Chapter 4My Ex Traded Gold For Trash

Marina’s guards led me back to the center of the lawn.

"Cody," Marina said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "Desmond is your personal pet for the day. He’s all yours."

"Oh, Marina! You really are the best!" Cody chirped. He leaned in and kissed her cheek before turning to me. He laughed at the sign around my neck.

"I guess you didn't like the glass ring because you preferred this look instead. Suits your soul, Des."

"But I’ve never seen a dog stand while his master is talking. Let’s teach you some manners."

Marina gave a small nod to the guards. Before I could react, they kicked the back of my knees. I hit the grass with a heavy thud. The crowd roared with laughter.

I tried to stand, but a heavy hand slammed onto my shoulder, pinning me down. Cody sauntered over and slapped my face—not hard, but humiliatingly, like he was checking the quality of leather.

"There we go. Good dog. Are you hungry? Master made you something special."

He signaled a waiter, who brought over a trash bin from the buffet. Inside were half-eaten chicken wings and the sour-smelling vomit of a guest who’d had too much to drink.

Cody leaned down, whispering in my ear. "You called me trash last night, Des. Now, you’re the one eating it."

I looked past him, straight at Marina. "Is this what you want?"

She hesitated for a fraction of a second, her lips parting. But then Cody pouted.

"Marina, I'm just trying to help him learn his place. If he doesn't learn now, he'll just keep threatening you with breakups every time he gets jealous. You said you’d help me get even. Was that a lie?"

"If it was, I’ll just leave now. I'll give back the ring and quit. I don't want to be in the way of your 'true love.'"

Marina’s eyes softened as she pulled him into a hug. She looked at me with cold command.

"Desmond, you made a deal. Do you want the locket or not? Cody is doing this for your own good. Every successful woman has a man on the side—it’s just how the world works. If you want to be my husband, you have to learn to be 'flexible.' This is your test."

"Don't ruin his birthday. Eat, and I promise I won't hold it against you later. Tomorrow, everything changes."

My fists clenched. I stared at this woman I had once loved with everything I had.

The Montgomery family had a legend about our signet rings. They said the rings would protect you in good times, and in bad times, they were the capital you used to rebuild an empire. For generations, no matter how hard things got, no Montgomery ever sold their ring.

Marina had been so ambitious, so desperate to build her media empire without selling her family’s legacy. I had loved that about her. I didn't want to hurt her pride, so I hid who I was. I used my family’s shadow funds to secretly invest in her. I steered multi-million dollar contracts her way through "anonymous" consultants.

For four years, I built her throne. And before she even reached the top, she had already learned how to spit on the man who put her there.

I was done being kind.

I didn't eat. Instead, I lunged forward and bit Cody’s wrist as hard as I could.

He screamed, a high-pitched, girlish sound, trying to shake me off. By the time the guards pulled me away, the bite mark was deep and bleeding.

"Marina! He’s trying to kill me! He’s just jealous you gave me the ring! Do something!"

Marina was livid. She stepped forward and kicked me hard in the stomach. I doubled over, the air leaving my lungs in a painful wheeze.

"You are a lost cause, Desmond!" she hissed. "Fine. If you can't be a husband, I’ll marry Cody. He’s ten times the man you are."

"You like biting? Dogs that bite don't need teeth. Guards! Pull them out. Every single one."

"No anesthesia. Let him feel it. Maybe then he’ll remember his place when he’s my secret little side-piece."

The guards grabbed my hair, forcing my head back. My scalp screamed in pain. Cody stood over me, mouthing the words: You lost.

A guard forced my jaw open, the cold steel of pliers clicking against my front tooth.

But before he could pull, the sky began to throb.

A thunderous roar drowned out the party music. Ten black helicopters appeared over the tree line, hovering low, their downdraft whipping the white roses into a frenzy.

Ropes dropped. A hundred men in black-and-gold tactical gear rappelled down with terrifying precision. They moved like a single machine, surrounding the party.

In the center of the formation stood a woman in a tailored suit, her face a mask of icy fury.

Cody stared, his mouth hanging open. "Marina... is this a surprise for me? A stripper troupe? This is so cool!"

I felt the corner of my mouth twitch into a smile.

I hoped they’d still be laughing when I finished with them.