Too Late Mr. Sterling: You Lost Me

pansive walk-in closet, her fingers lingering on the silk of a navy blue tie. She was trying to decide if this was the shade of blue Archer liked, or the

ation ca

tting the tile was a rhythmic, distant thrumming, accompanied by his off-key humming o

t a call. It was a text message on the lo

ator app. The code is the

stared at the words, waiting for them to rearrange themselves into something innocent, something like a wrong number or a spam

e humming continued. Steam was beginnin

ence like 1-2-3-4. He prided himself on digital hygiene, a trait he preached about in every interview. But Harper knew his vanity exceeded his caution. She tilted the screen against the light, searching for the tell-tale oily r

six digits. The l

They looked perfect. Tan, smiling, successful. Harper looked at her own s

background. She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the glass. If she did this, if she opened this door, she

e icon. The k

digits. The day Sterling

t flickered, the interface dissolving int

the bed, the mattress dipping under her weight. She t

n't re

focus but unmistakable, was Archer's hand resting on a woman's thigh under the table. The woman was w

sw

. The woman was laughing, her head thrown back. It was Mia St. Claire. His executive assistant. Th

r throat. She swallowed it

just photos. There were sc

on paper. She looks good

she suspec

Besides, she's grateful. Where would she be

You'r

r is a dead fish in bed an

m Harper's fingers an

d f

cause she lost the passion, but because Archer claimed the clay dust triggered his asthma. He would cough dramatically for hours after she returned from the studio, guilt-tripping her until she scrubbed h

led her a

er turn

ose it. She had to lock it. Her thumbs fumbled over the screen, exiting the hidden in

s cro

left, aligning it with the edge of

dalwood soap. Archer walked out, a towel wrapped low around his hips. He was rubbi

e hand towel onto the chair. "Did

ed to the closet, grabbing the tie she had been holding. She fe

ce sounded thin, like pa

und her waist, pulling her back against his damp che

in crawled. It felt like thousands of ants were

he murmured ag

stared at their reflection in the full-length mirror.

. He walked over to the night

ammered against her ribs so hard sh

een. Checked a no

smile. The kind of smile she us

g the phone onto the bed. "Felix is

't send emails with winking emojis. She knew Fe

good," s

realizing that the man she had loved for seven years didn't exist. He was a chara