Perfect lie

Lia Whitmore stood in front of the bathroom mirror, applying lipstick with hands that wouldn't stop shaking. Red. Bold. The kind of red she hadn't worn in five years because Julian said it made her look "trying too hard." Well, tonight she was trying hard. Tonight she was done being the perfect, quiet wife who pretended not to notice the lipstick stains on her husband's collar or the way he came home smelling like someone else's perfume.She capped the lipstick and stared at her reflection. Green eyes that used to sparkle now looked tired, even with makeup. Dark hair pulled into a neat bun because Julian's mother Margaret always said loose hair looked "unkempt." A black dress that cost more than most people's monthly rent but made her feel like she was wearing a costume.Who was she even anymore?Five years ago, Aurelia Chen had dreams. She worked at the Morrison Art Gallery downtown, spent weekends at flea markets finding hidden treasures, laughed loud and often. Then she met Julian

Last Updated : 2025-11-24

Proposal

Lia woke up alone.Not unusual. Julian's side of the bed was cold and empty, sheets perfectly smooth like he hadn't come home at all. She checked her phone. 6:47 AM. No missed calls. No texts explaining where he was.She used to worry when this happened. Used to call him twenty times, imagine car accidents and emergencies. Now she just felt numb.The after-party must have been really good.She got up, showered, dressed in jeans and a sweater. Clothes that were hers, not the designer outfits Margaret approved of. It was Saturday, which meant no charity events, no business dinners, no pretending. She could be herself for one day.Except she wasn't sure who that was anymore.By nine-thirty, she was out the door. The drive to Isla's café took twenty minutes through morning traffic. Silvercrest was beautiful this time of day, all coastal fog and quiet streets before the city fully woke up. She used to love this city. Used to walk these streets with sketchbooks, finding inspiration in random

Last Updated : 2025-11-24

Decision

Lia didn't leave the bedroom for the rest of the day.She lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to process what Julian had just asked for. An open marriage. The words kept echoing in her head, getting louder each time.He didn't even have the decency to look ashamed about it.Her phone buzzed repeatedly. Isla checking in. Margaret called, probably to discuss some upcoming event. Lia ignored all of it. She couldn't talk to anyone right now. Couldn't pretend to be okay when her entire world was crumbling.By evening, she heard Julian leave again. The front door closing, his car starting, the sound fading into the distance. Off to wherever he went when he wasn't home. Off to whoever he was seeing.The house was too quiet after he left.Lia got up, splashed cold water on her face in the bathroom. Her reflection looked like a stranger. Red-rimmed eyes, pale skin, hair a mess. When had she become this woman? This sad, hollow version of herself?She thought about what Isla had said

Last Updated : 2025-11-24

Mistake

The next four days felt like living in slow motion.Lia went through the motions of her daily life like she was watching someone else do it. She attended a luncheon with Margaret on Monday, smiling and nodding while the older woman complained about the caterer's incompetence. She had dinner with Julian on Tuesday, sitting across from each other in silence, eating expensive food that tasted like nothing.He didn't ask where she was going or what she was doing. The open marriage agreement hung between them like a wall, keeping them further apart than ever.Good. That made this easier.Wednesday afternoon, Isla dragged her shopping."If you're doing this, you're doing it right," Isla insisted, pulling Lia into an upscale boutique downtown. "You need something that makes you feel beautiful. Confidence. Powerful."Lia tried on dress after dress. Too conservative. Too flashy. Too much like something Margaret would approve of. Finally, she found it. A deep emerald silk dress that hugged her

Last Updated : 2025-11-24

All Chapters of His Open Marriage, My Forbidden Secret : Chapter 1 - Chapter 4

Perfect lie

Proposal

Decision

Mistake