The Gallery (Contemporary Reverse Harem 4)

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

“You two are getting married?” I asked.

My lawyer patted me on the arm in an attempt to quiet me, but it did no good.

I popped to my feet and leaned over the conference room table. “How the hell are you getting married? We’re not even divorced yet.”

They were all taken aback by my ferocity.

How did I ever love this fucking asshole? And how had I ever thought he was handsome? He was now the ugliest piece of shit I’d ever laid my eyes on.

“Now calm down, Av. That’s just a technicality. Of course we aren’t getting married until you and I are—”

He looked around the room, as if realizing a bit too late that maybe he should have kept his big goddamn mouth shut.

“Okay, let’s all remain calm,” Devon’s attorney said. “Mrs. Crane, let’s sit down again, shall we?”

I was sure I didn’t owe it to my husband’s attorney to return to my seat, but I did it anyway. None of us wanted the meeting to drag on any longer than necessary.

But I did take the opportunity to rake my eyes over Dagney. She was clearly enjoying an upgrade in her wardrobe, and wouldn’t you know it, she was wearing the goddamn necklace I’d found in Devon’s coat pocket—the one I had assumed was for me, because who the hell else was my loving husband going to give an expensive piece of jewelry to, for fuck’s sake?

What a fool I’d been.

The meeting commenced, but I was so overcome with hatred for Devon and Dagney that I barely followed it until he started making noises about a car. Again.

“Yes, I agree to get her a car since she won’t have a driver anymore,” he said.

That did it. “Look, you asshole. You know I don’t drive. Stop dangling that in front of me. Haven’t you already done the damage you wanted to?”

Dagney rolled her eyes. If she did that one more time, she wouldn’t be leaving the room with her eyesight.

“Now let’s not get excited—” my lawyer started to say.

But I cut him off. “Devon, don’t be smug with me. Everyone in this room here, with the possible exception of your whore over there, is aware that you are probably facing prison time.”

Dagney’s face lost all its color. Protectively, her fingers flew to the necklace I’d thought was intended for me. If her relationship went to shit, it was all she’d walk away with.

Except for my disgust with her.

But Devon’s face was just as pale. “How did you know?” he asked, his voice trailing off.

“EVERYBODY knows, Devon. You’re over. Finished. And I’m getting out of this marriage just in time to let you enjoy your little shitshow all by yourself. Well, except for Dagney, who’s probably gonna bail right after this meeting.”

Bile rose in my throat, and I was shaking with rage. I was just as angry with myself as at anyone else in the room, for being a fool to believe I was living anything other than a superficial existence surrounded by opportunistic people and a husband who’d leave me for my assistant.

I felt the tears coming, and I wasn’t about to give Devon the satisfaction of seeing me upset. I turned to my lawyers.

“Do what you have to do. I’m leaving.”

“But Mrs. Crane—” someone called after me.

I got through the door just in time to stifle my first sob. I ran for the elevator past the staring receptionist who, to be honest, probably saw shit like mine all the time.

It wasn’t until I was in the elevator and had pressed the down button that I finally let loose.

Something had died and taken a big piece of me with it.

But I’d been through this before. I could endure.