ra Wrig

itchen, wearing one of my aprons over his expensive shirt, stirring a pot of pasta sauce. The pictur

a mask of gentle concern. "I was just a

side, placing the back of his hand on my forehead

ping back. "I just went for

bbiata, just the way you like it, with extra spice. And I opened that bo

grace, every gesture designed to showcase his devotion. If I hadn' t seen what I' d seen, if I hadn' t h

hing a stranger perform a p

right amount of worry. "You really scared me, Alex. You need t

ch liquid doing nothing t

ds and said, "I' m just going to pop

silent as a shadow, I followed. I stopped just outside Jacob' s partially

studying?" Anthony' s vo

ame controller clicking furiously in the backg

my son' s voice that

d. "It was... productive. Had to cut it sho

He made my manufactured panic sound

"Is she okay?" The question was per

Anthony said dismissively. "You know how sh

pped her name into conversation with

Way cooler than Mrs. Albright. At least

And it came fr

she?" Anthony' s voice wa

om knows something' s up. She was asking me weird questions about g

xt and his first instinct was

s about you. Made her think you were the one getting into trouble. She bought it, hook, line, and sinker.

n a room together, casually dissecting my weaknesses, mocking my l

blow. "Always working on her little design projects, making her healthy dinners. Katia'

rayal. Not just complicity, b

not that simple, Jake. Your mother is a good woma

He was defending an asset. A household manager. An appliance

"I' m just saying. Katia wo

ng to my mouth to stifle a sob. I made it to our master bathroom just as my stomach revolted, and I thre

d knees, shaking, wh

my side in an instant, his hands fluttering aroun

I spat, the word

n the air. "What... what' s w

felt like it could split my skin. I shoved him away, my palm co

. "Just... get out.

tner in pain, but a problem he couldn't immediately solve. "Ale

word was

ing the stage at the Architectural Guild Awards ceremony. The grand ballroom, the massive screen

obably thought I was having a breakd

g gesture. "Okay, whatever you need. I' m sorry. I don' t know what

. "It' s the biggest night of my career. I need you there, Alex. We' re supposed to... I was going to toa

s. The irony was so thick

in the wreckage of my heart. A toast.

It was the p

roll down my cheek. "You' re right," I whispered. "I' m sorry. I' m just..

ete it was almost comical. He had his applianc

ing, devastating smil

me, to hug me,

"Just... give me a

met my own eyes in the mirror. The woman staring back was a stranger. Her eyes were not filled with t

remony. His b

member. I was going to give him