No wonder Adrian hadn't come home for days. Sara had naively thought he was sulking over their argument that night. She had even asked his secretary for his location, rushing over eagerly to make amends.
Instead, reality dealt her a heavy blow. She stood rooted to the spot, her fingers whitening around the handle of her bag.
Perhaps her gaze was too intense. Eva seemed to sense something. She suddenly turned her head, her eyes locking with Sara's.
Life abroad had treated her well; Eva was even more beautiful than she had been three years ago. Tear tracks stained her face, but she didn't look disheveled. Instead, she looked pitiful, fragile—the kind of vulnerability that instantly triggered a man's protective instincts.
No wonder Adrian couldn't resist.
"Ms. James. Long time no see."
Since there was no place to hide, Sara straightened her spine and walked up to them openly.
Eva stared at her for three seconds. Her gaze dropped to the wedding ring on Sara's hand—a matching set with Adrian's—before she finally spoke.
Her tone dripped with thinly veiled mockery.
"It really has been a long time. In the blink of an eye, Assistant Navarro has become Mrs. Harding. Quite the climb."
Eva was born into nobility. She had always looked down on women who traded their bodies for status and wealth.
But over the years, Sara had trained herself to be bulletproof. She merely smiled, refusing to take the bait.
"How did you get here?"
Adrian followed Eva's line of sight, his dark eyes landing on Sara.
Any other wife seeing her husband entangled with his ex might have stormed over, screaming and demanding an explanation. But Sara didn't have that courage. More importantly, she didn't have the right.
Before the wedding, they had signed an agreement: the marriage would last three years. When the time was up, the assets would be settled, the divorce finalized, and they would go their separate ways.
So Sara swallowed the acid rising in her throat and plastered on the smile of a virtuous wife.
"I heard you had a social engagement tonight. I was worried you'd drink too much and upset your stomach, so I came to check on you."
Adrian usually detested people prying into his schedule. Under his unblinking stare, a chill ran down Sara's spine.
But today, Adrian was acting out of character.
Not only did he not scold her, but a faint, unreadable smile played on his lips.
"So thoughtful?"