“He doesn’t know about the slow-poison plan,” Luke answered. “But he definitely knew she wanted to pressure you into signing a divorce agreement. After the gala tonight, they planned to come back here together, claim you’d become completely hysterical, and force you to legally surrender your corporate shares.”

I got up with great difficulty and walked slowly into the dressing room. At the very bottom of the safe drawer lay a thick black folder that hadn’t been touched in years.

I opened it carefully, and the distinct smell of old paper brought back the powerful memory of my father’s voice.

My father, Lawrence Mendoza, had been one of the most respected corporate lawyers in the country. When Christopher was just an ambitious young man with a debt-ridden business project, my father invested heavily in him—but he made him sign a strict prenuptial agreement first.

According to that contract, if Christopher ever committed proven adultery, fifty-one percent of the total shares of the Grand Horizon Group would automatically pass to my name and my son’s name.

“Your grandfather never trusted him from the very beginning,” I murmured.