Chapter 3The Grave of the Son You Traded for Her

The first time I saw Tess Holloway was at Grant’s mother’s estate.

I was heading to his place, carrying the latest business proposal. But when I walked in, I saw a strange woman kneeling on the floor, carefully massaging Grant’s mother’s aching feet.

Grant stood nearby, his gaze soft as he watched them.

The sight instantly felt wrong.

But Grant explained quickly: “She’s just a sales associate from the mall who happens to have a natural touch. My mother’s knees are bothering her, and they just clicked.”

I started to say something, but Grant cut me off, a subtle furrow in his brow.

“Maddie, you are a professional, a founder. Don't be one of those petty housewives who wastes her time chasing shadows and feeling jealous.”

I chose to believe him. I thought our decade-long history was enough to withstand anything.

The day the Montgomery Group officially went public, we got married.

But I quickly realized it wasn't a casual affair. I saw Tess again, this time at our corporate headquarters. She was in a tailored suit, walking two steps behind Grant—his new Executive Assistant.

I confronted him. His justification was cold and efficient. “Tess has ambition in her eyes. She’s hungry, trainable. I like employees with strong potential.”

From that day on, I noticed him systematically minimizing my authority. I had built the entire Market Strategy division; every single person was my handpicked hire. But Tess, using vague excuses, started pushing them out one by one, replacing them with her own staff.

I went to Grant to complain, but he only smiled. “Competition drives growth, Maddie. It’s called creative destruction.”

It hit me then: he was slowly but surely eating away at my power in the company. As his partner, seeing the team I built crumble was crushing. My anger and betrayal became unbearable. I fought with him and gave him my resignation.

Just as I prepared to launch my own venture, I discovered I was pregnant.

Feeling that faint flicker of life inside me, my resolve softened. I willingly stepped back from the corporate battlefield, becoming the uncontroversial Mrs. Montgomery, a stay-at-home mom.

I believed my sacrifice for our family would earn his understanding.

The world slapped me again. The rumors about him and Tess grew into a storm. Newspapers and tabloids were full of photos of them together at industry events, arms linked, looking like the picture of a devoted couple.

I shoved the stack of magazines in his face. He grabbed my arm, yanking me to the mirror.

He pointed at me. “Look at you. Do you think I want to take this out in public? You think I want people to laugh at me?”

Once a crack forms in trust, the structure can never be fully restored.

On Jamie’s first birthday, we hosted a massive party. I had a terrible gut feeling all day.

That evening, I walked into our master bedroom and saw it: Grant and Tess, naked and entangled, on my sheets. Tess was wearing my favorite silk robe.

My mind went blank. My stomach rebelled, and I fell to the floor, retching violently.

Grant showed no remorse, only the anger of a man caught. He pointed a finger at me. “Maddie, if you dare make a scene, if you embarrass me, I will personally guarantee your parents’ business is wiped out by morning.”

From that day, he dropped all pretense. He brought Tess to live in the house.

I realized then that his mother, who always claimed to treat me like a daughter, had known all along. She even pulled me aside, offering a piece of wisdom: “A successful man has options, dear. You just need to be reasonable.”

I couldn’t maintain this filthy, rotting marriage for another minute. I decided I was going to divorce him.