s if nothing had happened, became the aggressive CEO I knew from his business

rk Davis!" the a

nd getaway to a luxury spa, which he presented to me

described its rarity, I saw Chloe across the room, her eyes fixe

iece of the performance, a

t it, and a hurried expression crossed his face. "I have to take car

ld say a word. I kne

e had posted a selfie. She was glowing, her head tilted just

l the luck. Thank you to my man for

t was the public disrespect, the deliberate humiliation. He had bought me a

ompson. "More evidence," I wrote. Each piece I sent him felt like a nail being hammered into the cof

supposed care. I picked it up and ripped it into tiny pieces,

t. I didn't expect him to. The house was qui

His voice was strained. "Liv,

e, a way to talk to me without

said, my voice

one. It was from Chloe. How she got my number for a se

If you know what's good for you, you'll sign the papers and disappear. O

Threatening my relationship with my son was

..so I was thinking maybe I could bring

looked around the empty house. The only pl

lp him start it. I' d worked alongside him, handling the books, managing the o

aste fille

cold idea forming in my mi

started, no doubt planning to

on on my tongue. "Could I come see you? Maybe we

of the line. I could hear Chloe's voic

strained. "Tonight's not a good time

iar, pierced through my numbnes

y voice light, almost

erned husband, the loving father, but only when it was co

he nightstand. We looked so young, so full of hope. I stared at our smiling

had been the one to tell him she was a go-getter, that she would be an asset. He had prai

night text he tried to hide. An excuse about a business dinner that didn't add up.

y eyes burned, my world tilting on its axis. I confronted him, and he denied it, claimed it was photoshopped by a disgr

in of betrayals was laid out before me,

under my weight. I felt a wave of exhaustion so prof

t door open. Mark came in, leading

toy store!" Leo yelled, hol

hat made my stomach turn. He walked over an

mething for

beautiful. For a split second, a flicker of the old aff

his phone, which he'd left on the end

help but gl

orget, you promised me the matching earrings. Ca

The bracelet on my wrist suddenly felt like a shackle. I looked at him, at his smiling, de

was almost serene. It was the calm before the storm. And I was the storm. My love for him, o