Chapter 1 - BREAKFAST
Julian walked into the diner smiling.
Chloe was beside him.
My mother looked at me.
My father stopped stirring his coffee.
Neither of them knew what to do with their hands.
Julian saw the tablet between us.
Then the paused image on the screen.
His face changed.
Chloe saw it next.
The parking garage.
Her red coat.
His hand under it.
Her mouth on my husband’s.
For three seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Chloe did something extraordinary.
She sat down.
“Claire.”
I stared at her.
She folded her hands.
“You’re upset.”
My father made a sound that was almost a laugh.
Julian glared at him.
“Can we not make this worse?”
I looked at Julian.
“That’s interesting.”
He shifted.
“Claire, it wasn’t—”
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
I turned the tablet around.
The second clip.
Three weeks earlier.
Same garage.
Same corner.
Julian looked at Chloe.
She looked at him.
That tiny glance told me who had practiced lying and who had not.
My mother whispered.
“How long?”
Chloe answered.
“It just happened.”
I tapped the screen.
“Twice?”
She flushed.
Julian leaned forward.
“We were going to tell you.”
“On my birthday?”
“No.”
“After?”
“Claire.”
I slid the expense report across the table.
$38,600.
Restaurants.
Hotels.
Client entertainment.
Chloe stopped breathing.
Julian did not.
That mattered.
He already knew.
My father picked up the report.
“What is this?”
Julian reached for it.
I put my hand on the page.
“No.”
His jaw tightened.
“Those are legitimate business expenses.”
“At hotels?”
“Vendor meetings.”
“With my sister?”
Chloe snapped.
“I work in vendor relations.”
“Very hands-on.”
My mother said my name softly.
“Claire.”
I hated the warning in it.
Not to be cruel.
Not to embarrass Chloe.
Even now.
I looked at my mother.
“She kissed my husband.”
Mom’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
“No.”
“You know now.”
I turned back to Julian.
“Who is North Harbor Consulting?”
Silence.
“Who is Bellmere Event Logistics?”
Julian’s face went pale.
Chloe’s fingers tightened.
There.
The affair hurt.
But the names scared them.
I leaned back.
“Good.”
Julian stared.
“What?”
May you like
“Now we know where to start.”
