Chapter 1

Hugo Clarkson brought over a plate of cut fruit and casually popped a peeled grape into my mouth. It was so sour that my eyes watered.

I locked my phone and sat up straight.

"What made you want to start running at night all of a sudden?"

"Our baby will be here in two months. I need to get in shape beforehand," he replied. "Once you've given birth, your only job will be to rest and recover. I'll handle all the nighttime feedings, diaper changes, and everything else."

His answers came quickly and naturally, as though he'd rehearsed them countless times. There was even a hint of anticipation in his eyes, as if he were waiting for me to be moved by his words.

My throat tightened.

"Can't you stay home instead?" I asked softly, testing the waters.

His smile froze. He set down the fruit plate, avoiding my scrutinizing gaze as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I… I really want to stay home with you, too," he said. "But you know Mr. Clinton. His last physical showed some abnormal results, and now he's constantly dragging his subordinates along as workout buddies.

"With a baby on the way, our expenses are going to increase. If I want a promotion, I still need to stay on his good side…"

Hugo's explanation made sense.

He used to despise all the brown-nosing that went on in big corporations and had always believed that people should get ahead through their own abilities. I'd advised him not to keep rubbing his boss the wrong way, but he'd only gotten upset with me.

Maybe having a child really did change a man, gradually sanding down his rough edges for the sake of his family.

I took a deep breath and looked around our spotless, well-organized home. This was the same man who usually insisted on personally feeding me every bite of my meals.

How could someone like him have written a post like that?

Maybe… I was just overthinking things.

"Okay, then." I relented. "Be careful on your way there, and watch out for traffic when you're running."

He pressed a kiss to my forehead and reminded me to wait for him to come home. Before bed, he promised he'd massage my swollen calves for me.

But in the silence of our empty home, I couldn't shake the uneasiness in my heart.

I opened that post again.

The comment suggesting that the husband take up exercise had been pinned to the top by the original poster.

"Dude, that's actually a brilliant idea. My wife didn't suspect a thing, and she even told me to watch out for traffic when I went running at night. Pregnant women are so easy to fool.

"All the people cussing me out must be women. You guys are way too sensitive, and you're not even self-aware enough to realize it.

"Don't you know pregnant women have this smell about them? It's really unpleasant. I had no choice but to find a younger woman to hang out with just to get some fresh air."