Chapter 1

The class reunion was in full swing when Chloe Miller, our former prom queen, threw a question out to the girls.

"After ten years of marriage, what would you do if you found out your husband was cheating?"

Most of them declared, "Divorce!"

Chloe’s gaze landed on me.

I scoffed, a bold statement ready on my lips: "Me? Scarlett Hayes? I'd rather be a widow than a divorcee, any day!"

Everyone laughed, but Chloe’s face utterly changed, her eyes holding a strange glint.

Seven days earlier, Chloe called me, suggesting a middle school reunion.

It had been nearly twenty years since we graduated, and the thought of seeing everyone again gave me a little thrill.

I have a bad habit: excitement often leads to insomnia.

That first night, I tossed and turned, unable to find sleep.

My husband, Victor Sterling, groggily reached back and pulled me close. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Chloe said she's organizing a middle school reunion. I'm just a little excited, can't sleep."

"Silly goose," he murmured, gently patting my back as if I were our daughter. "Let's count sheep together."

Lulled by his comforting presence, I slowly drifted off.

It's no exaggeration to say my husband was the most gentle, understanding man in the world.

And then, at the class reunion, Chloe, our former prom queen, asked the women a question.

"After ten years of marriage, what would you do if you found out your husband was cheating?"

Most of them declared, "Divorce!"

Chloe looked directly at me.

I proclaimed with utter confidence, "Me? Scarlett Hayes? I'd rather be a widow than a divorcee, any day!"

Everyone laughed, but Chloe’s face drained of color, her eyes holding a strange, unsettling expression.

I brushed it off, thinking it was just a lighthearted moment at the party, and I had absolute faith in Victor.

But all evening, Chloe's eyes kept drifting my way.

The moment I met her gaze, she'd quickly look away.

Later, when I went to the restroom, I cornered her inside.

"Chloe, we've known each other for years. If there's something on your mind, just say it."

Chloe forced a laugh and denied it.

I might have been out of the game for a while, but I could spot cheap tricks a mile away.

"Spill it!"

Chloe's eyes locked onto mine, and she spoke earnestly. "You have to promise me you'll stay calm!"

A shiver of an ominous premonition ran down my spine, but I took a deep breath and nodded.

Chloe pulled out her phone and opened her photo album.

It felt like my brain had just detonated. A bomb went off in my head.

Those photos were of Victor with different women.

If they were just ordinary photos, I wouldn't have cared; I'm not the jealous type.

But Victor's pose with each woman was far too intimate, even more affectionate than he was with me. And his eyes—they were practically oozing with flirtation.

"These... you...?"

Seeing my confusion, Chloe gave a bitter laugh and pulled up one particular photo. "Look."

It was a picture of Chloe and Victor together.

I was about to explode. That homewrecker had the nerve to be so brazen?

"He told me he was single!" Chloe quickly interjected. "That bastard completely conned me!"

"Why would I believe you?"

Chloe then showed me her SnapChat conversations with Victor.

Flirty. Suggestive. And there was money involved.

"He told me he was single, took over a hundred thousand dollars from me! I was totally in the dark, fantasizing about marrying him and starting a family, until one day Valerie sent me a picture of his family. That's when I realized I'd been duped."

"Who's Valerie?" My head was spinning.

"Another woman that scumbag fooled."

Rage, confusion. One Chloe wasn't enough, now there was a Valerie too?

I made an excuse and left the reunion early.

I had to go home and confront Victor. What was going on? What had he been doing behind my back? How many women was he entangled with?!

Chloe chased after me. "Scarlett, don't do anything rash!"

Rash? If she weren't an old classmate I hadn't seen in years, I swear, I wanted to slap her silly!

"Scarlett!"

Chloe grabbed my arm, and I violently yanked it away. "Get your hands off me, don't contaminate me!"

Chloe's eyes immediately welled up.

Oh, so now she's playing the innocent victim? Give me a break!

I hopped into a taxi and sped away.

As I wrestled with how to confront Victor, how to unleash the anger boiling within me, my phone rang.

It was Victor.

That scumbag had the audacity to call me?

I answered, about to unleash a tirade, but then my daughter's soft voice came through. "Mommy, what time are you coming home? I miss you."

My nose stung, and tears threatened to fall.

After ten years of marriage, I'd finally managed to get pregnant and have our daughter. My five-year-old Lily was the apple of my eye.

If Victor and I blew up, what would happen to Lily?

If Victor was prepared, I might not even get custody of her.

I remembered my earlier flippant remark: "I'd rather be widowed than divorced!"

I swallowed hard, forcing the rising tears back down.

I wouldn't let Victor walk away unscathed.

For this devil of a bastard, only hell awaited him!

Back home, Victor was as solicitous as ever, fetching my slippers and running a bath.

Normally, I'd have been touched and given him a quick kiss.

But now, looking at him, I felt a wave of nausea.

Turns out, this handsome man was just a pretty face with rotten insides.

"Honey, did you drink too much?"

Seeing my pale face, Victor didn't seem suspicious.

It was true; my straightforward nature was an open book to him.

Given his two-faced behavior—chasing women outside while being a devoted husband at home—I'd been completely outmaneuvered.

As a woman, facing her husband's infidelity, it was impossible not to feel panicked, confused, and furious.

But what could I do now?

The only thing I could do was force myself to calm down!

I had already lost so much; I couldn't afford to lose everything!

Playing along with his comment, I pretended to be drunk.