Chapter 2

The drive back to Carrington should have just taken an hour, but it felt like forever.

Matthew tried to chat a few times, but I shut down each attempt with short answers.

At dinner, we acted like the perfect couple in front of his parents. I smiled, toasted, praised his mom's new hairstyle, and talked about the recent art shows with his dad.

Matthew's mom, Juliet Gordon, was sharp. She seemed to sense that something was off and glanced at me with concern from time to time.

"Elena, have you gotten thinner lately?" she asked kindly.

"Maybe I've just been busy with the gallery," I answered with a smile.

"Be sure to look after yourself," she said, gripping my hand. "Matthew works himself ragged, and you shouldn't follow his example."

Her palm was warm, and a wave of sadness washed over me.

By the time we got back to our Eastminster Heights apartment, it was already 10:00 pm.

Matthew headed straight for the shower, while I sat at the vanity to take off my makeup.

He emerged from the bathroom in a bathrobe, his hair still wet. He stood behind me, watching me in the mirror.

When he spoke, his voice was much gentler. "Elena, we need to talk."

I kept dabbing on my eye cream, silent.

He wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder. It was his way of showing he cared.

"Still upset about this afternoon?" he asked, sounding tired. "Sofia is just my assistant. That's all."

"Matthew, it's not about who she is," I replied, keeping my voice even. "It's about boundaries. About trust."

I faced him. "Your secret room is our space, just like this home. When you let others in, it's like you're saying I'm not special anymore."

Matthew gazed into my eyes, his fingers lightly touching my cheek.

"You'll always be special, Elena. I promise, nothing like this will happen again," he said seriously.

With that, he kissed my forehead. "That secret room will always be just ours."

"Okay," I said, pushing him away gently. "I'm tired and want to go to bed early."

That night, we lay in bed with our backs to each other, an invisible wall between us.

The pretense of peace did not last a week.

My best friend, Sarah, called.

She whispered over the phone, "Elena, there's something you need to know."

"What's up?" I asked, setting aside the catalog I was holding.

"Yesterday at the Wexley Club, I spotted Matthew having lunch with his assistant."

My heart missed a beat.

Sarah sounded unsure. "I did a little digging... Elena, did you know Matthew got Sofia into the Wexley Club?"

The Wexley Club.

That was one of Hudson City's oldest and most exclusive clubs. One would need a longtime member's recommendation, and they were really picky about who got in.

Matthew was a member, and we sometimes ate there. However, for him to recommend someone new—especially a woman—was a big deal at the club.

Sarah went on, "And that's not all. I heard he let her use his special membership perks, like bringing friends. She's already put up a bunch of photos on Instagram."

My hand holding the phone started to shake. In our world, those perks meant a lot.

"People are talking, saying Matthew's been 'extra nice' to his new assistant. Some are even guessing..." Sarah stopped for a second. "...if you two are having problems."

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. "Thanks for letting me know, Sarah."

Sarah's voice was full of worry. "Elena, are you alright?"

"I'm okay," I replied, "I'll deal with it."

After I ended the call, I sat in my office, looking at the water lily painting on the wall. The lilies just floated there, all peaceful on top, but underneath, the roots were a mess.

It was kind of like my marriage right then.

'Matthew, what in the world are you up to? She's just an assistant who's barely been here two months, and you're already giving her privileges to show off? Did you forget what you promised last week? Or maybe your word just isn't worth much?' I wondered.

I grabbed the phone and called Dad's top lawyer.

I said, "Robert, I need a favor. Book every event and VIP room at the Wexley Club for the entirety of next month. Put it under our family foundation's name. Tell them it's for the big charity gala we're planning."

"Everything?" Robert sounded shocked. "Elena, that's going to cost a pretty penny."

"Don't worry about the money. And get a news release out. I want everyone to talk about it," I told him.

"Okay, I'm on it."

Robert worked fast. By the next day, the Hudson City Times' social page had the scoop. The Douglas family foundation had taken over the Wexley Club for a whole month to get ready for their big charity gala.

It was all anyone in high society could talk about. The Douglas family had made a splash in Hudson City's social scene once again.

Just like that, Sofia's 'precious' membership was worthless.

Sarah filled me in later. Sofia had planned to bring her friends to the club for her birthday bash. However, with every spot booked, she had to switch to a regular restaurant at the last minute.

All her fancy social plans, all those 'privileges' she wanted to flaunt, were gone.

I was going to make sure everyone saw who really had the power—who was really Matthew's wife.