Chapter Two: Not so perfect life

Present Day

“Who the fuck is she?” I shouted as the door slammed behind him, the rage in my voice enough to startle him.

Carter froze, his brow furrowed, his coat thrown across his shoulder and his tie already loosened. “Jesus, Reese… what the hell are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me!” I pushed him, my hands landed on his chest, not hard, but enough to make him stumble a step back.

“You barely look at me. You haven’t touched me in months. Hell, what am I even saying? You haven’t touched me in years. I can’t remember the last time we had sex, probably nine months before Leo was born. And even when we do…” My voice cracked, my breath shaking, “It’s so quick, like you just want to get it over with. No heat. No spark.“

I gasped for air, trying to steady myself.

“So, I’ll ask you again. Who the fuck is she?”

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. ”So, this is what you've cooked up? You think I'm cheating?” His voice was rough with fatigue. ”Reese, there's no one. You’re imagining things“.

“Imagining things?” I shoved him again, this time a little harder. His coat slid off his shoulder, brushing against the counter as he steadied himself.

“You disappear into work, into trips, into God knows where. Fuck, Carter. I’m your wife, and I'm left here alone in this apartment for weeks, even months, in this passionless marriage. Or maybe all that passion, all that energy, is for her? Hm? Is that it? Is she in London or Dubai? Tell me!”

“There is no woman. How many times will I tell you this?” His hands clenched the edge of the table, but his voice stayed calm. “I work hard for us and the kids. I provide. That's all it is.”

“That’s all?” I snapped, letting out a sharp, bitter laugh. “You think flying from country to country, sitting in boardrooms to discuss your next million-dollar property sale while I rot here in this cold apartment is enough?”

“You’re getting this all twisted, I swear, Reese… I care about you,” he said, still maddeningly calm.

“Care?” I spat. “You know nothing about caring.” I shoved him again, and this time he braced himself against the counter. ”The kids haven’t seen you in weeks, Carter. Weeks! You’re never here, and you say you care? You're a ghost in this house!” I screamed at him.

”I work my ass off for you!” His voice finally rising. ”For your boutique, your lifestyle, this house. All of it, Reese! That's me! And you stand here, to accuse me, acting like nothing I do matters!”

“Because it doesn’t,” I hissed, my voice trembling with rage.

And maybe that was the cruelest part of it.

From the outside, everything about me screamed success. I owned one of the biggest fashion stores in Los Angeles. My reputation was built entirely around style and luxury. People envied me — envied my marriage, my business, my life.

If only they knew.

“I’m lonely, Carter. Don’t you see it? I'm dying in this marriage. You can talk for hours about property value, but when it comes to us—when it comes to me… you have nothing!” The words ripped out of me as I grabbed a crystal vase from the counter and slammed it down. Water sloshed over, soaking the rug.

Carter didn’t move, he just stood there, staring at me like I was a wild animal.

“I’ve tried,” I said, my voice breaking. “God knows I've tried. The lingerie, the red lace, remember? I wore it the last time you came home. What did you do? You kissed me on the forehead like I was your child and went to bed. You didn’t even look at me.”

My throat tightened. “Or was it therapy? You just sat there like a stone, nodding along, saying all the right things, but nothing changed… absolutely nothing! Or do you think we paid a woman $250 an hour to just listen to our problems?“

He glanced at me, and for a moment, I saw something—not a CEO, just a man filled with guilt. But it vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by a flush of anger.

“Enough! Reese. I can't keep defending myself for something I didn't do!” He slammed his fist on the table, the sound echoing through the room.

“At least you can feel something, even if it's anger,” I snapped, following him as he brushed past me into the bedroom. “I’ve tried to fix this marriage, to talk to you, to seduce you, but a new deal in real estate excites you more than me in silk.”

He turned to face me, eyes blazing, and he leaned in so close I could feel his heat against my ear. “And what if I’m with her, Reese?” he whispered.

“What the fuck would you do about it?”

I froze, struggling to breathe.

He didn’t stop; his voice grew louder, sharper, and more brutal. “You have way too many feelings! It’s so suffocating! You expect everything all at once, every damn time! I can’t… I can’t live like this.”

He let out a heavy sigh and walked to his side of the closet, slipping out of his shirt. “Look… I can’t deal with this right now. I've got a 6 AM call with Singapore, and my head’s full of paperwork mistakes from the latest property files. I just need eight hours of proper sleep.”

Proper sleep. Not passion. Not reconnection. Just sleep.

He looked through the drawer for pajamas and walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open. I could hear the water running as he brushed his teeth.

After a while, he returned, his face washed, ready to sleep. He didn't even look at me again as he moved to his side of the bed. He switched off his bedside lamp. “Don't stay up too late,” he murmured. “The alarm is set for five.”

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, listening to his snores. I was a twenty nine-year-old woman with a fine body, well-curved hips, and a thin waist. Something Carter never noticed or maybe simply not attracted to.

I’ve always wanted a stable life, but this isn’t the life I imagined. Why was it so hard? Why does it feel like I was asking for the world?

Carter’s words replayed in my head: And what if I’m with her?

My throat tightened, my chest heaving.

Maybe I’m the problem. Maybe I'm just chasing fantasies he never wanted with me in the first place.

I felt heat flushing through my body, my chest heaving even more. “How can he—.”

A buzz from my phone interrupted my thoughts. I yanked it up, and Avery’s name lit up the screen.

“Girl, tomorrow night we’re celebrating!” Her voice was filled with so much excitement.

“I'm officially engaged. Ethan proposed!”

I let out a soft, shaky laugh. “Oh my God, Avy. That's amazing. I'm so happy for you.”

“We’re hitting the lounge. Just the girls. No excuses.”

I hesitated. “I… I don’t know about that. It’s been a rough night.”

Her tone softened immediately. “Reese, are you okay? What’s wrong? Talk to me. What’s going on?”

“It’s… Carter. I think… I think he’s… cheating, and he came home so late today,” I said, my voice trembling.

She gave a warm chuckle. “Oh, Reese… I know he’s always absent, but that doesn’t mean he’s cheating. He came to my engagement party tonight to talk about the new housing project—you know, the one Ethan and I plan to move into after the wedding. He stayed until midnight, then went home after that.”

“You sure?” I asked softly.

“Yes!” she chuckled. “And you, my friend, can’t spend every day crying in that apartment. Come out tomorrow, have a drink, forget Carter for a while honey. You deserve much more.”

I hesitated. Nights out were rare for me, but maybe she was right, maybe I deserved more than this emptiness I feel.

“I'll be there,” I said finally.

When she hung up, I caught my reflection again.

Why do I feel so empty?

I pressed my hand against my stomach, feeling the ache, not hunger, but something much deeper. Something I hadn't felt in years.

Tomorrow, I promised myself. Tomorrow, I will laugh again.

But I had no idea that tomorrow had other plans.