The Good Girl Isn't Coming Back

Chapter one

THE DAY I STOPPED BEING HIS WIFE

The first thing I heard when I opened the bedroom door was a woman's laugh.

Soft.

Familiar.

The kind of laugh I'd heard countless times over the years.

Nora.

I froze.

My hand was on the doorknob. trying to see who it was. Then I saw them. Mattias sat on the edge of our bed. And there was Nora, sitting beside him. Too close. Her dress was crumpled, her hair was a mess, and Mattias' shirt was unbuttoned.

For a few seconds my eyes saw, but my mind could not understand. Our room. Our marriage.” Our bed And the woman beside my husband was the woman he'd repeatedly sworn to be just a friend. Summer. At last Mattias spoke, breaking the silence.

I looked up at his face. He did not look like a guilty man. This was the worst. I was expecting panic. My bad. The extremis explanation. Instead he seemed annoyed. Like I was there at the wrong time.

Nora pulled the blanket more closely around her. "Summer please-" No. My voice sounded deeper than I'd expected. Nora stopped, I looked at her, then at Mattias. "How long? "Same hour. Neither spoke a word. I swallowed hard.

“How long have you been fucking my man?

. “It’s not like that Summer,” said Mattias. I gave a cold laugh. Then what should I think? He stood up.

“Shut up, you’d best.” I looked at him. That's it? Not that I have any regrets. I didn't mess it up. Not even “Let me alone. He was nervous about my voice. I moved further into the room. You brought her to our bedroom.

"She came here to talk.

" Speak?" I looked at Nora. You call this that? Nora's eyes filled with tears. “I never intended to hurt you Summer. But you slept with my husband." She looked at her feet. Mattias stepped up in front of her. For her own sake. ” The way he always did. I felt pain.

I had been defending him for years. I covered for him at his late nights home. I defended and overlooked him when the women would gossip behind his back about his affairs. I told myself he was busy when he ignored me for days. I told myself that when Nora became a part of our lives and a fixture, I was being insecure. I had given Mattias every excuse he needed. And there I was, in my bedroom, staring at the evidence that I was a fool. Is that why you have been so distant? I said. Mattias didn't say anything.

"So that's why you weren't home? Nothing yet. "Is that why you stopped sensing me?" His silence supplied the answer. Tears stung at my eyes. I wouldn't drop them. “You love her?” Finally Mattias glanced at Nora. One look was death for me. When he looked at me, there was something in his eyes I had spent years begging to see. Warmth. I wish . Softness. He gave her all. “Yeah. One word. And that, as they say, was that. My knees buckled. I grabbed at the edge of the dresser. Nora looked at me with no pity. I didn't like that look. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. "No," said the other man. She shivered. When I found out you apologised. Mattias sighed. “Cut it out, Summer. I glanced at him.

“Enough?” "No, no. His face was a mask. “I just wanted to say something.” My heart skipped a beat. What do you want me to say? He stopped. Then he said the words that were going to change everything.

I want a divorce. For a second there was silence. The room was bare. It was only one sentence. "I want a divorce. I had given up so much for him and it was him that was destroying our marriage.

"You want to divorce? “Yes. And you're choosing her?” His eyes darted to Nora. "Yes. I had difficulty seeing. I had tried to be the perfect wife to this man for years. “I made him food. I waited for him to come. I forgave him. Reclaimed his good name. I’d forgotten how to live for me. And this is what I received back Nora said abruptly. Know, summer. For God's sake. "Things weren't supposed to be like this between Mattias and me." I looked at her. 'Why did they do that then? She said nothing. Mattias did. 'Because Nora knows what I mean.

' I almost smiled. “Why not? She sure does. I wiped my face of tears. “Well then my congratulations. That made Mattias frown. What? You made the choice.

I removed my wedding ring. I put it down on the dresser. My fingers shook. I hope she was worth all your time you just wasted. I turned to the door. Summer. I stopped. Where are you going? I looked back. “A place I can finally breathe. Then I went outside. I had no idea it was the last day I would be Mattias Lambert’s obedient wife.

---

Hours later I stood outside the Blackwood banquet hall. The glass doors mirrored me. It was not the woman who, in tears, left her marriage bed. Her eyes were dry. Her shoulders stayed level. The wedding ring was gone.

I breathed slowly and stepped in. Silence. Not really. The orchestra played softly. The spectacles chinked. Waiters went from table to table. But the whispers began shortly after.

"Summer, eh? You know, Summer Lambert? Didn't she dump Mattias? " I held my head and went on. For years I had been Mattias Lambert’s submissive, obedient wife. The woman who stayed at home while her husband went to meetings, dinners and parties without her.

The woman who only complained a few times.

The woman who absolved all. That woman was dead. And she wasn't coming back. I was not dressed to impress Mattias tonight. I was dressed because I had finally remembered something long forgotten. I was done with him.

Then I saw him. Nora was standing next to Mattias on the other side of the room. his mistress. The woman he had once told me was merely a friend. He looked at me. His face changed for a moment.

Shocker.

Pandemonium.

And maybe also regret. I didn't mind. I walked right past him.

“Summer! Elena’s voice caught me. I slowly turned. Nora had Mattias’s sister by her side, glaring at me. “You’re walking past your husband like you don't even know him?” I grinned. My husband?” I looked at Mattias. “Oh, you are right. I halted. “Just passed my ex. Nothing. Then the whispers blew over. “Divorced?” “When did that happen?”

“Why didn't anyone announce it?”

Nora's face lost its color.

She hadn't expected me to say it so calmly.

Elena's expression darkened.

“You brazen witch.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“What did you call me?”

“What gave you the courage to come here and parade yourself around with another man after betraying my brother?”

There it was.

The same old game.

Blame Summer.

Protect Nora.

I almost laughed.

“Interesting. Elena frowned.

"What?"

“You’re accusing me of cheating, and your brother is standing next to the woman he cheated on me with.” Nora went straight forward.

“Come on, Summer. “Mattias and I are just friends. I gazed at her.

“Friend?”

“Yes. She smiled with innocence.

“You needn't be jealous.”

"Envious?" I cocked my head.

"For what? Her smile dimmed.

“Mattias only keeps you around because you’re no longer useful to him.” Nora's face shifted. She looked at Mattias.

“Mattias, she’s insulting me again. And there that was. The victim’s act. The same one he had fallen for a million times.

“I’m done, Summer,” snapped Mattias.

“You’ve crossed the line. “Apologize to her. I gazed at him. That used to be deadly to me. Tonight they were nothing. I grinned.

"Nora. Her eyes blinked.

“I forgive you.”

"What for?" he said. “For sleeping with my husband and pretending you were just his friend.” She grew white. Mattias's face went blank. “Summer!” I raised my hand.

“Piece of cake. I met his eyes. I am through with you. His jaw muscles bunched. You think you can walk away?

"I have."

"You want me. He edged nearer. Without me, you’re nothing.

I smiled.

“Keep telling yourself that.

He snorted. “With the heir’s family behind me, you’ll count for nothing.”

I looked at Nora. Then back to him. "You think Nora's the right heir? The smile had vanished. Mattias looked at me.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You will see." “Summer— I moved in closer.

“You thought I was only a house wife for years.” I dropped my voice.

“Maybe you should have paid better attention.” He altered his face. Before he could answer, Elena took a glass of wine from a passing waiter. She walked up to me. I knew what she meant.

The glass was tilted. I walked.

Wine splashed over the floor. I looked around the chaos.

Then to Helen. “Uh-oh.” Her face was red.

"You"

“Next time, be a little quicker.” I flipped. But I could still feel Mattias watching my back. For the first time I wasn’t the woman who was desperately trying to get his attention. He took care of me. And strange it felt good.

I strolled over to the Blackwood table. “Mrs. Blackwood.” I pause. My face lit up with a smile.

"Mrs Blackwood. Summer, my love. Managed to last this long, eh? “I had a few things to do before I came over here. And where’s he? " I didn't say a thing.

“Behind you.”

“ My heart skipped a beat. I spun around. Harden Blackwood was there.

Tall.

Peace.

Very much in control.

His eyes met mine right away. His eyes were dangerous. Jealousy.

Possessiveness.

Heavily Familiar.

All too well familiar. It’s summer. He said it in a low voice.

"Harden. He edged closer. No one in the room had any idea what was going on between us. And I wanted to keep that. Only when I was ready. Mr. Blackwood rose and addressed the guests.

Thank you ladies and gentlemen for coming out tonight. We have come to be glad of the coming of my son. There was applause in the room.

Everyone sat down again . I sat beside Harden. For a few seconds there everything seemed normal. Until I felt his fingers brush mine beneath the table. I looked him in the eyes.

He did not turn back.

He didn’t. He looked into his pocket. My heart began to pound.

“Harden,” I said quietly. Then he finally turned. What?' I narrowed my eyes. "You know damn well what you're doing. One corner of his mouth twitched up.

Do I?" Before I could answer someone came to our table. “Everything all right, Mr. Blackwood? Harden sat up straight. Yeah. He stared at me. “Just fixing her shoe. The man nodded and walked off. I glanced at Harden.

“You are amazing.” He advanced He dropped his voice to a level where I could barely hear him. I told you I don't like seeing you pay so much attention to other men. My eyes grew.

Envious?

'Perhaps.' Before I could say anything, he was standing. Then to everyone's surprise he walked round the table and knelt down by me. The entire room froze. The whispers exploded instantly. Did Mr. Blackwood just goes down on his knees? Who is that girl? Why does he do that? I glanced across the room. Mattias was observing. Nora stared in dumb amazement. Elena looked mad. Harden nodded, then casually re-tied my shoe and stood.

“Now you’re good. I smiled. I couldn't help myself. "Thanks. He went back to his seat as if nothing had happened. But the damage was done. In a room eyes were on me. And Mattias was looking at me in a different way.

Fine.

Let him guess.

Let them think.

They did not know the truth. They had no idea what was coming. They didn't know why Harden Blackwood was next to me. And most of all, they didn't know who Summer Lambert really was. I had been cooking for Mattias for years. Waited on him . His late nights were ignored. Forgave his coldness. I even let Nora into my house thinking she was his childhood friend.

That was my biggest mistake.” But seeing them together and losing what would have bound me and Matthias together had finally made me see. Mattias had picked Nora. And when she said she was heir to one of the most powerful families in the world, his whole attitude changed toward me.

Suddenly I wasn't his wife. I was a nuisance. They thought they had taken everything away from me.

My wife.

My child.

My pride. How I fit into the Lambert family. Even the company I'd received as a wedding gift.

They were wrong.

Because losing everything had given me something I'd never had before.

Freedom.

And tonight I wasn't the cast-off wife of Mattias Lambert, sitting at the Blackwood's banquet. I’d come for something else. Harden Blackwood was about to present the woman who had saved him years before.

And I had a small gift for the Lamberts. A present that could change everything. The good girl they knew was no more. And she was not coming back.

NOTE OF THE AUTHOR

To my readers, thank you for taking a chance on this book. Stay with me, because there are a lot of twists, secrets and unexpected turns awaiting you. Your comments, encouragement and support mean a great deal to me. Keep reading and keep supporting Summer during her journey. Much love to you all. ❤️