He Left Me For Her, I Married His Rival

Chapter 2

The next morning, Ethan blocked the door to the penthouse suite at Grandview Hotel.

He held a bouquet of wilted roses and still spoke as though he were doing me a favor.

"I'm willing to overlook what happened last night. Delete the evidence against Reed Jewelry and publicly apologize to Vanessa, and I'll allow the wedding to go ahead."

I studied him through the security monitor. "Where's the ring?"

"Vanessa's finger is badly swollen. The doctor can't remove it yet. She'll return it when she's better."

"I don't want anything that's been touched by garbage."

Ethan's face darkened. "Do you really think announcing that you're looking for a husband willing to marry into your family will make me jealous? Who else would put up with your temper?"

The elevator doors opened behind him.

First, 12 security officers in black stepped out. A tall man in a sharply cut suit followed.

His black jacket bore no gaudy logo, but a one-of-a-kind brooch gleamed at the cuff: Homecoming.

It was the award-winning piece I had entered anonymously at the Bellmont International Jewelry Expo 3 years earlier. It was also the only design I had never offered for sale.

The man stopped in front of Ethan and said only, "Move."

Ethan looked him up and down, then scoffed. "How much did Clara pay you to pretend to be her new boyfriend? At least she spent money on the props."

The executive assistant behind the stranger offered Ethan a business card.

The card identified him as Julian Hale of Hale Group in Westbridge.

Ethan's smile froze.

Hale Group controlled nearly a third of the nation's luxury jewelry supply chain. Even at the Reed family's peak, Reed Jewelry had failed to qualify as one of its regional distributors.

Julian ignored him and walked straight to me.

"Ms. Foster, did you see my application yesterday?"

"I did." My gaze dropped to the brooch. "But I don't accept proposals from men whose backgrounds I know nothing about."

He removed the brooch and placed it in my palm.

"Back in Bellmont 3 years ago, you rejected Hale Group's generous offer. You said you wouldn't lend your talent to a company without principles. I investigated the matter afterward and fired the executive who had stolen other designers' work. I petitioned the expo committee for permission to acquire Homecoming."

Then I remembered him.

He had sat in the back row at the expo. Afterward, he had asked me, "What would it take for you to join Hale Group?"

I had answered, "Come back when Hale Group truly respects designers."

Julian placed a prenuptial agreement on the table.

"Our assets remain separate, and neither of us interferes in the other's career. If either spouse cheats, the innocent spouse may file for divorce and claim 50 percent of the offender's personal assets. You may end the marriage at any time. My only condition is that while we're together, we remain faithful to each other."

It wasn't charity, and it wasn't a takeover.

He had placed the decision entirely in my hands.

Diane and Vanessa arrived just then.

Emergency responders had cut the ring off Vanessa's finger. Her right hand was now wrapped in thick gauze.

The instant Vanessa saw Julian, her eyes reddened. "Mr. Hale, my sister has a terrible temper. She only acted out of anger last night. Please don't let her use you."

Diane forced a smile and tried to win him over. "If you're interested in an alliance with the Foster family, Vanessa is far more sensible than Clara. She's also a concert pianist..."

"I'm sorry."

Julian stepped back before Vanessa's outstretched hand could touch him.

"I'm not looking for a Foster daughter or a pianist."

His gaze passed over everyone else and settled on me.

"I'm looking for Clara Foster."

Humiliated, Ethan blurted, "She was with me for 5 years. She's never..."

I threw my coffee in his face.

Julian pulled out a handkerchief and wiped a stray drop of coffee from my fingertips.

"Ms. Foster, city hall opens at 9 tomorrow morning."

I closed the agreement.

"Be there at 8:50. Don't be late."

He finally smiled.

"As you command, honey."