ra

o nurses bustled in to check my vi

he VIP suite? He' s so handsome.

' s some big influencer, Chanel Simon. His wife scalded h

ng over me like acid. My husband.

story he was tel

Barlow?" one of the nurses asked, her tone

y voice flat. "N

k before finishing her ch

ody had endured. I packed my small bag with the few belongings I had. T

he nurses' station. The two from earli

e baby. And her husband hasn' t visited once. He

t wal

miliar and vibrant, looked foreign and grey. The grand v

The house was q

e kitchen. A pan sizzling. T

sound, my heart a he

illy apron tied around his waist, stirring somet

t cooked

his tone casual, as if I' d just returned from a trip to the gro

und like that," he chided, completely oblivious. He still t

not the three months I actually was. He

o correct him. To

turning to go upstairs

id. "Dinner' s

wrapped in one of Ethan' s cashmere robes. "E

replaced it with a sickly-sweet smile. "Kiera! You' re home. I' m so sorry to be an

my husband' s robe. Whi

urged through me. "Get out,"

el both looked

nded, stepping in front of Chanel protectiv

es cold. I looked at Chanel. "There' s a condo down

ffled. "How do you kn

me before I was married, a place to stay when I visited

. I couldn' t look at their faces anymore.

nner together. I made your fa

. I hated truffles. The earthy, cloying smell made me nauseous. I

his touch as if I' d been

hour later, I heard the front door close. I looked out the w

The smell of truffles lingered in the ai

y. "Mrs. Carlson, are you alright? Mr. Carlson

they had. T

rang. It

is feeling a bit weak, and it' s late. I' m go

ng the night with another woman, in my apartment, a

ng up the phone before h