Chapter 2

My throat seemed to have something lodged in it as I scrolled through her profile. They had spent the whole day together, going to an amusement park, a cinema, and ending it at what looked like Celeste’s apartment.

Together, my husband and child had played me like a fool.

Although my muscles were weak from the shock, I shakily rushed out of the house into the garden, my phone tightly in my hands.

As the cold wind swept over me, I scrolled through more of Celeste’s pictures, dating as far back as seven months ago when she became Alessia’s etiquette teacher.

On our anniversary seven months ago, Nicolas and I had planned for Alessia to go to his parents’ place so we would spend the night together.

I had spent hours preparing for him. I waited all night in the robe and lingerie he once said drove him crazy. But Nicolas and Alessia only arrived the next morning, telling me that she had an allergic reaction and had been taken to the hospital.

When I asked why they hadn’t informed me earlier that my daughter was at the hospital, they said they didn’t want me to worry on my special day.

Nicolas told me he would make it up to me.

Now, as I scrolled through Celeste’s profile, I realized that on that same night, Celeste had just been promoted from general instructor to private etiquette teacher.

They had never been at the hospital.

They were celebrating with her.

She captioned the photo:

“Finally part of this beautiful family. And I’m never giving them up.”

I closed my eyes and lowered my head, a steady stream of tears resurfacing.

My hand went to the locket on my neck, opening it to the picture of my mom and me 25 years ago.

My mom’s mental state drove her to her death after my dad cheated on her when I was five. Because of that, I promised myself I would never stay with a cheating man.

Nicolas and I met at the cemetery, where he was visiting his sister. Dad didn’t want me to go see my mom’s grave, but I’d snuck out of the house when he was drunk and went there. Nicolas found me crying on my mom’s grave, and he held me, a five-year-old stranger, till my tears stopped.

We became very close, even attending the same elementary school, high school, and university. His parents hated me because, to them, their son was obsessed with me and was throwing away his future for me.

I pulled out the ring on my middle finger. It was his first gift to me, and his promise was:

“My love, I know what your dad did to your mom. I promise you that I will never hurt you in that way. I, Nicolas Laurent, will never cheat on you. And if I do, I deserve everything that comes my way.”

My body shook uncontrollably as sobs once again broke out.

How had I let myself be deceived like this?

And Alessia, my own daughter, whom I had sworn to give my life for if need arose. I worked my ass off to earn money so that if anything ever happened to Nicolas’ company, she would still have a bright future. I was there for every event of hers.

I gazed up at the stars, seeing a lone one tonight. I had always seen three: one for Nicolas, one for Alessia, and one for me.

Alessia always insisted the biggest star belonged to me because it was the prettiest.

Tonight, the lone star matched my reality.

Maybe it was right. Maybe this family… was never mine to begin with.

My heart twisted as more tears left my eyes.

A thought suddenly crossed my mind.

Penthouse.

His message had mentioned a penthouse.

I knew all of Nicolas’ properties, and there was no penthouse in this city… unless he had an undeclared property he was using to play house with Celeste.

I pulled out my phone, calling my private investigator, the same one who had once made sure my father ended up behind bars.

“I need you to investigate something for me. Find out all of Nicolas’ undeclared properties and get me access to them by morning. Be as discreet as possible.”