Chapter 1

I go to my family's bank branch to handle some business. I wait in line for half an hour, and just as it's about to be my turn, two women cut straight in front of me.

Before I can even react, one of them snaps at me.

“Get to the back of the line. My client has an appointment.”

Jessica Sloan — the branch manager. Her name tag catches my eye.

I glance at the line behind me.

“I’ve been waiting for half an hour.”

Jessica rolls her eyes.

“Then wait another half hour.”

I look at the woman beside her.

“Why does she get to cut in front of everyone?”

Jessica crosses her arms.

“Because she’s my client.”​

I raise an eyebrow. “And?”​

“I manage this branch.”​

She gives me a look like that should be enough.

Then she drops the one thing I never expect to hear.

“I’m the CEO’s wife.”​

She looks me straight in the eye.

“So around here, what I say goes.”

I blink.

The CEO of Sterling Bank...

Isn’t that my husband?

Gavin Cole.

I pull out my phone and call him.

He picks up almost immediately.

“Gavin. Since when does our bank let people cut the line?”​

“What happened?”

“The branch manager, Jessica Sloan, just let her client cut straight to the front.”

There’s a brief pause.

Then Gavin says, “She’s got a temper. Just leave it alone.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing.

“She’s abusing her authority.”

“Let it go.”

I look at Jessica.

She’s watching me with a smug little smile.

My fingers tighten around my phone.

“Why?”​

“Most of her clients keep millions with us. We can’t afford to lose those relationships.”​

“And don’t call her out in front of her clients. You’ll embarrass her.”

Before I can say anything else, he hangs up.

I stare at my phone.

Jessica smirks.

“I told you.”

She points toward the back of the line.

“Get in line.”

“Now.”

I’m done talking to her.

I head straight for Gavin’s office. I’ll ask him myself.

This is my family’s bank.

My father, Robert Sterling, is Sterling Bank’s chairman and majority owner. Our family has controlled the bank for generations.

And I want to know why a branch manager thinks she can make her own rules.

Jessica catches up with me from behind and grabs my arm.

“Did you not hear me?”

“I told you to get back in line. Why are you going to my husband’s office?”

“Going to complain about me?”

“Go ahead. I’m the branch manager, and I’m the CEO’s wife. What I say goes around here.”

Her grip tightens around my arm, hard enough to hurt.

I jerk free.

“I don’t care what you are to your boss.”

I push open the office door.

And freeze.

Gavin isn’t there.

But the room is a mess.

Clothes are thrown over the couch. A makeup bag sits on the desk.

A pair of heels lies on the floor.

And hanging over the back of Gavin’s chair is a woman’s bra.

This is supposed to be an office.

It looks more like someone’s bedroom.

Before I can make sense of what I’m seeing, Jessica folds her arms and lets out a cold laugh.

“My husband isn’t here. Give it up.”

“Now get out before you make a bigger scene.”

A few employees glance over at the commotion.

Then I start hearing the whispers.

“Who is she?”

“Not sure. Probably just another person who pissed Jessica off.”

“Remember that customer last month? He argued with her, and she kicked him out.”

“Shh. She’ll hear you.”

I turn toward them

“Wait. She’s kicked customers out before?”

No one answers.

I look at Jessica.

“You're a branch manager. That's all. Where do you get that kind of authority?”

The woman Jessica brought with her steps forward.

She looks me up and down, then curls her lips into a mocking smile.

“Sounds like someone’s jealous.”

“Our Jessica is Mrs. Cole. So what if she gets a little special treatment?”

“If that bothers you so much, maybe marry a man who owns a bank.”

Jessica gives the woman a light tap on the arm.

“Oh, Linda. Don’t.”​

“What if she actually tries something with my husband?”

Linda looks me over again and snorts.

“Oh, come on.”

“Mr. Cole is crazy about you. Everybody knows that.”

She glances at me.

“Her? Don't make me laugh. Like Mr. Cole would ever go for some rude, trashy nobody like that.”

A few people nearby laugh.

“Exactly. Mr. Cole lets Jessica get away with everything.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me if she ended up running the place someday.”

“I heard he bought her a brand-new Porsche for her birthday.”

A brand-new Porsche?

Something clicks.

A few months ago, Gavin used one of my credit cards.

He told me he’d just closed a big business deal.

According to him, the client expected an expensive gift, so he bought a brand-new Porsche.

I believed him without a second thought.

Business gifts and client dinners were normal for us.

I never thought the whole deal was a lie.

The Porsche was a birthday present for his mistress.

I snap out of it.

Jessica has already knocked my bag off the counter.

“Get out. Don’t keep my client waiting.”

She looks at Linda.

“My client has a major transaction scheduled.”

“Her time is worth a lot more than yours.”

Linda walks over, bumps me aside.

“If you’re not here for anything important, move.”

I almost laugh.

Instead, I pull the transfer paperwork from my bag and slap it onto the desk.

“I have a ten-million-dollar wire scheduled.”

I look straight at Jessica.

“Is that important enough?”

The entire lobby falls silent.