Chapter 4

Hearing this, Jax slowly let out a whistle and gave me a thumbs-up.

"Damn, Ethan. You really are a tactical genius."

Then, his brow furrowed. "But they're still blood. How can you be sure the kid will turn against his own sister?"

I looked at Jax. "That's where you come in. I need you to dig into the car accident that put Arthur Miller in a vegetative state four years ago."

Jax's eyes widened as the realization hit him.

He slapped his chest. "Say no more. Consider it done."

After Jax left, I sat alone in the quiet penthouse.

I traced my fingers over the scratched face of my luxury watch. The glass was cracked, but I still wore it.

It was the first gift Chloe had ever given me when we met in college.

To a wealthy heiress like her, it wasn't expensive. In fact, she probably thought it was cheap.

But I had worn it every single day.

I remembered what my mother told me before she passed away:

"Ethan, love fiercely, but never compromise your self-respect. Most of life's misery comes from making excuses for people who don't deserve them."

That was why she had divorced my billionaire father and built her own independent empire. She refused to be a bird in a gilded cage.

I guess that independent streak was what had attracted me to Chloe in the first place. How ironic.

My phone buzzed again. Chloe's name flashed on the screen.

"Ethan! Why was my mother's transplant canceled? You did this, didn't you?!"

"Yes," I replied smoothly. "This is my first wedding gift to you. Do you like it?"

There was a long, suffocating silence on the other end. I could practically hear her grinding her teeth.

"Fine. If you want to play dirty, don't blame me for what comes next."

I smiled. Play dirty?

She had lied to me for three years, faked her death, and secretly stole my mother's company. And she thought I was playing dirty?

My moves were gentle compared to hers.

"Does Tristan know you're legally still married to me?"

"Because I still have our marriage license right here in my drawer."

Chloe's voice turned dangerously sharp. "What are you planning to do?"

"Nothing much. Just letting your new husband know he's legally a homewrecker."

Chloe let out a cold, mocking laugh. "So what if he knows? You think a piece of paper can ruin our relationship?"

"Maybe not," I replied. "But what about the law?"

"According to the state registry, my status is 'widowed.' But you're very much alive. I wonder how many years you'll get for bigamy, identity theft, and grand larceny?"

For the first time, panic crept into Chloe's voice.

"Ethan, you wouldn't dare!"

"Just sit back and watch," I whispered. "The real show hasn't even started yet. Your second, third, and fourth gifts are already on the way."

"Let's take our time."