"You nearly threw your life away to save Bella Simmons, and then you sat on a mountain of gold—seventy percent of Simmons Corp—for five years without touching a cent. That tells me everything I need to know about the kind of man you are."
I fell silent.
With Bella—my wife—all I'd ever felt was deception and manipulation. Yet here, with Melody—my wife's sworn rival—all I felt was genuine sincerity.
The irony was almost too bitter to swallow.
I exhaled slowly and extended my hand. "Ms. Gilbert, I look forward to working together."
"A pleasure doing business!"
Melody's lips curved into a dazzling smile.
With the deal settled, I asked, "Any interest in watching a good show tonight, Ms. Gilbert?"
Her eyes lit up.
"A show starring Bella Simmons? I'm very interested."
That evening, Melody and I arrived together at Simmons Corp headquarters.
The moment Bella spotted us, her expression shifted. She strode over, latched onto my arm, and fixed Melody with a hard stare.
"What are you doing here? I don't recall sending you an invitation."
Melody glanced down at Bella's fingers digging into my arm, amusement playing across her face. "Your husband invited me. Why? Am I not welcome?"