Chapter 3

I grabbed the phone and set it in front of Liam.

"Why?" I turned and looked straight into his eyes.

Liam came over with a smile. "Claire, this is my fault. I forgot to tell you."

"I want her listed as co-author. I already told Sophie it's done. You love me, right? Do this one thing for me."

"I spent three years bleeding into that book. Why should she get half?"

"How can you call this your achievement alone?" Liam raised his voice, though his tone stayed earnest. "It takes a whole team to build a book like this. Sophie is Blue Harbor's next big push. I've poured a lot of resources into her, but right now she needs one breakout moment."

"So you're using my work as a publicity tool for her?"

Liam grew impatient. "Claire Bennett, don't be ungrateful. Every book you've ever written—which one blew up without me pouring money into it? Without me, you'd be nothing. Now I'm asking you to use one book to help out a newcomer. What's the big deal?"

I stood and moved right in front of him.

"The copyright is in my name. You have no right to put hers on it."

Sophie walked over, hooking her arm through Liam's, and cooed softly.

"Liam, the food's getting cold. Everyone's waiting."

Liam patted the back of her hand comfortingly, then glanced at me.

"Let's eat first. We'll talk tomorrow."

I ignored the table full of people, grabbed my car keys, and rushed out.

By the time I arrived at the publisher's office, the giant poster had already been hung.

Sophie took up almost the entire poster. Beside her photo was a glowing feature about her, even peppered with gossip about her and Liam.

My name was squeezed into a corner.

Ryan Hale, the publisher handling the launch, had grown up with Liam.

His office smelled faintly of whiskey. Ryan stood by the half-open window, swirling a glass in his hand.

"Claire, my hands are tied. Liam called me himself and had it rushed to print overnight. Besides—Blue Harbor Media belongs to both of you. The money lands in the same pocket either way. Does it really matter whose name is on the cover?"

A chill ran through me.

Liam saying "we'll talk tomorrow" was nothing but a stalling tactic.

I turned, went downstairs, and raced back to the Whitaker house.

When I pushed the door open, the dinner party had already ended.

Liam was sitting on the sofa watching TV with Sophie.

"What gives you the right to do this?"

"I bled three years of my life into that book."

Liam didn't move. His tone was careless.

"I'll say it again. We're just using your name for now. Once Sophie's numbers pick up, I'll take her off the cover in the next edition."

Sophie's eyes reddened.

"Claire, this is all my fault. Please don't blame Liam. If you want, I'll take my name off—the book is yours. I just hated seeing Liam carry the whole company on his own. I wanted to help him take some of the weight off."

"It has nothing to do with you."

But Liam pulled her into his arms at once, shielding her completely.

He looked up at me. "Pushing Sophie is already part of the company's plan. I hope you won't be jealous of her."

"Didn't I just say this? Is your memory that bad?"

"Oh, right. Tonight, Sophie is the one with my last name. Maybe you should go outside and cool off."

I took the divorce papers from my bag and threw them straight at his face.

"I was leaving tonight anyway. Now there isn't even a reason for one last connection between us."

The papers hit the bridge of Liam's nose.

"Fine. You've got backbone." Liam covered his nose. "Since you don't want to be Mrs. Whitaker, I'll cut off every card and account tied to me right now."

He called the estate security directly.

Two guards appeared in the doorway, looking uneasy.

Liam pointed at me.

"I've already divorced this woman. Now she's here harassing me and my wife. Get her off my property. Now."

The guards had no choice but to pull me out by force.

Liam warned me, "Claire Bennett, without me, you won't even be able to feed yourself. I'll wait for you to come crawling back tomorrow and remarry me. As for that book, consider it your gift to the bride."

The guards shoved me outside.

My foot slipped, and I fell into a rain-soaked patch of mud.

I braced myself against the ground, got up, and clutched my stomach as I walked toward the road.

Then, around the corner, an out-of-control delivery van came barreling straight toward me.