After three tumultuous years of being married to Calvin—the crown prince of the elite Newark social circle—Amber had finally made up her mind to let go. But this decision was a fragile secret she couldn't let slip. She knew Calvin well enough to anticipate his reaction. He'd likely destroy the house in a drunken rage and buy three boxes of strawberry-flavored contraceptives, implying that she cheated on him.
The piercing roar of his Maybach's engine shattered the late-night silence, reverberating like thunder through the sprawling mansion. Outside, the dim streetlights flickered erratically, their brief flashes seeping through the curtains, casting fleeting shadows that stretched across the cold, empty bedroom.
Amber stirred, her light sleep fractured. Her sharp ears immediately recognized the deep, guttural growl of the Maybach. Suppressing a sigh, she slid out of bed, her movements purposeful but weighed down with exhaustion. Grabbing the carefully prepared divorce papers from her nightstand, she draped her shoulders with a knitted shawl for warmth. Slipping her feet into soft, well-worn cotton slippers, she padded downstairs.