hotel. It was the kind of event where our "perfect marriage" was always on full display.

one lucky man," said one of David' s busin

r colleague gushed. "Ten years and you still lo

e lucky one, that' s for sure," he said,

l twist of a knife. They were all admiring a facade, a beautiful lie I had helped build and maintain. My heart fe

nt, charming and confident, the loving husband and brilliant businessman a

eeding a moment away from the suffocating p

he wore an expensive-looking dress, her hair was professionally styled, and she held herself with a confidence that bordere

d. It was him. I

athe. It was one thing to know, to hear a voice on the phone. It

ll, triumphant smile played on her lips. It was a look of pure victory. She knew who I was.

ed his hand free and darted into the crow

arah called after him, a h

ne person in the room he recognized as a

t him with wide, adoring eyes. "Daddy!" he shouted, his v

r immediate circle. Everyone turned

anished, replaced by a mask of pure panic. He looked f

he stammered, trying to gently pry the boy

at your party!" he insisted, his lower lip beginning to tremble. He pointed a small

g across town. He had set her and his children up in a house, a secret life running in parallel to ours, just miles away. Every time he' d said he w

looked at David with feigned apology, but her eye

enough for everyone to hear. "Leo was just so excited t

s unmistakable. She w

se ring. It was from the same designer collection as the necklace David had just bought for me. He was buying them both gifts from the same st

ld was crumbling in public, and he had no idea how to stop it. He just stood there, speech

ness. Just a profound, chilling emptiness. He wasn't my husband anymore. He was

om on my back. I didn't care. I walked out of the ballroom, out of the hote