Chapter 1
When the kiss ended, my boyfriend, Jude Calder, suddenly pulled me into his arms. "Honey, your coworker has a great figure. Can you give me her contact info later?"
I stared at him, stunned.
He pinched my cheek, his voice a little rough. "I just want something different now and then. You understand, right?"
I stayed quiet for a few seconds, then pulled away from him. "I understand, but I won't accept it."
That same night, I set my engagement ring down on the table.
He frowned deeply. "Bettina, what are you throwing a fit about now?"
I grabbed my suitcase and walked out, never looking back. "I'm going to find something different too."
Three years later, he had his fun and came looking for me again.
I smiled, and right in front of him, I dialed his worst rival's number. "Honey, your rival is here to take your future wife away."
*****
Jude got the coworker's contact info just as he wanted. He hummed a little tune and reached for my hand.
I froze.
His careless words kept running through my head. They made me feel sick to my stomach. A sharp pain spread through my chest.
I pulled my hand away hard, got out of bed, and grabbed my clothes, putting them on quickly.
Jude propped himself up on one elbow. "Where are you going at this hour?"
"I'm going back to the staff dormitory."
He sounded annoyed. "It's midnight, Bettina. Stop acting like this."
My voice felt stiff. "I have work tomorrow."
He let out a short laugh, stood up, and looked at me with one eyebrow raised. "Bettina, you will always stay here with me. When have you ever slept in the staff dormitory? Come on, go back to sleep. I'll drive you to the office in the morning." He stepped forward, wrapped his arms around my waist, and his breath brushed against my neck.
I turned my head away and quietly pried his hands off. Then I quickly finished getting dressed, picked up my bag from the table, and headed for the door.
Jude had always been quick-tempered and cared deeply about his pride. He had already gone out of his way to smooth things over. When I didn't do what he wanted, he felt humiliated. He let out a cold huff and lay back down.
Seeing me about to leave, his voice turned even colder. "Fine. You've got some nerve, throwing a tantrum like this. Go if you want. I'm not stopping you. If something happens, it's your own fault, none of my business."
I paused. A bitter ache spread through me, and my eyes began to burn.
I held back my tears, but my voice shook a little. "Don't worry. I won't call you."
Then I walked faster and left the room.
