All Chapters of When I Took Back My Name, His Empire Fell: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

By six in the morning, Seraphina Rowe had already finished one load of laundry, ironed Ethan’s shirt, and started breakfast.She stood in front of the stove, turning the eggs carefully, when Margaret’s voice came from the dining room.“Seraphina! My coffee.”“I’m making it, Mom.”“You know I drink it as soon as I wake up.”Seraphina lowered the heat and reached for Margaret’s favorite white cup. Two teaspoons of sugar. A little cream. After five years in the Rowe household, she knew everyone’s preferences by heart.She carried the coffee to the dining room.Margaret took one sip and frowned.“Too much cream.”Seraphina looked at the cup. It was the same amount as yesterday.“I can make another.”“Just leave it.”Footsteps sounded from the stairs. Chelsea appeared in silk pajamas, phone in hand.“Did you wash my green dress?”“You gave it to me last night.”“I need it today.”“It needs to be hand-washed. I haven’t had time yet.”Chelsea stared at her. “But I told you I’m meeting Isabel

Seraphina read Nina’s message twice.Camille doesn’t act like just his secretary.Her thumb hovered over the screen.Seraphina: What do you mean?Nina didn’t answer immediately.Seraphina carried her phone upstairs and entered the bedroom she shared with Ethan. His side of the room was perfectly neat because she had arranged it that morning. His watch box sat beside the bed. His slippers were tucked beneath the nightstand.Everything looked normal.That somehow made Nina’s warning feel worse.Her phone finally buzzed.Nina: She’s always in his office. Even when she doesn’t need to be.Another message followed.Nina: And today she ordered lunch for both of them. She told everyone she already knows what Ethan likes.Seraphina frowned.Camille had known Ethan since childhood. Of course she knew things about him.That didn’t mean anything.At least, it shouldn’t.Seraphina: They grew up together. Maybe she’s just comfortable around him.Nina replied almost immediately.Nina: Maybe. I just

Seraphina was still staring at Ethan’s phone when his hand moved beneath the blanket.She looked away immediately.A second later, Ethan opened his eyes.“Sera?”His voice was rough with sleep.“Morning.”He reached for his phone, then paused when he noticed her expression.“What’s wrong?”“Nothing.”Ethan studied her.They had been together too long for that answer to fool him completely.He sat up and glanced at the screen.Seraphina watched the exact moment he saw Camille’s message.His face didn’t change much, but his thumb moved quickly, clearing the notification.That small movement bothered her more than she wanted it to.“Camille texted you,” she said.Ethan looked at her.“You read it?”“It appeared on the screen.”He rubbed a hand across his face.“Sera, it’s not what you’re thinking.”She almost laughed.“I haven’t told you what I’m thinking.”“You don’t have to.”He unlocked his phone and held it toward her.“Look.”Seraphina didn’t take it.“What am I supposed to look at?

I told myself I wasn’t going to wait for Ethan. I even believed it for the first hour. After I got home, I unpacked the groceries, changed into something comfortable, and started dinner anyway. Not because he had promised to come home early. At least, that was what I told myself. I simply didn’t like wasting food. By seven-thirty, everything was ready. I had made one of Ethan’s favorite dishes, set the table, and opened the bottle of wine we had been saving. By eight, the food was already losing its warmth. I checked my phone. Nothing. His last message was still the same one from earlier. Ethan: “Thanks again for bringing the flash drive.” I typed, What time are you coming home? then stared at the words for a few seconds before deleting them. Why was I suddenly afraid of sounding like a wife who checked on her husband too much? Margaret entered the dining room while I was putting the lid back on one of the dishes. “Ethan still isn’t home?” Margaret asked. “Not yet,” I replied

Ethan looked at the receipt in my hand, then back at me. For a few seconds, neither of us said anything.“Sera,” he finally said.“You told me you drove Camille home.”“I did,” Ethan replied.I held up the receipt. “Then why were you at a rooftop lounge with her at ten twenty-six?”Ethan walked toward the bed and sat down. He rubbed the towel over his hair before letting it fall around his neck. “Can you let me explain first?”“That’s why I’m asking.”He sighed. “After dinner, Camille got a call about Richard.”“The rich man she left you for?”“Yes.”I stayed near the dresser, waiting.Ethan looked tired as he continued. “She found out he’s getting married.”“To her?”“No. To someone else.”“Oh.”I didn’t know what I was supposed to feel about that. Camille had left Ethan years ago to be with Richard. I knew that much. Ethan rarely talked about it, b