“So you lied to protect me?” I rub my face. “Then how long would it be before you told me?”

“I was going to tell you.”

I roll my eyes. “Oh, for sure. Happy Birthday and oh, by the way, I’m a father.” I fold my arms over my chest. “Get out.”

“You don’t mean that,” he says, trying to come to me, and I walk away from him to the other side of the room. “We can talk about this.”

“The only thing I want you to tell me is where to send all your shit,” I tell him. “Holy shit, we were partially living with each other. What could you have possibly told her that she believed?” He opens his mouth to answer. “You know what? I don’t care. It isn’t my problem anymore.”

“Why don’t we talk tomorrow?” he says. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” He turns to walk away.

“You can try, but you won’t get through.” He stops and then turns back to look at me. “After tonight, you will no longer be welcome here. You will never see me again, not even in passing.”

“Baby,” he says softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I need you.”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “You need to go back to your wife and your child.”

“But—”

“But nothing,” I tell him. “Get out.” I walk toward my bedroom, slamming the door behind me and locking it. I fall back onto the door and slowly slide down, listening to him walk to the front door. Only when the door closes and I count to one hundred do I allow the first tear to fall, but then it is like a dam opening and the sobs rip through me. I don’t know how long I sit here, but my whole body feels like it got run over by a truck. The only thing I know is I will never, ever let myself fall in love again.

Chapter One

Vivienne

Present Day

Walking into the restaurant, I spot Karrie sitting in the corner with her head down as she types something on her phone. “Bonjour,” I say, leaning over and kissing her cheeks when she looks up. Her hair’s tied up in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a white shirt with a black blazer. I look down at my sleeveless white silk button-down tucked into an olive-colored pleated long dress that falls to my mid-thigh. I accessorized with gold bracelets on my wrists, and my open-toe nude Louboutins match the camel Hermes purse I’m carrying.