Chapter 1 The new intern clutched her stomach , and my CEO husband personally brewed her ginger tea . The next thing he knew , I was filing for divorce . " Just over some tea ?! " James stared at me , his face a mask of disbelief . " Yes . " " Fine ! " A muscle in his jaw twitched . " Just don't come crawling back to me when you realize what you've lost ! " James was my first love . We met at a fancy prep school , and he owned my entire world for ten years . He thought he knew me inside and out . But he was wrong . The tea wasn't the reason . It was just the final matchstick on a mountain of gasoline . It was the casual indifference in his eyes as he did it . He always saw me as a clinging vine , someone who needed him to survive . Yet he never realized that all along , I was the oak tree shielding him from the storm ! " You're divorcing me over a cup of ginger tea ? " James looked up from his massive mahogany desk , one eyebrow arched in amusement . " Are you serious right now ? " I nodded . " Dead serious . " The leather of his chair creaked as he crossed his arms , a smirk playing on his lips . " You know , this is the ninety - ninth time you've threatened to leave me . " I froze . Ninety - eight times too many . His smirk widened . " You've cried wolf so many times , Amelia , that no one believes you anymore . The wolf isn't real . Just admit it . You need me . " There was a soft knock on the door . A young woman , Zoe , slipped into the room . A Brioni suit jacket was draped over her arm . It was James's . Just one glance . I recognized that pinstripe suit . In the five years we'd been married , I had picked out every tie , every cufflink , every single pair of his damn socks . I knew his closet better than he did . " Mr. Holden , " she said , her voice breathy . " I'm just returning your jacket from... last night . " James didn't even look up from his work . " Keep it . " He glanced at me , then his gaze softened as he looked at her . " Teeling better ? " That gentle tone , used for another woman - a year ago , I would have screamed . But this was Zoe's third " emergency " in as many months . I was just ... tired . I turned to leave , letting him play hero to his little intern . wak bete Second Family 14.8 % Chapter 1 Zoe's sickly sweet voice stopped me . " Mrs. Holden , please don't misunderstand ! Nothing happened ! My period started , and I ruined my skirt , so Mr. Holden was kind enough to lend me his jacket ! " 1 pivoted , my voice dripping with ice . " Who said anything about cheating ? Are you putting words in my mouth ? Is that standard intern procedure ? " I paused . " And it's Amelia . Not Mrs. Holden . " Zoe's eyes widened . She flinched as if I'd struck her , and tears welled up on command , trembling on her lashes . The perfect wounded bunny act . " Amelia ! " James slammed his palms on the desk . He pulled a monogrammed handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Zoe . " Grow up ! You're thirty years old , not thirteen ! Are you bullying the interns now ? " Does that make you feel powerful ? " Zoe hid a tiny , triumphant smile as a single tear dropped onto the marble floor . " It's my fault , Mr. Holden ... I'll apologize ! " She bowed dramatically . " My deepest apologies ! Please don't fire me ! " James hauled her to her feet and glared at me . " Enough , Amelia . And how many times have I told you ? Don't do that ' Mrs. CEO ' bullshit here ! "