Alex was furious that I’d left on my own.


    But I spent that entire afternoon at the coffee shop next door, handling paperwork with awyer.


    Until dark, Alex never came back.


    I didn’t bother calling him. Why would I?


    One outfit change and I’m invisible to him anyway.


    Once my overseas paperwork was done, I hit the mall for new clothes.


    For years, I’d worn nothing but white, hoping Alex would notice me. My closet looked like a funeral home.


    Now the sight of it made me sick.


    sales associate held up a fire-red dress.


    was about to pay when a cold voice cut in.


    I want that one too.”


    turned. Maya’s arrogant face stared back at me.


    he looked me up and down.


    Grace, what are you still fighting for? Wasn’t the airport enough of a wake-up call?”


    Alex doesn’t love you. You could buy designer everything and he’d still treat you like air.”


    didn’t waste words and pulled out my ck card.


    Wrap up everything she touched, plus this entire collection.”


    And escort her out.”


    he sales associate moved to clear her out, but then Alex appeared.


    He walked straight to Maya without even ncing my way.


    Package the dress for Miss Torres.”


    The associate looked stunned. “But Mr. Carter, thisdy is your-”


    I’d done smoky eye makeup and wore a wild orange wig with loose curls.


    Of course Alex didn’t recognize me.


    “Who is this chick anyway?” Alex’s voice wasn’t loud, but the whole store heard him clearly,


    “Some random woman thinks she canpete with Maya?”


    He turned to the frozen sales associate, his tone brooking no argument.


    “Starting today, memorize Miss Torres’s face. Every single Carter enterprise will give her priority service.”


    Maya tossed the dress aside with fake generosity. “Don’t bother. I don’t need it.”


    “Let the unloved have their scraps.” <fn502c> For original chapters go to f?ndnovel</fn502c>


    Alex didn’t argue. “Whatever makes you happy.”


    I stood there watching Alex’s eyes stay glued to Maya, and whatever warmth I had left diedpletely.


    Back at the house I’d lived in for three years, the security system rejected me.


    I was about to call the housekeeper when the door opened from inside.


    Maya stood there in my slippers, wrapped in Alex’s bathrobe.


    She frowned like she’d stepped in something gross.


    “I thought you had some ss, that you’d know when to back off.”


    “What’s the point of chasing Alex? What’s the point of copying me in white dresses?”


    I stood outside in the night wind, shivering.


    She was right. What was the point?


    What was I even hoping for anymore?


    pulled off the diamond ring Alex had designed himself.


    ck card. Car keys. Even our marriage certificate.


    Then I turned around and walked away, never looking back.


    Outside, I pulled out a new phone and dialed a number I hadn’t called in years.


    Hey, it’s me.”


    Starting now, Mrs. Carter doesn’t exist anymore.”