Chapter 1: Caught in the Act

In a luxury high-rise in Meridian City, muffled sounds drifted from the bedroom of Claire Bennett's apartment.

"Mmm... Nathaniel, you're incorrigible..."

The voice was unmistakably a woman's, breathless and full of purpose. Anyone with a shred of life experience would know exactly what was happening behind that door.

"Vivian, you're unbelievable. I could stay wrapped up in you forever."

Nathaniel Whitmore's voice was rough and low, dripping with a warmth Claire hadn't heard directed at her in longer than she wanted to admit.

"You're terrible, you know that?"

"Tell me something," Vivian teased, her voice syrupy. "Who's better me, or your wife?"

"Don't ruin the mood by bringing her up."

As if he needed to be asked twice.

"She's not even in the same league as you. Honestly, just thinking about her makes my stomach turn."

He said it like he meant to sound bored, but his voice betrayed him sharp, alive, thrilled.

Outside the door, Claire stood frozen, her fingernails cutting crescents into her palms. Every word landed like a blow, and the blood drained from her face until she looked almost gray.

Three years of dating. Two years of marriage. And this was the man she'd married.

He was repulsive. She wanted to be sick right where she stood.

Claire had left work an hour early that day, practically floating home with the thought of surprising her husband with a hug. Instead, she'd walked straight into the wreckage of her own life.

Nathaniel hadn't just cheated he'd brought the woman into their home, into their bed, with an hour to spare before Claire's shift usually ended. The audacity of it made her head spin.

She'd sensed something was wrong for months. Told herself she was imagining it. Told herself a man who'd loved her for five years wouldn't do something like this.

So she'd buried her instincts. Ignored the quiet alarm bells because she'd rather trust a liar than trust herself.

Turns out her gut had been right all along. He'd been playing her for a fool, and doing it well.

Betrayal by someone she'd trusted completely, hearing her own husband degrade her to satisfy another woman it hit like a lightning strike. Her ears rang. Her chest ached like a fist was closing around her heart, squeezing until she could barely draw breath.

She stood there in silence, tears sliding down her face while, behind the door, the two of them carried on lost in each other, throwing around words too crude to bear repeating.

The longer she listened, the hotter her anger burned.

No, she thought. They don't get to walk away from this clean.

Claire wiped her face, slipped into the bathroom, and grabbed the mop from beside the shower. She dunked the head straight into the toilet bowl, let it soak, then lifted it out dripping and walked back toward the bedroom.

She turned the handle slowly and pushed the door open.

What greeted her was exactly as ugly as she'd imagined two bodies tangled together, both faces slack with pleasure.

"Nathaniel... you're incredible. I love you so much."

Vivian's voice sent a fresh wave of nausea through Claire, her vision going momentarily white with rage.

Too absorbed in each other, eyes shut tight, neither of them noticed Claire creeping closer to the bed. She raised the soaked mop, aiming it squarely at Nathaniel and that's when Vivian's eyes snapped open.

She let out a scream that could have shattered glass.

"AHHH!"

Vivian bolted upright, eyes wild, scrambling off the bed and clawing at the sheets for something anything to cover herself.