Part 1:
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I arrived carrying red tulips, two first-class tickets to Paris, and a ridiculous smile I could not hide. TravelGuides & Travelogues
Valentine’s Day had always meant something special to Daniel and me.
Not flowers.
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Not chocolate.
Paris. TravelGuides & Travelogues
For years, Daniel had promised, “One day, Olivia, I’ll take you there and make you forget every ugly boardroom we survived.”
That year, I decided I would be the one to make it happen.
But when the elevator opened on the forty-second floor of Whitmore & Vale, thunderous applause filled the hallway.
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For one foolish second, I thought Daniel had somehow discovered my surprise and prepared one of his own.
Then I noticed the champagne tower.
The silver balloons.
And the enormous banner stretched across the glass conference-room wall.
CONGRATULATIONS, DANIEL & VIVIENNE
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My fingers tightened around the tulip stems.
Daniel stood near the conference room in the navy suit I had helped him choose. Beside him was Vivienne Shaw, the company’s recently appointed CEO, dressed in white silk with one hand resting possessively against his chest. BusinessOperations
Before I could move, my husband leaned forward and kissed her.
It was not a friendly kiss.
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It was slow, intimate, and painfully familiar.
The employees cheered.
Then Daniel lifted Vivienne’s left hand, revealing a large diamond ring beneath the office lights.
Vivienne laughed.
“I said yes.”
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Someone in the crowd shouted, “Power couple!”
My husband smiled as though he had conquered the world. Marriage
Meanwhile, I stood twelve feet away holding a trip to Paris in one hand and flowers in the other.
Daniel finally noticed me.
His smile disappeared.
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Vivienne followed his gaze. Her expression did not show guilt.
It showed calculation.
The applause faded until the entire floor fell silent.
“Olivia,” Daniel said.
My name sounded almost insulting in his mouth.
I looked at the diamond, then at him.
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“Congratulations.”
His face drained of color.
“This isn’t what it looks like.”
“It looks like my husband just became engaged to another woman inside the company I created.” Marriage
No one moved.
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Vivienne raised her chin.
“Perhaps this conversation should happen privately.”
I smiled at her.
“You chose an audience.”
I placed the tulips on the reception desk, opened the airline application, and canceled both Paris tickets while Daniel watched. TravelGuides & Travelogues
His phone vibrated.
Mine followed.
The first confirmation informed me that the joint marital accounts had been frozen.
The second message came from my attorney.
