The Unwanted Wife's Spectacular Comeback

Corinna lifted the hem of her heavy silk gown and stepped into the grand ballroom of the Manhattan Plaza Hotel.

The air was thick with the smell of expensive perfume and roasted meats.

A wall of photographers stood near the entrance. As she walked past, the blinding flashes of their cameras suddenly shifted. The lenses bypassed her completely, aiming at a group of socialites walking in behind her.

Corinna let the polite smile drop from her face. Her facial muscles ached from holding it.

She walked toward a waiter holding a silver tray of champagne. She reached out, desperate for something to hold to hide her shaking hands.

Before her fingers could touch the crystal stem, the waiter abruptly turned. He walked right past her.

Corinna froze. She looked up and saw her mother-in-law, Carolee, standing a few feet away. Carolee lowered her chin, giving the waiter a subtle nod of approval.

"It is a shame," Carolee said, her voice intentionally loud enough to cut through the string quartet playing in the corner. "Some people only survive by sucking the life out of a trust fund. A terrible return on investment for any family."

Corinna's nails dug so hard into her palms that the skin nearly broke. Her lungs felt tight, like someone was sitting on her chest.

A woman in a green dress, someone Corinna barely knew, stepped into her path. She wore a fake, sympathetic smile.

"Corinna, darling," the woman said. "Where is Holland tonight? It is so rare to see you without him."

"He is tied up with work," Corinna forced the words past the lump in her throat. "Back-to-back meetings."

The woman covered her mouth and let out a soft giggle. She reached into her clutch and pulled out her phone.

"Work?" The woman tapped the screen and held it up. "Are you sure?"

Corinna looked at the bright screen. Her pupils shrank.

It was a high-definition photo on a gossip site. Holland was walking into a luxury Manhattan penthouse. His arm was wrapped tightly around Daphne Wise's waist.

The headline read: WARNER HEIR SECURES $50 MILLION LOVE NEST FOR CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART.

The words felt like physical blows to her stomach.

Low whispers and suppressed laughter started to ripple through the people standing around her. The invisible walls of the ballroom began to close in. The air turned thin.

Corinna shoved past the woman in the green dress. She practically ran down the hallway and pushed through the heavy doors of the women's restroom.

She gripped the edges of the marble sink. She turned on the cold water and splashed it onto her face, ruining her makeup.

She looked up at the mirror. The woman staring back at her looked pale, hollow, and entirely defeated.

A hot tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away aggressively.

Her hands shook as she pulled her phone from her clutch. She dialed Holland's number.

It rang twice before going straight to his cold, automated voicemail.

Before she could