My Husband's Other Life

I noticed something amiss. So, I played along with my husband's story and casually asked, "Really? You were smiling awfully tender just now."Zachary Cole's gaze skittered away, refusing to meet mine. "The kid's got a sweet mouth. He kept calling me 'mister.' It's late. Get some sleep."He turned and walked into the bathroom before I could get a word in edgewise.After 10 years of marriage, I could read him like an open book. That moment of hesitation told me everything I needed to know. He was hiding something.By the time the bathroom door swung open, I was already lying in bed pretending to be asleep. Zachary slipped under the covers and wrapped his arms around me from behind like he always did. However, I couldn't help but feel as though his embrace felt like a stranger's.Once his breathing finally evened, I eased out of bed and picked up his phone on the nightstand.We'd been married for a decade. Yet, this was the first time I had ever looked through his phone. How ironic.

I was the first to arrive.The door opened at 2:58 p.m. Zachary's mother walked, carrying the child in her arms, smiling ear to ear. "Bubba, look what I got you—"Her words stopped short as she saw me. Her expression froze for half a second before she forced out a smile. "Ellie, you're early."Zachary followed behind her. I could see dark circles under his eyes. It was obvious that he hadn't slept all night. He avoided looking at me and quietly pulled out a chair.The last to enter was Yara. She matter-of-factly perched herself next to Zachary, which was incidentally the seat that used to be mine.My mother-in-law placed the little boy in the empty chair between them. And just like that, the four of them sat together, while I sat alone at the opposite end of the long table. We were like two opposing camps.A server came in to pour us water. I slid the tablet menu toward the child. "Let's order. What do you like?"The boy, who had been sneaking glances at me, whispered, "Shrimp."

She breathed hard, her chest rising and falling in harsh waves. After a long moment, she slowly lowered her arm, sank back into her seat, and smoothed her hair as if nothing had happened."Say whatever you want." Her voice steadied, and she even managed a small smile. "Estelle, wait all you want. I'm not returning that 1.5 million, and I'm certainly not giving you the house. Sue me all you want. As for Zachary…"She stood, picked up her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. "Ask him who he chooses—you, or his two children."She walked toward the door, then looked back at me one last time. "Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. Zachary's mother's bracelet. You know, the family heirloom? It's already mine."Then, she pushed the door open and left. The cafe fell quiet again. I sat in the booth, staring at the now-cold cup of coffee on the table, and started chuckling. Alas, my tears still insisted on running down my face.My phone buzzed just then. I'd gotten a text from Zachary. 'Ellie,

"Who are you to tell us how to spend money? Zachary gave it willingly.""Willingly?" I questioned before looking at Zachary with open disdain. "Why don't you tell her which account that 500 thousand came from?"All color drained from Zachary's face in an instant."It came from our joint marital account," I continued firmly, looking straight at both of them. "That account consists of my salary and the money my parents gave me. Zachary Cole, do you honestly think your demands are reasonable?"His mother slammed her palm on the table. "What do you mean 'your money'? That's my son's money!"It was amazing how having a grandchild had completely changed her attitude. Still, I wasn't about to waste my time trying to reason with her. "Zachary and I were married. Anything earned during the marriage belonged to both of us. If you insist that all these expenses were justified, then we'll simply resolve it in court."A heavy, suffocating silence settled over the conference room after I sai

I was just about to swipe my WhatsApp away when I noticed a little red dot on my contacts list. I tapped it open and saw a notification from an unknown number. The profile picture was a man's side profile, standing before a snowcapped mountain.The text read, 'Hello Ms. Shepherd, I'm Matteo Lombardi, a friend of Eugene's. I heard you're looking for a personal trainer?'I thought about it for a moment and accepted. I didn't do it because I wanted to start a new relationship, but because it felt like the right time to meet new people. It was time for me to form new friendships, socialize with new circles, and have a completely new life.…Two years later, I closed my laptop in the first-class cabin of an international flight. A flight attendant walked by with a gentle smile. "Ms. Shepherd, would you like a blanket?""No, thank you."I was on a flight from Maris Orientis to Lutetia for an international industry summit.Things could change in an instant, and two years was plenty e