ss the king-sized bed. Chloe stirred, a dull ache settling deep in her muscles. She

ol to the touch. Ja

glass of water, was a small, folded note. The

l be home

t it was: a man who had never been taught how to express love, trying anyway. She pressed the note to her chest for a moment before

nd, her fingers flying across the screen

, hubby. Miss

hit

nce room on the top floor of Irwin En

istened to a senior vice president stammer through a quarterly report. The execut

e table, lit up with a soft chime-a custom n

of annoyance in his eyes. H

ractured. He picked up the phone, his thumb swiping to unlock it. As he read the me

fied glances. The CEO was smiling. This ha

l on the screen: "Miss you too. Eat something. I'll be home by seven."

new lock screen wallpaper. The woman who had once recoiled from his touch had ju

d been chips of ice moments befo

e shockingly mild. "Evan, arrange for a double bonus

mpany-wide group chat, Jessica Miller, the front desk receptionist, was already typing fu

t descended the grand staircase, dress

ession professionally placid. "Madam, a Ms. Lawson i

tood her misery. Now, she took her time. She smoothed the front of her cashmere sweater, checked her reflection in the hallway mirror, and a

room, Arthur," she said,

a perfect mask of worried concern. She rushed tow

loud, laced with false panic. "The staff said you spent the nig

er face a caricature of a savio

wasn't like that at all." She glanced down, letting a blush creep up her cheeks-a genuine one, born from the memory of Jax's hesita

for just a moment before she caught herself. "Wrong about him?" she repeated, her v

t I've been a fool. Jax isn't the monster I thought he was. He's been patient, and kind, and last night he..." Sh

e coffee table-watched the way her best friend's face contorted through a rapid-fire series of emotions before

ched too thin, like fabric about to tear. "Chloe," she said, her voice carefully controlled, "I'm just... confused. What about Zane? You've been tell

rt. I just want to make sure you're not... confused. I mean, if you have feelings for Zane and y

Chloe heard it clearly: You're a cheater. You're unfaithful.

bled. She would have defended herself

I talked to the wrong person. But Zane is married to his ambitions-and frankly, after last night, I can't imagine why I ever gave him a second thought." She let her voice soften, filling it with the kind of

delicate sip. "I hope you can be ha

tructed smile had frozen into something rigid and unnatural. Her eyes-for just a fraction

her voice a shade too bright. "I'm just... surprised, that's all. It's a lot to take in." She stood abruptly, h

aid sweetly. "Arthur

with every hurried step. Chloe watched her go, the sweet smil

eath the mask. Iesha thought she was still playing the role of the concerned best friend, the sympathetic confida

rmured to the empty room. "I