We were married for three years.
As soon as he became Marketing Director, he started hooking up with his assistant-Erica. Total inappropriate mess.
I told him to transfer her out of his department. He called me uptight and ridiculous.
“You sit in an office all day,” he said back then. “Marketing’s out entertainin’ clients. We look out for each other-that’s totally normal. Don’t be so petty toward a junior employee like Erica.”
The night he got wasted, I drove. Erica volunteered to ride in the back to “keep an eye on him.”
Halfway home, she let out this sharp little gasp out of nowhere. When we finally parked and got out, her skirt was hiked way up-bare thigh staring right at me.
I just didn’t have the energy to fight anymore.
I didn’t bother catchin’ ’em in the act. And I sure as hell didn’t wanna scream at ’em. I just asked for a divorce.
Jamison scoffed at that.
“Katrina, if you’re usin’ divorce to manipulate me? You’re makin’ a huge mistake. I respond to kindness, not threats.”
“You’ll be a divorced woman in her thirties with a stiff, boring personality. Let’s make a bet-if you can find a guy even half as successful as me, I’ll get on my knees at the company entrance and beg for your forgiveness.”
The divorce went through fast.
The catch? We still worked at the same company. So I ran into him all the time.
He and Erica started showin’ up and leavin’ together. He went out of his way to rub their relationship in my face. Always defendin’ her with that stupid line: “I gotta protect my team.”
I knew people in the office were gossiping.
They wondered how I could stand it. Why I hadn’t just quit and left.
A few years ago, that humiliation would’ve crushed me. I would’ve handed in my notice just to avoid lookin’ at ’em.
But I was thirty-three now.
Gettin’ older thickens your skin.
I’d worked my ass off to become Head of Finance. I had zero reason to walk away.
Besides, they’re the ones who should be embarrassed-not me.
Now, Jamison tilted his head, starin’ at me with that same, mocking little smile.
“It’s pretty petty to give Erica a hard time ’cause of our past. Don’t you think?”
I kept my face totally blank. “So followin’ company policy is givin’ her a hard time? You really think corporate wrote financial rules just to spite Erica? Mr. Montford, that don’t make sense.”
He stared at me for a second, then laughed.
“Fine. We’ll let Mr. Hamden decide at tomorrow’s meeting. But Katrina…” He lowered his voice, oozin’ confidence.
“Usin’ these petty little tricks to try and win me back? Frankly, it’s sad.”
The next day, we all crowded into the management meeting.
When Vincent walked in, the whole room sat up straighter-instinctively.
I watched him through my thick glasses.
He was tall, with sharp, clear features. When he sat down, his open suit jacket brushed the table. A few faint creases showed where his crisp white shirt tucked into his waistband.
The young boy I used to know? He’d turned into a calm, totally unreadable man.
He listened quietly while Jamison presented Marketing’s report. One hand rested loose on the table. He nodded every now and then-face totally empty.
Out of nowhere, he turned and stared right at me.
