"I'm back in town. Do you still want me?" Staring at that text from my first love, I drifted into a daze, lost in memories. Suddenly, a hand snatched my phone away. Hudson was standing over me, his brows furrowed in irritation. "What are you doing? Since when do you snoop through my phone?" he snapped. Before I could answer, he crossed his arms, looking down at me. "I’ve told you a thousand times, Maya. Seraphina is, and always will be, the most important person in my life." When I didn't immediately respond, he added, almost as an afterthought, "But don't worry. I'm not going to divorce you." I felt a twitch in my jaw. He was having a completely different conversation than I was. "Hudson," I said calmly, pointing to his hand. "That's not your phone." Hudson’s face dropped instantly. His grip on the device tightened as he looked at the screen. Then he looked back at me, his expression twisting into something ugly. "Who is this guy?" 01 Hudson glared at me, demanding an answer. I knew that in moments like this, any hesitation would only fuel his paranoia. He lived for control, and a random text from another man was a threat to that control. I leaned back against the headboard, matching his intensity with a flat stare. "That's probably my ex-boyfriend." Hudson’s jaw set hard. He gripped my phone so tightly I thought the screen might crack. I had to clear my throat and pointedly look at his white knuckles before he finally threw the phone back onto the mattress. To give him a little credit, it was an easy mistake to make. Our phones were identical models, sitting side-by-side on the nightstand. And apparently, our pasts were identical, too. A year ago, when his precious Seraphina crawled back into his life, she had sent him the exact same text, word for word. I'm back in town. Do you still want me? It would have been funny if it wasn't so pathetic. The only difference was the timestamp. He was so busy raging that he hadn't noticed this text arrived five minutes ago, not five years ago. Hudson, who had been on his way out the door to a meeting, suddenly lost his sense of urgency. He dropped onto the edge of the bed, trying and failing to look nonchalant. "An ex, huh?" Despite having already told him, I just nodded. "Yeah. An ex." Technically, he was the ex. My high school sweetheart, my college love, my fiancé. The guy I was supposed to grow old with until Hudson’s father orchestrated a dynamic corporate merger that involved our marriage certificate. "How long did that last?" Hudson pressed, his voice taut. "Total? Almost ten years." "When did it end?" "2019." Exactly one year before I married Hudson. Time was cruel. In the blink of an eye, I’d been trapped in this vanilla-scented prison with Hudson for nearly five years. Hudson seemed to physically decompress. He scoffed, seemingly deciding that this ghost from my past wasn't a real threat to his ego. "Whatever," he mumbled. Then, shifting gears awkwardly, he said, "Our fifth anniversary is coming up soon. I was thinking we should go to..." "Are you still sticking to that arrangement you mentioned a few months ago?" I interrupted, my voice sharp. "About us leading separate lives?" We had both started speaking at the same time, and we both stopped abruptly. Hudson stared down at his Italian leather shoes, his face a mask of unreadable thoughts. I didn't have the patience to wait for him to process. "You were saying?" I prompted. "Where are we going for our anniversary?" "To my family's estate," he flatly replied. I let out a soft "oh." Thank god I hadn't let my hopes get up. For a split second, I actually thought he wanted to do something just for us. But no, it was just another mandatory appearance at a Sterling family gathering. Hudson sank back into his moody silence. I studied his profile. Even in the dim light, he was undeniably handsome—chiseled jawline, dark hair. But it was a cold, lifeless beauty. I couldn't see a single flicker of genuine emotion on his face. Feeling bold, or maybe just exhausted, I asked again. "What you said about separate lives... does that still stand?" 02 He had said it two months ago, in a fit of rage when I actually questioned him about where he’d been all night. "For Christ's sake, Maya! Stop smothering me," he had yelled. "If you're that bored, go find your own entertainment. I don't care if you sleep with someone else, just don't make a scene about it." I remembered the absolute agony of that moment. It felt like I’d been punched in the gut, the breath stolen right out of my lungs. But now? Now, I felt a strange sense of relief that he had opened that door. Time really is the best scriptwriter. It doesn't spare anyone, but sometimes it offers twists you never saw coming. Hudson let out a dry, mirthless laugh. "Stands. Of course, it stands." He pushed himself up from the bed, moving with that aggressive, purposeful stride of his. He grabbed the door handle, but paused before opening it. He didn't turn around, but his voice came back to me clear as a bell. "Just remember one thing, Maya." "You are my wife. Whatever you do, keep it discreet. Do not embarrass this family." "Understood," I replied, my voice sweet as poisoned honey. He was setting the standard, after all. I certainly wasn't going to be the one causing scenes by lighting up downtown landmarks with light shows for my lover, or getting into high-profile shoving matches at charity galas. He had those bases covered. Hudson turned back to look at me, a flicker of something—was it suspicion?—in his eyes. "You'd best make it very clear to whoever this guy is that you are married." "I don't need a scandal that affects both our families' holdings." I nodded. A remarkably practical point. "I will." I watched him. He still hadn't actually left the room. "Anything else you need to lecture me on before you go?" His fingers drummed a nervous beat against his thigh. "What's his name?" Before I could get annoyed, he held up a hand. "I'm not asking for that reason. I just want to make sure you're not getting swindled by some opportunist." I didn't believe him for a second, but I didn't care. "Ethan. Ethan Reed." "Ethan Reed? CEO of Reed Innovation? Son of Elias Reed?" "I think so." I knew for a fact he was the founder of Reed Innovation, and his father was indeed Elias Reed, the tech mogul. But I didn't see a reason to give Hudson the satisfaction of knowing I was fully informed. Hudson didn't stay to chat this time. He turned on his heel and walked out, closing the door firmly behind him. 03 Hudson got into his Aston Martin, but he didn't start the engine. He sat there, gripping the steering wheel, a sense of irritation gnawing at his gut. He didn't know why he was so annoyed. Ethan Reed was a non-threat, really. Hudson knew him, had run into him at a few tech conferences. He was rich, handsome, and successful—maybe even more successful than Hudson, which stung a bit. But Ethan was also a man of some principles. He was arrogant and high-handed, yes, but he had a reputation for being ethical in his personal life. He probably had no idea I was married. Hudson was sure that once Ethan learned the truth, he would back off. Ethan wouldn't waste his time on a messy scandal. And besides, Hudson told himself, Maya didn't have that kind of pull over a man. She wasn't... special enough. His phone rang, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was Seraphina. He had promised to take her to a new, exclusive restaurant downtown tonight. He let it ring three times before picking up. "Hey. Something came up at work. I can't make it tonight. Let's do it another time." Seraphina sounded disappointed, of course, but she was always so understanding. "Okay, Hudson. Work comes first. Take care." Work wasn't actually the problem, but he wasn't about to explain that. He was going to sit in his car and brood. This was the dynamic he needed. This was the woman he loved. Hudson wanted a woman like Seraphina—someone soft, understanding, someone who adored him and deferred to him. He absolutely did not want a woman like Maya—smart, sharp, and always looking for the truth with that unsettlingly direct gaze of hers. 04 I sat in the middle of our massive bed, staring at the phone, deliberating. Finally, I decided to reply. Hudson had forced the door open, and I was going to walk through it. [Is this Ethan?] A long pause followed. Just as I was about to give up and accept that I’d made things so messy years ago that he wouldn't even reply, a simple answer popped up. [Yes.] Our breakup had been ugly. Cruel, even. He felt betrayed when I abruptly broke off the engagement and married Hudson Sterling weeks later. He left the country immediately afterward and hadn't been back since. Part of me believed he would never contact me again. That we were dead and buried. It took me a full year after he left to stop feeling like a hollowed-out tree. And then, I had married Hudson, a strategic move by my father. Initially, I had allowed myself to be swept away by the glamour of Hudson's world. I was desperate for something to distract me from the loss of Ethan. But by year four, the distraction had worn off. And then his "White Moonlight" had returned. Seraphina. It was a cliché, a cheap telenovela plotline. She had been driven away by the Sterling family's disapproval years ago. But when she came back, crying and explaining how she had been forced to leave him, all of Hudson's logic and principles dissolved. When I first confronted him about Seraphina, he was resolute. He looked me in the eye and said, "Seraphina is the most important person in my life. If she hadn't left, I never would have married you." With one terrified look from Seraphina, Hudson was ready to become a weapon against me, to use his power to protect her from my "jealousy." It was as if our five years of marriage had meant absolutely nothing. Yet, neither of us mentioned divorce. The Sterling and Price corporate alliance was too profitable, too complex to simply unwind. So, fine. Separate lives. In this circle, it was so common it was barely worth gossiping about. As long as the money wasn't threatened. But my stomach still felt twisted in knots. Over the years, I had changed so much. I had no idea what Ethan was like now. [I'm married.] Those two words felt incredibly heavy as I typed them. The seconds dragged on into minutes, becoming an agonizing wait. I stared at the screen, my heart pounding against my ribs. Finally, a question mark appeared. [?] I bit my lip, agonizing over what to do next. My fingers hovered over the keyboard. Finally, I decided to just lay it out. [I'm married, but it's... complicated. It's an arrangement, not a real marriage.] I was still typing the final few words, explaining that our lives were completely separate, when an image appeared on his end. His reply was a screenshot of his text conversations. The screen was completely empty. There was no text that said I'm back in town. Do you still want me? I froze. I realized that my own mind must have twisted things, or maybe Hudson had planted it? No, that was too complex for him. Panic set in. I was desperate to delete the text I’d just sent, but it was too late. It was out there. A couple of seconds passed before a new message appeared from his side. [Wait, I know what happened. I was at a brunch with some friends this afternoon, and we played a game of Truth or Dare. One of them must have grabbed my phone and sent that. He deleted it afterward, so I didn't even know. If that caused you any problems, I'm genuinely sorry.] 05 Disappointment flooded me, followed by an agonizing wave of humiliation. How arrogant did I have to be to think Ethan Reed would come back for me? For the woman who had crushed his heart and was now officially Mrs. Sterling. I had become so cynical that I assumed everyone was as calculated and transactional as the people in Hudson's world. I had projected my own desire for escape onto him, assuming he was desperate to have me back. I was no better than Hudson. The realization stung, a bitter taste in my mouth. Shame washing over me, I quickly typed out my apology. [I'm so sorry. I completely misunderstood.] Ethan didn't reply. I couldn't stay in this house, in this vast, sterile monument to my bad choices. Hudson wouldn't be back, and even if he was, his presence would only make the silence louder. I went to a club downtown, a place I frequented, and started drinking, one glass of expensive whiskey after another, until my vision blurred and the noise became a dull roar in my ears. Through the haze, I saw a familiar figure moving towards me. For a moment, I thought it was Ethan, but no, this man was too cold, too distant. At least Ethan, in his arrogance, had always looked at me with heat, with anger. This man looked at me as if I was just another piece of scenery in his path. I let my eyes close. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in an unfamiliar bed, the morning sun streaming through the windows. I sat up, rubbing my temples to soothe the throbbing headache, and my gaze landed on Ethan Reed. He was sitting on a chair on the balcony, watching me. He was wearing a simple grey button-down, the top two buttons undone, revealing just a hint of his collarbone. His sleeves were rolled up, showing off his tanned forearms and a long, jagged scar that ran along one of them. Five years had passed, but his sharp features were unchanged. If anything, time had only honed his arrogance into a more focused, imposing presence. "Ethan," I croaked. "Thank you for... not just leaving me there." I remembered bits of last night. I remembered finding out about the prank and getting wasted. I remembered running into him outside the club and absolutely refusing to let go of his arm. He had had no choice but to bring me here. He turned back from the view. "Don't worry about it. I wouldn't have left a stranger in that state, let alone you." His message was loud and clear: Don't read anything into this. I gave a self-deprecating smile. "Right. Well, I should probably go. I've overstayed my welcome." I had only taken a few steps towards the door when he called out my name. "Maya. There's the small matter of the bill." I froze. Right. The club tab. He had covered it. I pulled out my phone. "How much do I owe you?" "Fifty-two thousand, eight hundred." My hand stalled. That number seemed entirely too high. I looked at him, confused, and he answered before I could ask the question. "And for the dry-cleaning bill for my suit." A flash of memory from last night returned, sharp and horrifying. I had thrown up on his bespoke Italian wool suit. Five years later, our first reunion, and that's what I had managed to do. I wanted to melt into the floorboards and disappear forever. I quickly rounded the number up and sent him sixty thousand dollars, then practically sprinted out the door. 06 Physically and emotionally exhausted, I got back home and took another long shower, as if I could wash away the embarrassment. Then I crawled under the duvet and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. I was half-asleep when I heard the front door close. It was Hudson. He was the only other person with a key. My mind slowly cleared as I listened to his footsteps approaching the bedroom door. He paused at the foot of the bed, and I could feel the weight of his gaze on me. I tried to regulate my breathing, to look like I was in a peaceful slumber. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. I could hear every rustle of his clothing, every shifting movement. Then, I heard a specific sound. He had picked up my phone from the nightstand. My password hadn't changed since college. It was childishly easy for him to unlock. There was a moment of silence as he scrolled, and then his breathing changed. He had found what he was looking for. I didn't have any real secrets. But I didn't know why he would suddenly start checking my phone now. Another silent beat, and then he let out a dry, mirthless laugh. "I knew it." "You have absolutely no situational awareness, Maya." He tossed the phone back onto the nightstand, turned, and walked out of the room. Only after the front door closed with a firm click did I dare to move. I huddled under the duvet, pulling it tight around me. I knew exactly what he had seen. My conversation with Ethan. "No situational awareness." I repeated the words in my head. The humiliation felt like a raw, physical wound. He didn't care that I had gone to see another man. He was just amused by how pathetic I was, how utterly I had failed to even create a scandal. As the realization settled in, my eyes stung, and the tears started to flow, soaking my pillow. Then my phone buzzed. Once, twice, three times. I didn't care. I let it be. But then it turned into a call, and the ringing was relentless. Irritated, I grabbed the phone. It was Ethan Reed. I wiped my tears and cleared my throat, trying to regain some composure. I let it ring for another few seconds before picking up. "What is it, Ethan?" He didn't answer my question. "What's wrong with your voice?" I instinctively lied. "Nothing. Just a bit of a cold. Is there something you need?" The line went silent for a few seconds. "You left something here." "I need you to come pick it up. Tonight." He hung up before I could refuse, and a new message popped up with his address. He was clearly making it non-negotiable. 07 When I arrived at the apartment, Ethan opened the door immediately. He didn't look like the friendly guy I’d known in high school. He looked efficient and cold, but I couldn't blame him. I was the one who had crossed his boundaries, not the other way around. I had to get my head in the game. I decided that acting like we were strangers or being overly polite was just drawing attention to the elephant in the room. We had known each other for twenty years. Pretending we didn't have history would be transparently fake. I’d even brought him a small gift: a boxed set of carved alabaster chess pieces. I knew his only real hobby was chess, and this was a set he’d coveted since we were in college. I didn't miss the split-second flash of delight in his eyes as he opened the box. "You bought these for me?" I nodded, offering him a warm smile. Ethan turned one of the pieces over in his long, lean fingers. The pale stone looked elegant in his hand. "A wife, a life..." he muttered to himself. I jolted, confused. "What?" Ethan's face was a mask of impassive calm. "Nothing. I was just thinking of an old proverb." He was looking so normal that I assumed I must have misheard him. The two phrases sounded similar enough. "Ethan," I prompted. "What did I leave here?" Ethan picked up his phone. A second later, my phone chimed. [7,200] He had just transferred me seven thousand, two hundred dollars. I stared at the screen, bewildered. "I don't understand. Why did you make me come all the way down here for a transfer?" Ethan took a sip of his whiskey. "I have a rule about in-person transactions. I like to confirm receipt face-to-face." Seven thousand dollars. A sum so small for a man like him it wasn't worth the whiskey he was currently drinking. I nodded slowly, trying to process this logic. "Right. Okay." I made to turn around and leave, but he stopped me. "That transfer was to repay you for overpaying last night. But we haven't actually settled up. You still owe me a favor." I sighed. Fine. That was fair. "Okay. What is it?" "I need you to accompany me to a gala tonight." My eyes went wide. "Ethan, every single person in this city knows I am Hudson Sterling's wife. Me being with you will look..." "Every single person in this city also knows that you and I were engaged for four years and have known each other since we were ten. Our history precedes your current corporate merger." He was remarkable. Utterly resolute, completely unbothered by the potential scandal. And maybe he was right. If we went as friends, as "old acquaintances," maybe it wouldn't be a big deal. We didn't say another word on the drive over. The silence was deafening. Just as the valet opened my door, Ethan stopped me. He offered me his arm, indicating I should take it. As we walked into the grand ballroom, we collided directly with the two people I wanted to see least in this world. Hudson Sterling and Seraphina. Hudson looked like he wanted to murder me. He was glaring with absolute fury at my arm, which was hooked through Ethan's. But wasn't Seraphina hooked through his arm, too? He’d been parading her around at every high-profile event for a year now, using her job as his "secretary" as a flimsy excuse for their constant companionship. How dared he look at me with such judgment? I didn't let go of Ethan's arm. Instead, I gave it a playful, provocative squeeze, my eyes fixed directly on Hudson. Ethan’s muscles felt much tighter and bigger than Hudson's. A completely irrelevant but satisfying thought in the moment. Hudson was still blocking our path. "Mr. Sterling," Ethan stated, his voice smooth and cold. "Is there a problem?" Hudson looked like he was about to physically drag me away, but Ethan stepped slightly in front of me, an immovable wall. Hudson took a deep, forced breath, fighting for control. "We need to talk. Somewhere private." I took a good look at the people around us. Everyone was staring, of course, their eyes darting between Hudson, Seraphina, Ethan, and me. Hudson was the Sterling heir, and his "affair" with his secretary was an open secret. He was a man, a powerful CEO; no one was going to judge him. But for me? They would crucify me. I sighed. I just wanted this over with. "Fine. Let's go outside." 08 I walked ahead, and Hudson followed. Seraphina didn't let go of his arm, naturally, and followed him right out the door. Her expression was a perfect cocktail of smug triumph and feigned victimhood. I didn't care about her petty little dramas anymore. Hudson suddenly stopped in his tracks, glaring at Ethan, who was right behind me. "What do you think you're doing, Reed? I don't recall this being a group meeting." "She’s following you, isn't she?" Ethan and I had spoken at the exact same moment, our voices matching in icy contempt. Hudson was choked up by our unified front. He looked utterly enraged, but he didn't have a comeback. Finally, he led us to an isolated corner of the garden, near a decorative lake. Hudson wasted no time. "What is your relationship with this guy, Maya? He's your ex-fiancé, isn't he?" I looked at him with pure disbelief. "Hudson, you're smarter than this. A man can be an ex-fiancé and an old friend. This isn't that complex." He knew our history, he just refused to acknowledge it. He was reacting purely out of dynamic possessiveness. Ethan Reed was apparently feeling the need to add fuel to the fire. "And her first love," Ethan chimed in, offering a dry, challenging smile. "And the man she was promised to before you swooped in." Hudson’s face dropped. I could see the absolute rage burning in his eyes. He advanced on Ethan, grabbing him by the lapels of his suit jacket. "So what? I'm the one who married her. I'm her husband." Ethan didn't back down. He grabbed Hudson’s hands. "I left, and you got a chance. Now I'm back, and you don't stand a chance." "She is my wife!" Hudson roared. "Do you have absolutely no shame, Reed?" Ethan gave a low laugh. "We both know you're only here with her because I am. You don't love her, Sterling. You're just possessive of your investments. You're the one without any shame." Hudson lost it. He swung a fist, connecting hard with Ethan's jaw. Ethan staggered back, but didn't fall. A dry smile played on his lips. "Okay. I’ll give you that one, just because I feel sorry for you." That only made Hudson more furious. He lunged at Ethan again, and the two of them devolved into a brutal, dynamic brawl on the gravel path. Seraphina tried to intervene, but her attempts to pull them apart were pathetic. In fact, she was almost knocked over in the chaos. I watched the whole farce unfold, leaning against a tree, utterly detached. Xin Yuan was glaring at me with raw hatred. "You're just loving this, aren't you?" she hissed, coming over to me. "Watching two men fight over you. You think you're so special." "Honestly, I don't really care," I replied, watching them grapple. "I don't understand what Ethan is trying to prove, and as for Hudson... he’s just acting like a toddler who doesn't want anyone else to play with his toy." Xin Yuan looked like she wanted to spit at me. "Xin Yuan," I stated, decided to twist the knife a little. "Think about this logically. When you tried to intervene, Hudson didn't even notice you. He shoved you away like an annoyance." "For all your talk of being the 'most important person,' his body's actual reactions say something completely different." Her expression twisted into something monstrous. I had hit the bullseye. Our five-year marriage was a tangible, undeniable reality. And every interaction we had, every flicker of possessiveness, every moment of familiarity, was a reminder to her that she had been gone, and I had been here. I could see a flicker of desperate resolve in her eyes. I knew she was about to pull something. A second later, she screamed and threw herself backwards into the lake. I didn't even have time to think. Instinct took over, and I immediately dived in after her. She looked shocked when she saw me in the water beside her. She thrashed, and under the cover of the splashing water, she pulled me close and whispered, "Let's see who he chooses, Maya. You're going to lose." Then, using my shoulder for leverage, she pushed off and swam away towards the far side of the lake, leaving me struggling with my heavy gown. The other two finally noticed us in the water. Ethan Reed panicked. "Maya!" I gasped for air, struggling to stay afloat as my heavy dress absorbed the water. "I'm okay, Ethan! I'm over here!" Ethan immediately swam towards me. Hudson Sterling followed right behind him, but only after seeing that Ethan was going for me did he turn and swim towards Xin Yuan.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "406298", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel