to its will. This was Arthur Hayes, the patriarch of the Hayes Hospitality Group, a global empire of five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants. And Ethan, the chef who had just been publi

was, not what he stood for. It se

tival. She was ambitious, fiery, with a business plan and a dream. He had been instantly captivated. He told her he was a chef with a modest trust fund, enough to get them

able, the hard-to-get licenses that were approved overnight, the glowing magazine features that seemed to appear out of thin air, Olivia had believed it

, their faces close together, champagne glasses raised. The caption read: "To new beginnings and the partner who truly makes it all pos

name. Olivia and Mark laughing. Olivia and Mark feeding each other a piece of cake. Olivia and Mark looking at each othe

ered. "Ethan? Where did you go?" Her voice was slurred, the sound of champagne evident in her tone. "You can't just run off like a child. We have a business t

ing, becoming more business-like. "About that Sterling deal. Did you get a contact name? Mark has some fantastic i

w partner. That was the moment the last shred of sentimentality died. The pain was still there, but it was now overlaid with a cold, hard clarity. He saw her not as the woman he loved,

ngely calm. The decision was made. There was no going back, no reconciliation, no "working things ou

an said, his voice steady and clear. "It's Ethan Hayes. I need you to start divorce proceedings immediately. And I want you to initiat