By the time Camden's car pulled up , the restaurant looked like a reality show intervention gone wrong . Plates and jars glittered across the reclaimed hardwood . He stood there processing the carnage for a solid ten seconds . Then he nodded to his security detail - yeah , he traveled with bodyguards now like some Silicon Valley messiah - and they cleared out my backup dancers . Without a word , he scooped up Vera from where she was having her breakdown in the corner and looked at me like I was something that had crawled out of TMZ's comment section . " Sage . What part of ' don't pull this shit ' was unclear ? " Oh , I'd gotten the memo every single time I'd made their little love story inconvenient . Every time I'd forced him to do damage control on his double life . I gave them my best pageant smile . " You better bring some actual consequences this time . Really sell it . " I gestured at the destruction like I was presenting a game show prize . " Because every time you set up Princess here in some new venture . I'm gonna redecorate . And next time ? I'm livestreaming it on TikTok . This whole neighborhood's gonna know her specialty isn't molecular gastronomy - it's husband theft . " " We'll see how many foodie influencers want to collab with a homewrecker . " Vera's tears turned into full - body sobs . She buried her face in Camden's Hermès sweater . " Watch yourself , Sage . " His voice could have flash - frozen Hell . " I went after her . She's completely innocent . You want to blame someone ? Blame me . " Something about the way he said it - so protective , so final - made me want to laugh and cry simultaneously . " Perfect . Let's make this about you then . " Before anyone could blink , I wound up and slapped Camden across his perfectly chiseled face hard enough to leave a handprint . His head whipped sideways . He stayed frozen like a deer under the light . I'd actually stunned him . Probably the first time since prep school that anyone had touched the great Camden Ashworth without permission . When he finally looked back at me , his expression belonged in a morgue . " Looks like you need a timeout in county lockup . " I watched him pull out his phone . Chapter 2 He spoke to his lawyer in that same arctic CEO voice . File charges . Domestic violence . The works . My voice shook but I kept my chin up . " Hope they've got good Wi - Fi . I'll be posting my side of the story ! " He pocketed the phone and looked at me coldly . " Looking forward to it . " C