Chapter 1 - His Mistress Was My Airplane Seat Neighbor

On my anniversary flight to New York, fate sat my cheating husband's mistress right beside me.

Alice spent the entire trip gushing about "her Daniel" while wearing the sapphire ring he'd called "too vulgar" for his wife—me.

"She's so pathetic," Alice laughed, describing how Daniel planned to dump his "clingy" spouse. "Good riddance!"

If only she knew his "pathetic" wife was the billionaire secretly bankrolling his success.

At JFK, Daniel threw money at my feet and told me to disappear.

I smiled, dialed my investment firm, and watched his face crumble.

"Hello, darling. Your sugar mama just quit."

Cecilia's POV

I was sitting in first class on my flight to New York, clutching a black jewelry box so tightly my knuckles had turned white.

Today marked three years since Daniel and I had gotten married. Inside were black onyx cufflinks I'd designed myself—a surprise that had taken me three whole months to perfect.

I'd specifically booked this early flight to make it home before he finished work.

For the past three years, I'd been living like a ghost, desperately trying to be the perfect wife. I'd abandoned my passion for jewelry design, buried every trace of my personality, all just to make him happy.

Back then, I'd foolishly believed those sacrifices were worth it.

Because he used to bring me warm milk when I worked late. He'd pick me up in the rain. He'd proudly introduce me to his friends as his wife. That warm, caring Daniel had made me willing to give up everything for him.

But ever since his company expanded and he'd had to open a branch office in New York, we'd been stuck in this endless long-distance thing. At first, we'd video chat every day. Gradually though, his responses got shorter and shorter, his eyes more and more distant. I always felt like he was looking at me, but somehow seeing someone else entirely.

Maybe I was just overthinking it. That's why I'd decided to fly to New York and surprise him.

"Excuse me, MOVE! You're completely in my way."

A lazy but deeply irritated voice cut through my thoughts.

I looked up to see a blonde woman standing in the aisle. She wore an expensive suit and carried an enormous designer bag, reeking of entitlement.

I shifted slightly without saying anything.

She rolled her eyes and snapped at the flight attendant, "Put that up there for me! And be CAREFUL—this bag costs more than you make in a year, okay?"

Her gaze turned toward me.

"And why is HER stuff taking up so much room? Move it!"

The flight attendant looked at me apologetically. My suitcase was small and barely taking up any space.

"Ma'am, her bag is fine where it is. I can find another spot for yours—"

"NO! I want it right HERE!"

The blonde woman removed her sunglasses, revealing a face that was beautiful but hard and mean. She gave me a disdainful once-over, her eyes lingering on my simple cashmere coat. Her lips curved into a nasty smile.

"Wow, dressed like THAT and flying first class? Wonder what she had to do for the money. Make her move her stuff!"

I looked at her quietly, feeling nothing.

Three years of marriage into high society had exposed me to far worse. Daniel's mother regularly spoke to me in exactly this tone. This was nothing.

"Fine." I stood up calmly and pushed my suitcase further in, making room.

The blonde woman settled smugly into the seat next to mine. She pulled out her phone and made a call.

"Hey, baaaby~"

She deliberately drew out the word, her voice particularly grating in the quiet cabin.

I closed my eyes and reached for my noise-canceling headphones.

But her next words hit me like a knife to the chest.

"Daniel, I'm already on the plane. Did you get a car to pick me up?"

My hand froze.

Daniel?

There had to be lots of Daniels in New York. This was just a coincidence, right? I desperately tried to convince myself, but my chest began to ache.

"Oh, I know you're busy, silly," the blonde woman giggled. "But I missed you SO much!"

She deliberately held up her left hand, admiring her slender fingers.

"I absolutely LOVE this 'Ocean's Tears' sapphire ring you gave me! Just now in the airport lounge, everyone was staring!"

Ocean's Tears.

Those words exploded in my mind.

I turned stiffly and stared at the ring on her left middle finger. The deep blue stone was perfectly cut, surrounded by diamonds flashing under the cabin lights.

How could I not recognize that ring?

At a Sotheby's auction six months ago, I'd fallen in love with it at first sight. It was the first time Daniel had taken me to such an event. Excited, I'd pointed at the ring and whispered, "Daniel, that ring is so beautiful—like a starry sky."

He'd only given it a cold glance, his voice full of irritation: "Too flashy. Not suitable for you. Evelyn, you're a married woman. You should know better than to want such frivolous things."

I'd hung my head in shame, thinking I really had been too greedy.

But now, this ring he'd called "frivolous" and "too flashy" was sitting proudly on another woman's finger.

"You know I'd do anything for you, Alice."

A man's deep, magnetic voice came through the phone, dripping with affection.

Though the sound was slightly distorted, I knew that voice—I'd been listening to it for three whole years.

That was my husband.

I felt like I couldn't breathe. I opened my mouth but no sound came out.

"Will you pick me up at the airport?" Alice continued in her baby voice.

"Of course," he said tenderly. "I canceled this afternoon's international conference call just to come get you. You know I'd do anything for you, baby."

Baby.

I bit down hard on my lower lip until I tasted blood.

So the man who never had time for me would cancel meetings for her.

So the man who only sent his assistant with medicine when I was sick with a fever actually called someone else "baby."

I watched Alice's face glow with happiness and let out a bitter laugh.

Ten years of dating, three years of marriage. I'd even been seriously injured saving him and lost the ability to become a mother. I'd thought my complete devotion would eventually warm his heart.

Turns out he wasn't made of stone after all.

He just wasn't warm toward ME.

I slowly released my death grip on the jewelry box, revealing a deep red mark across my palm.

Then I dropped the box with those black onyx cufflinks into the trash bag beside my seat.