Chapter 1 - THE CONTRACT AFTER THE WEDDINGThe morning after my wedding, my new mother-in-law slid a contract across the table and told me I had to pay $3,000 a month to live in the house.
She didn't smile.
She didn't even pretend this was a family conversation.
“This family isn't a charity,” Patricia said coldly.
I looked down at the document.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AGREEMENT.
My eyes moved down the first page.
Rent.
Utilities.
Food.
Household expenses.
Three thousand dollars every month.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
My stomach tightened.
Buried beneath several paragraphs of legal language was a clause giving my husband, Hunter, authority over my credit profile.
Not just access.
Control.
He could request information.
Open accounts.
Authorize financial applications.
And potentially use my credit history to secure loans.
I slowly looked up.
“Who drafted this?”
Patricia shrugged.
“Our family attorney.”
Hunter sat beside her, calmly drinking Earl Grey tea.
The same man who had kissed me beneath a cathedral chandelier less than twenty-four hours earlier.
The same man who had held my hands and promised that he would protect me for the rest of my life.
Now he wouldn't even look at me.
“Tess,” he said, sounding irritated, “don't make this more dramatic than it needs to be.”
I stared at him.
“More dramatic?”
“Yes.”
He put down his cup.
“My mother has always handled the family's finances. Everyone contributes.”
“Everyone?”
“Yes.”
I pointed at the contract.
“Then why does everyone else have a fixed salary while I'm being charged rent?”
Hunter sighed.
“Because you're not bringing much into the marriage.”
The words were quiet.
But they cut deeper than shouting.
I had spent two years pretending to be Tess Morgan, an ordinary PR assistant from a small town.
I wore inexpensive clothes.
I drove a ten-year-old sedan.
I rented a tiny apartment.
I never mentioned my family.
I never talked about money.
I wanted to know whether Hunter loved me for me.
My real name was Theresa Sterling.
My family owned Sterling Global Holdings.
A company worth billions.
But Hunter didn't know.
Nobody in his family knew.
And now I was looking at the man I had almost trusted with my entire heart.
Then the front doors opened.
A woman's laughter echoed through the foyer.
“Oh, good. Everyone's here.”
I recognized the voice.
Lexi.
Hunter's mistress.
She walked into the room wearing a red designer dress and carrying a handbag that looked expensive until you actually examined it.
She smiled at Hunter.
Then kissed his cheek.
“Did you miss me?”
Hunter didn't answer.
Patricia did.
“Of course he did.”
Lexi looked at me.
“Oh.”
Her smile widened.
“The little charity case is still here.”
My fingers tightened around the contract.
Hunter finally looked at me.
“Tess…”
I raised one hand.
“Don't.”
Lexi laughed.
“Don't what?”
I looked at her.
“Pretend you belong here.”
Her smile disappeared.
Patricia slammed her hand onto the table.
“Enough!”
I stood.
“Actually, I agree.”
Everyone looked at me.
I picked up the contract.
Then tore it cleanly in half.
Patricia's mouth fell open.
Hunter stood so quickly his chair nearly toppled.
“What did you just do?”
“I rejected your offer.”
“You don't get to reject anything.”
I smiled.
“That is where you're wrong.”
Hunter stepped toward me.
“You have no idea what you're doing.”
“Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing.”
I reached into my purse.
Hunter expected to see my wallet.
Instead, I pulled out a black card.
His eyes narrowed.
“What is that?”
I placed it on the table.
The American Express Centurion card gleamed under the chandelier.
Lexi laughed.
“That's fake.”
I smiled.
“Interesting.”
Hunter stared at the card.
Then at me.
“What are you trying to prove?”
“Nothing.”
I picked up my purse.
“I've simply decided that this marriage is no longer worth three thousand dollars a month.”
Patricia scoffed.
“You're leaving?”
“Yes.”
“You'll come crawling back.”
I opened the door.
“No.”
I looked over my shoulder.
“You'll be the ones calling me.”
Then I walked out.
I had barely reached my car when my phone rang.
It was my father.
“Theresa?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“Are you all right?”
I looked back at Hunter's house.
“Yes.”
Then I smiled.
“It's time.”
My father was silent for a moment.
“Are you sure?”
“Completely.”
“Then I'll make the call.”
I hung up.
Across town, Hunter's phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?”
His face changed.
The caller was the chairman of Sterling Global Holdings.
And the first words he heard were:
“Hunter Caldwell, we need to discuss your company's outstanding debt.”
Hunter froze.
Because he didn't know the man calling him was my father.
May you like
And he had absolutely no idea that by trying to steal my credit...
he had just put his entire company under my family's microscope.
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