss Reed, I was wrong."

She looked up at Liam, her eyes wide and shimmering, like a drowned puppy, utterly pathetic.

"Mr. Hayes, I'll go prepare for the meeting. I won't disturb you any further."

"Wait."

Liam grabbed her arm.

He turned back to me, his eyes holding that familiar stubbornness.

"Avery, don't be unreasonable. You know my job is demanding."

I countered, "Demanding enough to be holed up with your assistant until two in the morning?"

Then I pulled out my phone and opened my photo album.

"Demanding enough that she can call you by your first name, while I, your wife, need to schedule an appointment just to have dinner with you?"

Chloe's face shifted, but quickly reverted to her innocent expression.

"Miss Reed, you've misunderstood."

"Yesterday, there were just so many documents, we..."

"Shut up."

I cut her off without ceremony.

Liam's brows furrowed.

"Avery! How can you speak to Chloe like that? Everyone knows she's my most indispensable assistant!"

I scoffed, "If she's so indispensable, then tell me, what significant contributions has she made to the company? How many major deals has she landed?"

Liam was momentarily silent.

Chloe lowered her head, putting on a show of self-reproach.

"Miss Reed is right. I still have many shortcomings and haven't been able to alleviate more of Mr. Hayes's pressure."

Liam, seeing her act, immediately clapped her shoulder, a look of tender concern on his face, then turned to glare at me.

"Avery, that's enough!"

"Chloe has been working almost non-stop on this merger. Can't you see her dedication?"

"What right do you have to question her?"

"Non-stop?" I sneered. "Right, even on our anniversary trip, she's glued to your side day and night. She must be truly exhausted."

Liam's face flushed scarlet. He raised his voice. "Could you just drop the passive-aggressive act? Chloe is my assistant. Her job is to help me. What's wrong with that?"

"Are you seriously asking me to abandon all my work just because you're being unreasonable?"

"I'm being unreasonable?"

I repeated his words, suddenly finding them utterly absurd and laughable.

I pointed at Chloe.

"You two shared a room until dawn last night. As your wife, I was left to sleep alone."

"She brazenly touched your hand right in front of me, and you couldn't even bother to flinch away."

"Ever since she joined the company, no matter what happens, if she opens her mouth, it's always my fault."

"I'm not even allowed to question her!"

"And all of this, in your eyes, is just me being unreasonable?"

Liam was momentarily speechless. Chloe quickly interjected, "Miss Reed, you really misunderstand. I have nothing but respect for Mr. Hayes, no other intentions whatsoever!"

"No other intentions?" I scoffed. "No one in their right mind would believe that!"

Liam exploded. He practically shoved Chloe behind him.

"Avery, that's enough! Chloe is my assistant, and she's my friend. I won't let you insult her like that!"