Chapter 2 Finally , I closed the video and sat calmly at the dining table as the staff brought out dinner course by course . The grandfather clock in the foyer chimed eight times . I looked up at the antique clock Luke had brought me from Paris seven years ago , its pendulum swaying weakly . I was seventeen when I got into Columbia , eighteen when I met Luke Harper . Back then , he kept a low profile about everything except that face . He knew plenty but always played dumb , constantly saying he'd forgotten everything and needed me to teach him . Within two weeks , people who knew him started whispering to me . " You think he's just another pretty face ? That's the Harper Industries heir . His dad's running for city council . " Later , Luke left campus but kept showing up anyway , driving between Columbia and downtown Manhattan every single day just to see me . Those years were a rollercoaster of fights and making up , my heart opening and closing like a revolving door . At twenty - five , after all that back and forth and a hundred obstacles , I married Luke Harper . That wedding of the century still gets mentioned in magazines today . One small tabloid , desperate for attention , ran a headline so outrageous it overshadowed all the major papers . Great for clicks , terrible for respect . The next morning , Luke saw the paper over breakfast , then set his coffee mug right on top of it . Later I found out that grand wedding edition turned out to be that tabloid's final issue . Looking back at all those little moments , it's wild how deeply Luke and I used to love each other . But somehow we ended up like that old clock , too tired to even swing properly . The silent foyer suddenly came alive as the elevator numbers lit up , stopping at three before the doors slid open . Luke stepped out with his suit jacket draped over his arm , the elevator's harsh lighting doing absolutely nothing to diminish his sharp features . I glanced over briefly , then focused back on my dinner . A minute later , I heard his jacket hit the couch . Then that expensive cologne mixed with his body heat surrounded me instantly . Luke stood behind my chair , hands braced on either side of the table , basically trapping me in his arms . His voice was casual as ever . " Evening , Mrs. Harper . Let's see what tonight's scandal is worth , shall we ? " He grabbed my phone from the table , scrolling through the messages . 13:20 Hell Yeah , Forget the Other Woman , My Smart House Was Cheating On Me ! 14.8 % Chapter 2 " Two hundred grand ? That's less than what you spend on dinner . People are gonna think I'm going broke . " I set down my fork and straightened my back , keeping that half - fist distance between us and his chest . Instead of responding , I changed the subject . " I'm not approving Ruby Grant's application for Marketing Director . I'm rejecting her resume . " Sure enough , the second he heard that name , Luke stepped back . That suffocating presence vanished instantly . He sat across from me , arms draped over the chair back , staring out at the city lights through the window . " Her business is none of your concern . " Then Luke's gaze snapped back to me , chin tilted down . " Or are you just jealous of her ? " I stared straight into his eyes , searching for something that simply wasn't there anymore . Everyone knew Luke had been cycling through girlfriends for two years , but nobody realized it was all cover for Ruby Grant . Two years ago , Luke sent her abroad to get some fancy credentials , planning to parachute her into the company when she returned . It wasn't personal , just business reality . Harper Industries had brutal hiring standards . First degree had to be from a top - thirty global university , no exceptions . Ruby was a high school dropout who'd worked retail at eighteen . Her overseas diploma was from some diploma mill , and even our diversity initiatives couldn't find a loophole for her . My voice stayed flat . " When I'm discussing business , I keep personal feelings out of it . " Luke didn't respond , but after a moment , I heard a voice message playing from his phone . The voice was sickeningly sweet . " Honey , I left my panties in your car . When can I come get them ? " Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!