Chapter 1
Owen Hayes and Amelia Thomas were legends in the legal world.
He was well known in Houston for being undefeated in criminal cases, while she was well known in New York for being unstoppable in civil litigation.
Everyone in the industry called them the “King” and “Queen” of courts.
Little did they know that Amelia had hidden her identity in the legal world three years ago, and married Owen.
She chose to play the part of the gentle wife by cooking for him, accompanying him to social events, and waiting for him to come every night.
But now, she was done pretending.
***
Amelia stood by the floor–to–ceiling window. Her fingertip was hovering over her phone screen for three long seconds before she finally dialed a number that had been dormant for years.
“Amy, is that you?” The shocked voice came from the other end. It was Tony Perry. “Am I dreaming?”
“I’m coming back,” she murmured gently, but her voice pierced through the silence of the previous several years like a razor.
“Are you serious?” Tony dropped his coffee cup on the ground. His voice trembled with excitement. “That is incredible! Do you realize how hard Owen has been hammering us since your disappearance? Since you
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resigned, he has stolen twenty important criminal cases from us! We have been entirely under his thumb!
“There are so many clients lining up for you to take their cases. I’m sure that once news of your return breaks, the whole legal world will be shocked!”
Amelia raised her gaze to look at her reflection in the glass.
Her long hair hung neatly over her shoulders. She wore a beige outfit under her apron that still had grease spots from tonight’s dinner.
No one would have thought that this woman was once the queen of the courtroom–notorious for forcing her opponents to crack under pressure.
“After all these years, did Owen ever discover your true identity? Did
he…”
“He doesn’t need to know,” she cut him off. “I’ve already decided to divorce him. The next time we meet will be in court.”
With that, she hung up the phone. Just as she turned to head back to the bedroom, her phone buzzed with a new message.
“I drank too much. Come pick me up.” It was from Owen.
She stared at the message for a long moment.
After three years, he was still sending short, clipped texts as if he were delivering commands to a subordinate.
At the VIP lounge of Venus Club, Amelia was about to push the door open when she heard laughter from within.
“Owen, how many wins in a row is this now? You’re a damn legend! Is there any case you can’t win? Everyone else is just roadkill on your way to the top!”
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“Not really,” someone added. “There was one person who could rival him, which was Amy. But she suddenly retired three years ago and disappeared without a trace.”
“She probably got married. After three years, she’s likely got a kid by now. No way she’s coming back,” another voice chimed in.
“That might not be necessarily true. Owen’s been married three years as well, and he has no kid. Besides, he lives at the law firm and barely goes home. Speaking of which, are you still not into your wife after all this time?”
“Do you even have to ask?” someone mocked. “Owen despised those nice, wifey types. If she hadn’t gotten him drunk and climbed into his bed one night, he would never have married her. He prefers strong, independent women–women who match him, like Melissa. Even after all these years, he still cannot forget her.”
Amelia’s eyes hardened when she heard Melissa Todd’s name. She pushed the door open without hesitation.
The
room instantly fell dead silent, and everyone exchanged nervous glances.
She ignored them and let her gaze sweep across the room until it landed on Owen. He was slouched on the sofa with his eyes closed, clearly drunk. The sharp lines of his handsome face were softened by the dim lighting, casting gentle shadows across his features.
She walked over and reached out to help him up.
“She stumbled slightly under the weight as his arms draped over her shoulder. ”
That familiar scent of cologne and whiskey hit her, making her dazed for
a moment.
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Chapter 1
11 288 Vouchers
Just as Amelia puthim into the back seat, Owen grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.
His lips landed on hers, warm and uninvited.
She froze.
He had never kissed her in three years of marriage, except for one drunken mishap.
Then, in a murmur slurred by alcohol, he breathed out a name, “Melissa…”
This book had be
