A Bride's Brilliant Arrangement

In the beginning, Troy’s hostility toward Chloe was palpable.

He seethed over how Chloe remained the center of my universe, consuming my time and energy.

I would forget his birthday or our anniversaries, but I never missed a single one of Chloe's important dates.

The gifts I bought for Troy were usually afterthoughts, things I picked up while shopping for her.

If Chloe called while I was on a date with Troy, I would drop everything and run to her side.

To be honest, back then, Chloe’s new Hermès bag was probably more important to me than Troy.

Growing up watching my parents' toxic marriage unfold, I had long ago given up on finding love from any man.

It didn't matter if they were after my looks or my family's fortune; my suitors' eyes were just mirrors for their own selfish desires.

I only agreed to date Troy on a whim after Chloe casually mentioned I was too clingy and should get out more. Yet, somehow, he was the one who broke through my defenses.

When he looked at me, there were no calculations in his gaze.

Only me.

For years, it had been that way.

He was willing to do anything to make me happy.

And he never demanded anything in return, not like my mother, who was always screaming about what she was owed.

So, after realizing how important Chloe was to me, Troy didn't try to bad-mouth her or drive a wedge between us like others had.

Instead, he started introducing her to a parade of financial prodigies and artists he found on various high-end dating apps.

Predictably, Chloe, who reveled in being surrounded by admirers, no longer had time to meddle in my life.

Glancing at another missed call from Chloe, I sighed and took the list of potential dates Troy handed me.

"Is this your grand plan to get me alone? Offering up every man in your contacts to Chloe?"

"Chloe isn't that easily distracted. What happens when you run out of guys to throw her way?"

Troy just smiled, wrapping a cashmere scarf around my neck.

"Then I'll download more apps. We'll see who gives up first: Chloe from dumping them, or me from finding them."

"Even if she goes through every man in New York City, it's fine."

"I have friends on the West Coast, and in Europe."

"Worst case, I have a few handsome cousins I can offer up."

He made me laugh.

For the first time, a strange warmth bloomed in my chest.

So, this was love? Not just fiery passion, but endless patience and clever strategy?

My parents had never taught me that. And Chloe couldn't have.

It was Troy who made me want to learn how to love.

We were together for seven years. For seven years, Troy was a constant source of new men for Chloe.

I just couldn't fathom what wire had crossed in his brain that led him to sleep with her.

And how did Troy, a man who was with me nearly twenty-four-seven, manage to keep it a perfect secret?

I saved the security footage and had my assistant, Harper, pull all the surveillance from my office and our home.

Harper and her team spent two hours poring over the footage. They found nothing.

It was as if the whole thing had been a waking nightmare.

But I had a gut feeling I was about to discover exactly where they'd been hiding their little secret.