Chapter 3 3

Aletha stood on the sidewalk outside Soho House, the cold Manhattan wind biting through her thin trench coat. She pulled the lapels tighter against her chest.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket.

She pulled it out. It was an urgent call from the private lawyer managing the Glenn family trust fund.

"Mrs. Glenn, I have emailed you a supplementary document regarding your prenuptial agreement. According to clause 4B, this specific addendum requires you to personally print and present it to the CEO for his signature immediately. It's highly time-sensitive," the lawyer stated briskly.

Aletha swallowed the thick lump of humiliation blocking her throat. She hailed a cab and gave the driver the address for the Glenn Industries headquarters in Midtown.

She pushed through the heavy revolving glass doors and walked straight toward the massive marble front desk in the center of the lobby.

"I need to go up to the top floor," Aletha said.

The receptionist looked up from her screen, her polite smile entirely superficial. "Good morning, Mrs. Glenn," she said, her tone perfectly trained but laced with a subtle, dismissive edge. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Glenn is currently occupied and has left strict instructions not to be disturbed. I'm afraid I cannot let you up without his direct confirmation."

Aletha reached into her bag and pulled out the exclusive black elevator card that proved her status. She swiped it against the security turnstile.

A harsh red light flashed on the scanner. A mechanical error beep echoed loudly.

"Access denied. Card frozen," the machine announced.

Several high-level executives walking through the lobby stopped and turned their heads, casting curious and judgmental stares at the woman causing a scene at the gates.

Aletha bit the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted copper. She lowered her head and quickly slipped into a standard employee elevator just as a large group of managers badged in.

The elevator dinged at the fiftieth floor, the highest public access level. Aletha stepped out, dodging the line of sight of the roaming security guards, and pushed through the heavy fire doors into the emergency stairwell. Her heels clicked sharply against the concrete as she climbed the remaining two flights, her breathing tight but controlled. She pushed open the heavy door to the fifty-second floor and walked quickly toward the CEO's office.

The heavy, double mahogany doors were slightly ajar. A sliver of warm light spilled out onto the carpet.

Aletha took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and felt her heart shatter into a thousand jagged pieces.

Dinah was sitting on the edge of Kristopher's massive mahogany desk, swinging her legs playfully.

Kristopher stood between her knees. He was leaning down, using his thumb to gently wipe a smudge of latte foam from the corner of Dinah's lips.

The sound of the door opening made them both freeze. Kristopher lifted his head. The tenderness in his eyes morphed into absolute, freezing rage in a fraction of a second.

Dinah let out a tiny gasp and slid off the desk, hiding behind Kristopher's broad back.

Aletha forced her legs to move forward. Every step felt like walking on broken glass. She placed the legal folder on the edge of the desk.

"The trust lawyer needs you to sign this immediately. I'll take it and go. I won't stay a second longer," Aletha said, her voice hard and brittle.

Kristopher picked up the folder. He didn't even glance at the contents. He threw it violently right at Aletha's face.

The sharp edge of the thick paper sliced across Aletha's cheekbone. A thin, hot line of blood immediately beaded on her skin.

Kristopher closed the distance between them in one large stride. He grabbed Aletha's chin, his fingers digging painfully into her jaw.

"Learn your place as a stand-in," he warned, his voice a vicious hiss. "You don't even compare to a single strand of Dinah's hair. Stop finding excuses to stalk us."

Aletha didn't blink. The absolute deadness in her eyes made a sudden, inexplicable flash of irritation flare up in Kristopher's chest.

He released her chin with a rough shove. He slammed his hand down on the intercom button on his desk.

"Get the head of security up here. Now."

Two massive security guards rushed into the office seconds later. They flanked Aletha, each grabbing one of her arms in a tight, bruising grip.

From behind the desk, Dinah spoke up, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "Kris, please don't be too harsh. Maybe Dr. Ward is just desperate for money."

The guards dragged Aletha backward. Her heels scuffed harshly against the expensive carpet.

They hauled her into the elevator, marched her through the crowded ground-floor lobby under the staring eyes of hundreds of employees, and physically threw her out the front doors.

Aletha stumbled and fell hard onto the freezing concrete sidewalk.

She sat there, staring at the supplementary agreement fluttering in the wind. A single tear finally broke free, falling and shattering against the back of her hand.