Seducing my ex husband back

IRE'

d been going off for the p

the numbers climb in real time. Shares, likes, comments-all expl

ANDER HAYES ENGAGE

nasty: Claire Winfre

on Ring That Br

asized about break

y my carefully curated circle of wealthy friends, watching my engag

flair cooking up this surprise?" Mari

he kind of mischief that

face during the proposal.

sip of my wine. The Château

ark months of healing. The engagement wasn't just an opening

d. In her place sat Claire Elizabeth Winfred, soon-to-

r designer bracelet catch

laying games with them must be sobbing

chimed in. "A billionaire like Alexander

dded with a knowing smirk. "Wasn't she practicall

er, but inside, a darker s

d felt?' The thought st

engagement was announced, when her friends congratu

, surrounded by admirers, while I was somew

triumph and vindication while I was r

must have noticed my brief discomfort b

d your appetizer. The engage

"Just dazed by all of this. A

ferent person," Marie said firmly. "You

ppin

this happiness? Or was this just the firs

y tablet, still buzzi

York by now. Somewhere in Manhattan

tching his ex-wife claim a victo

se quickened. Blackwood Industries' stock had d

rom his father, the empire he had ch

d liquidation sales. The thought should have broug

Blackwood," Sarah said sudden

omas Blackwood must be rolling in his grave

lla added with surprising horror. "To his first

d in gasps and sym

while my friends dissected Richard's bet

rie said, her voice d

best friend's husband? I could n

d to me expectantly. "If that happened to

ng in the air li

e expected response. They wanted me to condemn Monica, to

would have cried about betrayal and swor

't that wom

wife," I said calmly, watching

rk paused halfway to her mouth. Isabel

was happening right in front of her,"

tunity to destroy her marriage. S

was barely a whisper. "Yo

." I met each of their stunn

d on a silver platter. She was pathetic, and

, but I forced them out any

, trusting, naive. She had literally invited Monica i

uggled for words. "That's

"I've learned that successful women don't waste time fe

d never seen me before. "You sound l

om observation,"

they beg, they blame everyone but themselves. Then

came so

was the al

I was Claire Blackwood, the woman whose sto

ev

o strong women who take what they

tion felt strained now. Marie was still watching me with t

stal, I took a long sip of champagne

ld Claire had been

n. Too trusting to guard her marriage.

seen that weakness-s

y "innocent" conversation about Richard's needs had been a calcul

aire was dea

.a woman who owned successful businesses, graced magazine covers

ood the rules of the game now. And I was abo

der: "Saw the headlines. How does it fee

e the first day of

mirrored wall. Designer dress, flawless makeup, a sapphir

ything I had never

eyes that made me pause.

d claimed I could never be. Eve

thought, watching the numbers

me. You'll remember what you threw away, an

ginning. And this tim

k women lose

women? We