By the time Honey finished the Boston presentation, it was just before four. She'd crafted a masterpiece of financial analysis that highlighted both the risks and potential benefits of the acquisition, excluding the information Grayson had uncovered. She sent it to him with minutes to spare before his deadline, but received no response, not even his customary terse "Received."

Her head throbbed from the remnants of last night's wine and hours of staring at a screen. The notification of her doctor's appointment flashed on her phone. Perfect timing. She needed to get those tests done, then she had plans to meet her friends for dinner. Plans she had made after leaving the meeting with Grayson. Maybe a girls' night was exactly what she needed after the last twenty-four hours she'd had.

She gathered her things, making sure to include the package that had been delivered... small, discreet cameras that would help document Riley's infidelity, she hoped. As she headed out, Marjorie looked up from her desk.

"Leaving already, Mrs. Smith? It's only four-thirty."

"Headache," Honey replied, smoothing down her oversized blazer. "I'll finish anything left undone at home over the weekend."

"What if Mr. Taylor calls."

"He has my cell if it's urgent." Honey paused, then added, "But I'm sure it won't be."

As she walked toward the elevator, her phone buzzed with a message. She expected it to be Grayson with some last-minute demand but instead saw it was from her friend Lauren.

So, looking forward to tonight. Maggie confirmed-7:30 at Nonna's?

Honey smiled. Lauren Gardener and Maggie Chase had been her roommates in college, and despite their different career paths, Lauren a rising actress and Maggie a dedicated surgeon... they'd remained close. They were also the only people besides her father and Riley who knew the real Honey Johnson, not the carefully constructed Joy Smith. She didn't see her friends as much as she would have liked. Riley had always made a big deal out of her spending time with them.

Absolutely. Need it more than you know. See you there.

After her doctor's appointment, where the doctor had expedited her tests with a promise to call with results tomorrow afternoon, Honey finally headed home. She needed to shed her Joy persona before meeting her friends.

The apartment was still empty, just as she'd expected. Riley had texted around 3 pm to say he would be working late again. She had scoffed as she read it. Working late... right. More likely he was with the teenage housekeeper again. Honey knew the girl was nineteen and legal, but it just felt wrong. Riley was 35 and married. If Brittany hadn't been a teenager, Honey may have felt a little better about it.

In their bedroom, Honey removed her wig first, sighing with relief as she placed it on its stand. Next came the glasses, then the frumpy clothes. She stood before her closet, considering what to wear. For so long, she'd defaulted to whatever Riley preferred when she was playing the part of his wife, modest, conservative outfits that wouldn't attract attention.

Tonight, she didn't care what Riley would think. He wasn't invited and she didn't want to wear what he would like.

She pulled out a little black dress she hadn't worn in years, one that hugged her curves and showed just enough leg and cleavage to be sexy without crossing into inappropriate. She paired it with strappy heels that added four inches to her height of five foot five. Another thing Riley didn't like because it made her closer to his height of five foot ten.

In the bathroom after taking a quick shower not getting her hair wet, she let her natural red hair cascade around her shoulders, brushing it until it gleamed. Her makeup highlighted her green eyes, defined her cheekbones, and added a touch of red to her lips that matched her hair.

The woman who looked back at her from the mirror was a stranger, at least she'd been a stranger for the past few years, Riley didn't like her wearing makeup. Honey smiled at her reflection. She didn't care what Riley liked anymore.

Before leaving, she took a few minutes to place the tiny cameras in strategic locations around the apartment, one in the living room with a view of the couch where she'd found the thong, one in the kitchen, another in the hallway with a view of the front door, and one pointing toward their bedroom, with another covering the spare bedroom. Before making sure all cameras linked to the app on her phone. All were motion-activated and would send alerts to her phone. The batteries should last a week.

Satisfied with her preparations, Honey grabbed her purse and headed out. On the way to the restaurant, she sent a quick text to Ben to let him know about cameras.

Honey: Set up camera surveillance tonight. Will keep you updated.

She hadn't told her friends about Riley yet. She wanted to wait until she had a drink in hand.

Nonna's was crowded when she arrived, the upscale Italian restaurant buzzing with Friday night energy. She spotted Lauren and Maggie at a corner table, both already nursing cocktails. She ordered a drink from the passing waiter, letting him know what table to bring it to.

Lauren saw her first. She stood up, waving enthusiastically.

"Holy shit, she emerges!" Lauren exclaimed as Honey approached. "The real Honey Johnson graces us with her presence!"

Maggie, more reserved but equally pleased, stood to embrace her. "You look stunning. What's the occasion?"

Honey slid into her seat. "I'm getting divorced."

Both women froze, martini glasses halfway to their lips.

"I'm sorry, what?" Lauren leaned forward, lowering her voice. "You're divorcing Riley?"

"Found another woman's underwear in my couch last night." Honey accepted the gin and tonic the waiter brought, taking a generous sip. "Found a hot pink thong in our living room. Extra small, definitely not mine." She was small but not that small.

"That motherfucker," Maggie hissed, her medical professionalism momentarily abandoned. "I knew something was off with him. God, men are dogs."

Lauren shook her head. "Are you okay? I mean, obviously you're not okay, but... how are you handling it anyway?"

"Surprisingly well," Honey admitted. "I think I have suspected for a while. Finding the evidence was almost... relieving. I've already hired a PI, had my blood tested just in case, and set up cameras in the apartment. He will not get a penny out of me."

"Wow... Cameras?" Lauren's eyes widened.

"I need evidence for the prenup. If he's caught cheating, he gets nothing." When her mother had died twelve years ago everything had been left to Honey. Her father had set everything up in a trust. Which she had access to on her 25th birthday two months ago. She didn't need the money, so she had just let the investors manage the lot. It included shares, gold and property. She knew it put her on the Forbes List - The richest people in the world. It was another reason for her Joy disguise.

Maggie raised her glass. "To taking out the trash. And making him pay for it by getting none of your money."

They clinked glasses, and for the first time today, Honey felt the tension in her shoulders ease slightly. She had a plan, she had support, and she had the beginnings of freedom from Riley. They placed their food orders with the waiter.

"So, the PI, the cameras... you're not confronting him?" Lauren asked.

"Not yet. I need undeniable proof first." Honey sipped her drink. "I'm sorry I haven't told you any of this but... he's been gaslighting me for years. Making me think I'm the problem. I'm paranoid, I'm too focused on working, not sexy enough, too cold in bed. If I confront him now, he'll just deny everything, and he is so charming when he wants to be he would have any judge believing him not me. I need photo or video evidence."

"Bastard," Maggie muttered. "I always thought you were too good for him."

"You both told me that before I married him," Honey acknowledged. "I should have listened. I'm sorry now I didn't."

"Hey, no self-recrimination," Lauren squeezed her hand. "We've all made relationship mistakes. The important thing is you're fixing it now." There was a shadow that fell over Lauren's face but before Honey could ask her about it, the waiter returned to take their dinner orders, and the conversation shifted to lighter topics... Lauren's latest audition, Maggie's new position at the hospital.

It felt good to laugh, to be herself, to let her guard down completely. As their entrées arrived, Honey realized how much she'd missed this.

"So," Lauren said, twirling pasta around her fork, "now that you're getting divorced, are you going to drop the whole Joy Smith act at work too?"

Honey nearly choked on her wine. "God, no. It was never there for any other reason than keeping an eye on the business I own 10% of and stepping away from being known as Gage Johnson's daughter. I loved numbers and I love being a CFO. Joy is not connected to Riley at all. Could you imagine Grayson finding out."

"The infamous Grayson Taylor," Maggie mused. "The way you talk about him at times, he sounds like a corporate supervillain."

"He's..." Honey paused, considering. After today's interaction, she wasn't sure how to characterize him anymore. "Well, it feels like it sometimes. He is brilliant but arrogant. Today he actually complimented my work, which was new."

"Maybe he's not as bad as you-" Lauren stopped mid-sentence, her eyes fixed on something over Honey's shoulder. "Holy shit."

"What?" Honey turned to follow her gaze.

"Don't look!" Lauren hissed, but it was too late.

Near the entrance, being led to a table by the maître d', was Grayson Taylor himself. And he wasn't alone. A tall, elegantly beautiful blonde woman walked beside him, laughing at something he'd said as she clung to his arm.

"That's Grayson Taylor?" Maggie whispered, impressed. "That man is sex on legs."

"And that's definitely not Morgan Fairchild with him," Lauren added. "Everyone knows he's engaged to her. She tells everyone she meets. He is a real catch for her." Both Lauren and Morgan were actresses. Lauren had never worked with Morgan but they both went to some of the same parties and auditions.

Honey stared, unable to look away. Grayson with a woman that wasn't his fiancé. Maybe it was innocent. Honey felt like snorting. She had zero trust left in men right now.

"I need another drink," Honey muttered, signaling the waiter again.

The waiter seemed to be taking his sweet time noticing Honey's signal, and her empty glass sat mockingly in front of her. Meanwhile, Grayson and his mystery blonde were being seated at a prime table near the window.

"That's it," Honey muttered, rising from her chair. "I'm going to the bar myself."

"Want me to come with you?" Lauren offered.

"No, stay put. I'll be right back."

Honey strode across the restaurant, conscious of her appearance in the black dress that hugged her curves. Without her Joy Smith persona, she moved differently, with more confidence, her natural grace no longer suppressed. At the bar, she leaned forward, catching the bartender's attention.

"One gin and tonic, and two martinis, please."

While waiting, she didn't look towards Grayson's table.

The bartender nodded at Honey's order, quickly mixing the drinks. As she waited, she felt a presence beside her, someone sliding onto the stool at her right. From her peripheral vision, she caught sight of a dark suit and the scent of expensive sandalwood cologne.

The bartender looked up.

"Scotch, neat," came a deep voice she recognized instantly. "And a sparkling water."

Honey kept her gaze fixed on the bartender's hands as he prepared her drinks, willing herself not to turn. Of all the bars in all the restaurants in New York, Grayson Taylor had to pick this one. She shifted slightly, angling her body away from him.

"I'll pay for the drinks now," she told the bartender, pulling out her credit card. No need to charge to their table.

The bartender nodded, but before he could take her card, Grayson's voice cut in.

"Add the lady's drinks to my tab."

Honey stiffened. He hadn't recognized her, had he? No, he couldn't have. Not with her real hair down, no glasses, and in this dress. Still, she wasn't about to accept drinks from him.

"That won't be necessary," she said, her voice pitched slightly higher than normal, still not looking his way.

"I insist," Grayson replied, and she could hear the smile in his voice... the charm he switched on when he wanted something. It was nothing like the clipped businesslike tones he used with Joy Smith at the office.

The bartender glanced between them, caught in the middle of their standoff.

She was not going to create a scene. "Your choice," she finally said, taking the card back and sliding it back into her purse. "Thank you."

As the bartender moved away to finish their drinks, Grayson turned toward her. She could feel his eyes on her profile.

"I don't usually get turned down when I offer to buy a beautiful woman a drink," he said.

Honey almost snorted. Beautiful woman? He wouldn't recognize beauty if it presented financial reports to him every month or glared at him over the boardroom table.

"Maybe you're not as irresistible as you think you are," she replied, finally turning to face him fully.

For a split second, his eyes widened in appreciation as he took her in-the red hair, the form-fitting dress, the confident posture. There was no hint of recognition in his gaze, just pure male interest.

He was hitting on her!

"I'm Grayson," he said, extending his hand.

"I know who you are."

Grayson looked her over again. "Have we met before? Because I'm sorry-"

Honey stared at Grayson, momentarily caught off-guard by his complete lack of recognition. It was almost comical how thoroughly her Joy Smith disguise worked. The man she argued with nearly every day couldn't connect this confident redhead with his frumpy CFO.

"No, we haven't met, but you are Grayson Taylor who is engaged to Morgan Fairchild?" she asked, her voice cool and steady. She glanced toward his table where the blonde waited. "You're here with another woman and you're chatting me up? That's just all class."

A flash of annoyance crossed his face. His jaw tightened slightly.

"Not like it's any of your business," he said, his voice hardening, "but my engagement with Morgan is over." He gestured toward the blonde at his table. "And that is my sister, Emma. I don't cheat."

He took his drinks and credit card from the bar, then stood, towering over her. For a brief moment, their eyes locked.

"Excuse me," he said stiffly, then turned and walked away, leaving her there with her mouth hanging open.

Honey watched him return to his table, stunned by the exchange. The blonde, his sister? Looked up at him with concern as he sat down. Now that Honey looked more carefully, she could see the family resemblance in their profiles. Their coloring was very different.

The bartender slid her drinks across the counter, breaking her trance. "Your drinks, ma'am."

"Thanks," she muttered, gathering them carefully. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she made her way back to her friends.

Lauren and Maggie leaned forward eagerly as she approached.

"What happened?" Lauren whispered, helping Honey distribute the drinks. "You two seemed to be having words."

Honey sank into her chair, still processing the encounter. "I just accused Grayson Taylor of cheating on his fiancée."

"You did what?" Maggie nearly choked on her fresh martini.

"He was flirting with me, Well, I think he was, and I thought... with everything that's happening with Riley..." Honey shook her head. "Turns out his engagement is over, and that's his sister at the table."

"Oh my god," Lauren covered her mouth. "Wait, he's not engaged anymore? When did that happen? The tabloids have been all over their relationship."

"I don't know," Honey admitted, stealing a glance at Grayson's table. He was now deep in conversation with his sister, his expression serious. "But he seemed pretty defensive about it."

"Well, at least now we know why he's not with Morgan tonight," Maggie said. "But he was hitting on you?"

"Maybe he wasn't... I could have read too much into it," Honey began, then stopped herself. That's exactly what he'd been doing. "God, what must he think of me?" Honey dropped her head in her hands, embarrassed.

"Who cares?" Lauren shrugged. "It's not like you'll ever see him again. Well, not as Honey, anyway."

Honey lifted her head and took a large swallow of her drink, feeling oddly unsettled. She'd been so quick to judge him, to assume the worst. After Riley's betrayal, she'd automatically projected those same traits onto Grayson.

"He said 'I don't cheat' like it was a point of honor for him," she mused. "I wonder what happened between him and Morgan."

"Maybe she cheated on him," Maggie suggested. "Would explain his reaction to your accusation."

"Enough about my boss," Honey said, pushing the encounter aside. "Let's talk about something else. Anything else."

Grayson sat down at the table, his mood darkened by the encounter at the bar. He handed Emma her drink as he sat down. The redhead had been stunning... those green eyes, that figure, she had oozed sex appeal. He'd been instantly drawn to her, something that hadn't happened in a long time. Mostly, women chased him, not the other way around.

"What happened?" Emma asked, taking a sip of her sparkling water. "You look like someone just insulted our mother."

"Nothing," he muttered, taking a sip of his scotch. The liquid burned pleasantly down his throat but did little to ease his irritation. "Just a misunderstanding."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "A misunderstanding that has you looking ready to throttle someone? Come on, Grayson. Talk to me."

He sighed, setting his glass down. "That woman at the bar accused me of cheating on Morgan. With you."

Emma nearly choked on her water. "With me? Your sister? That's disgusting!"

"She didn't know you were my sister," Grayson clarified, his jaw tightening. "She recognized me, knew I was engaged to Morgan, and jumped to conclusions."

"Was engaged," Emma corrected gently. "Past tense. The tabloids haven't caught up yet."

Grayson ran a hand through his hair. "I told her that. Also told her you were my sister."

"And how did she take it?"

"I didn't stick around to find out." He glanced toward the bar, but the redhead had already returned to her table with friends. From this angle, he could only see her profile, the elegant curve of her neck, the way her fiery hair caught the light.

Emma followed his gaze. "I have to say she is beautiful."

"And quick to judge."

"After what you went through with Morgan, I'm not surprised it bothered you." Emma reached across the table to squeeze his hand. "But it's just a stranger's misconception. You don't know her reasons for jumping to conclusions. Either way, why let it ruin our evening?"

Grayson nodded but couldn't shake his annoyance. The accusation had hit too close to home; the memory of finding Morgan with Tina still cut deep. Being accused of the very thing that had destroyed his engagement felt like salt in an open wound.

"There was something familiar about her," he mused, stealing another glance at the redhead's table. "Like I've met her before. But she said we haven't met."

"Maybe you have? You meet hundreds of people."

"I'd remember her."

Emma smirked. "Because she's gorgeous?"

"Because she had the nerve to call me out like that, she has a mouth on her." Grayson said, though he couldn't deny her beauty was part of it. "Most people are too intimidated."

"Except Joy Smith," Emma pointed out with a small smile. "Your CFO gives you hell regularly, according to your complaints."

Grayson snorted. "Smith is different. That's business." He took another sip of his scotch. "This was... I don't know. Personal."

The waiter arrived with their appetizers, temporarily distracting him from thoughts of the fiery redhead. As Emma chatted about her latest gallery showing, Grayson found his gaze repeatedly drawn to the woman's table. There was something about her laugh, the way she gestured when she spoke...

"You should go talk to her again, if you are that interested," Emma said suddenly.

Grayson snapped his attention back to his sister. "What?"

"The redhead. You keep looking at her. Go apologize or something."

"I have nothing to apologize for."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Fine. Go introduce yourself properly then. She obviously made an impression."

"I'm not looking to date anyone right now," Grayson said firmly. Now what he needed was a good, hard fuck with no strings. He had already reinstated his membership at the club.

"Who said anything about dating? Maybe you just need to get laid."

"Emma!" He glared at his younger sister.

"What?" She shrugged innocently. She didn't bring up Morgan or Tina, that was a no-go area of conversation right now.

Grayson shifted uncomfortably. His sister wasn't wrong, but he wasn't about to admit it to her.

"I'm fine," he insisted.

"You're wound tighter than that watch you wear."

Grayson stiffened. "It's none of your business."

"I'm just worried about you," Emma admitted.

Grayson stared into his scotch. He'd given up his membership to The Velvet Room when things got serious with Morgan, thinking she was the one he could build a future with. Now, with that illusion shattered, there was nothing holding him back.

"Maybe you are right," he conceded.

Emma studied him for a moment. "Just promise me you won't let what Morgan did poison you against all women. Not everyone's like her," she said, stepping into topics he didn't want to talk about.

"I know that," he said, though part of him wasn't so sure anymore.

His gaze drifted once more to the redhead. Despite their brief, contentious interaction, there was something compelling about her, a spark that had been missing from his life lately. Even his life with Morgan.

Maybe it was time to start living again.

Honey took a deep breath, trying to shake off the embarrassment from her encounter with Grayson. "It's been awful, honestly," she said, explaining everything that had been going on before adding, "Riley and I haven't had sex in months, and when we did..." She lowered her voice, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "It was terrible. Like, spectacularly bad."

Maggie winced. "How bad are we talking here?"

"He's..." Honey said, twirling the straw in her drink. "It's all about him. Five minutes of missionary, then he's done and rolling over to sleep while I'm just... there. Unsatisfied. It's like he isn't into me at all." She took another sip of her drink, the alcohol loosening her tongue. "I haven't had an orgasm with him. Not once in three years of marriage."

"Not once?" Lauren's eyes widened. "How have you survived?"

Honey felt her cheeks flush. "I take care of myself. What else can I do? Some nights I'm so frustrated I can barely sleep until I... you know." She made a discreet gesture with her hand. "My vibrator gets more action than my husband ever did."

"Jesus," Maggie muttered. "And he had the nerve to cheat on you?"

"He told me I was frigid," Honey admitted, her voice catching slightly. "That it was my fault I couldn't climax with him. Told me he had never had a problem before. I actually believed him for a while."

"That manipulative bastard," Lauren hissed, her eyes darting around the restaurant before leaning in conspiratorially. "I know about a place you could go to."

"A place?" Honey raised an eyebrow. Was she talking about a sex shop?

Lauren nodded, lowering her voice even further. "It's called The Velvet Room. Very exclusive, very discreet. It's a members-only club where people go to... explore. Everyone wears masks, complete anonymity."

"You mean like a sex club?" Honey whispered, shocked.

"Not exactly," Lauren explained. "I mean, yes, there's sex, only if you want it, but it's more than that. It's about fantasy, desire... finding what you really want without judgment."

Maggie looked skeptical. "How do you even know about this place?"

"I dated a guy who was a member," Lauren shrugged. "He took me once. It was... let's say enlightening."

Honey's mind raced. A place where no one knew who she was, where she could be herself or anyone else, she wanted to be. Where she might finally discover if the problem really was her, as Riley had claimed, or if she was capable of pleasure with the right partner... not just her vibrator and her own fingers.

"I don't know..." she began, though something inside her hummed with curiosity.

"Just think about it," Lauren said, pulling out her phone. "I still have the contact information. They screen everyone extensively. Security is tight. No one would ever know you were there."

Honey looked across the restaurant where Grayson sat with his sister, his profile strong and confident. Then she thought of Riley, probably with his teenage mistress right now, both of them believing Honey was too naive to suspect anything.

"Send me the information," she said suddenly. "No promises, but... I'll think about it."

Lauren smiled, typing something into her phone. "Already done. And Honey? Whatever you decide, just remember... you deserve pleasure. Real pleasure. Not whatever sad excuse for intimacy Riley's been giving you. You don't owe him anything."

"To finding real pleasure," Maggie raised her glass in a toast.

Honey clinked her glass against her friends', a flutter of both fear and excitement stirring in her chest. "To finding real pleasure."