1. Cheating Husband

Scarlett

"Hey, honey," I say, leaning over the table as I plaster a kiss to my husband’s cheek. "You're going to be late."

Alex groans, bringing the glass of juice to his lips. "You know I'd give anything to spend the entire day with you, my love." He pauses, his grey eyes taking in my dress. He then sighs and drops the glass. "Come here."

I grin from ear to ear. I chose the skin-tight dress in hopes to keep Alexander at home for an hour more. He turns in the chair and grabs my hip, pulling me onto his lap. "Evil woman. You don’t want me leaving the house today?" Alex murmurs, pressing hungry kisses to my neck that leaves my core pounding.

Alex and I have been married for a year, and every day with Alex is a gift to me. I’ve never met a man so perfect; a man who is my dream come true. I love him with every fiber of my being and Alex spends every day showing me that he loves me even more.

He is the richest man in the city, the busiest business tycoon, but never is he too busy to take me to the best restaurants, buy me the best gifts, sit on the couch with me to binge-watch my favorite series, even if he is tired from work, make me breakfast on the days I sleep in because I am fatigued from my own job. The tabloids have pictures of us circulating the internet every day. The Power Couple. An Undying Love. Scarlett and Alexander Chase Set The World On Fire With Photos From Their Trips. Alexander Chase is the best man I could have asked for, and the world knows it.

As Alex’s fingers dig into my thighs, I bite back a moan. Should I tell him now? That I am pregnant? I discard the thought. I will surprise him later. I need to call Isabel, my best friend, to help me plan it. I am terrible at setting up surprises.

"Alex," I murmur, exhaling deeply into his hair. "We need to go to work."

He groans and lets me go reluctantly. I yelp when he smacks my ass with a promise to finish what we started when he returns from work. Alex takes my fingers and presses a kiss to my knuckles. "I’ll be back much later. Need to clear up my schedule before our trip to Paris next week. You’ll be back early? Should I pick up dinner on the way back?"

I smile. Alex returning late would be great for my plans. "I’ve got tons of meetings too. I’ll probably be later than you," I laugh, straightening my dress. "You can do that."

*****

I bite on my nails nervously. Isabel isn’t picking up, which is so unlike her. It is five in the afternoon, and I am yet to get the house ready for the guests we will have over. Already, I’ve had my secretary send invites discreetly to our families and friends. They'll be arriving in two hours, and nothing has been done.

"Scarlett, what now?"

"Gracie," I whine as I step on the gas. "I’m in a fix. I need your help—"

"No, girl. No. Call Bel or Seth. I’m pumping my breastmilk into feeding bottles, so no, I’m not going to—"

"Grace, I’m pregnant."

The other end of the line goes so quiet, I have to check again if Grace has terminated the call.

Grace suddenly screams. "Oh my God, Scarlett! Really? Congrats! Have you told Alex? He’ll be so happy!"

I rattle off the details about my surprise plans excitedly, and it takes a lot of convincing, but Grace agrees to meet me in the house.

I pull up in the driveway, and my smile falls. Alex’s black SUV is in the driveway. He is home early? Why? He said he had meetings and— I pause when I notice the butler headed towards the gate, out of his work uniform. I unlock the door and hop out of the car. "Allistair?"

The old man turns. "Ma’am," he says, walking over to where I stand swiftly. "Would you like me to—"

"Where are you going? It isn’t six yet, and I do need your help with something," I pout, pulling out my phone from my purse.

"The boss said he would be retiring to his study early, as usual. No visitors allowed or workers. He sent us all home early today."

I frown. I know Alex likes his space and doesn’t want the servants around when we go on our trips, but the trip isn’t until next week. Sending them home early is odd, and what does Allistair mean by ‘as usual’? Admittedly, I rarely ever return home this early due to my workload at my father’s company that I co-manage, but Alex usually returns home just as late as I do.

"As usual?"

Old man Allistar blinks. "Yes, Madam Scarlett. The Boss tends to return home at this time on Thursdays for his rest."

I laugh. "Don’t tell me you’ve started drinking again, Al. Alex and I return no sooner than nine every day." I turn on my screen, searching for Alex’s number. I pause for a moment, pursing my lips. If he is so tired he has to return home to rest, I shouldn’t wake him with the call. They could restrict the surprise to downstairs. Hopefully, he won’t wake or leave his study until everyone arrives. The walls of his study are soundproof, thank the heavens.

"Could you check the storeroom for how many cases of Rosé and Château Latour we have left? Place an order for more Krug. Think we’re out…" I rattle off more orders to the butler, hoping to God that he will remember it all.

Just as he turns to leave, Allistair calls out to me. "Ma’am?"

I turn my head slightly. "Yeah?"

His eyes suddenly seem wizened, and they hold an emotion I can’t read. "Don’t go up there."

I laugh. Allistair must have had a sip of the wine too. "Why not? It’s my house."

His grey eyes dart between the house and me, and he says, "You’re a good woman. It’s not your fault."

I shake my head and start into the house. Allistair says the oddest things sometimes, and I can’t tell if it’s the dementia worsening, or if he is joking around with me. It will be his last year working with us. He is past his retirement age, but I let him stay one more year to get his grandchildren through school. They have no one else but their grandfather.

I walk up the stairs, smiling broadly as I near the study. I’ll just check in a little and leave him to rest. Maybe move him to the bed if he’s fallen asleep on his desk again. I twist the doorknob quietly and push.

The door won’t budge.

Since when did Alex lock the study, I think, fishing for my master keys in my purse. I pull it out and push it into the keyhole, unlocking it slowly and quietly, so I won’t startle him.

The lock clicks softly. No way he would hear that if he is fast asleep.

I try again, and the door comes open. I step in on the tip of my toe, and I pause in the doorway, confused.

My husband isn’t fast asleep on his desk, of course. He is… I swallow, my heart tightening painfully. I don’t know where to look or what to think. No. Scratch that. I can’t think. He is too busy thrusting into the woman who is bent over his desk to notice me standing in the doorway.

Alexander has never been rough with me like that. He doesn’t even like it rough. He is a vanilla through and through. When I once suggested anal sex to spice things up, he said, “I respect you too much to take you like that, my love.”

I should’ve heard the words he didn’t say. “But I wouldn’t mind trying it out on someone else.”

You would think I would first feel anger and betrayal as I watch my husband cheat on me. No. I feel…nothing at first. My mind goes blank, and my body becomes numb, unfeeling. It takes nearly a minute before it comes.

The rage. So deep and raw, it burns me whole.

“Do you fuck Scarlett like this, Xan?” the woman purrs, and I instantly know who it is. “Bet she doesn’t squeeze around you like this,” Isabel says, and I can only guess she squeezes because Alexander groans, pushing harder into Isabel, my best friend.

I remain by the doorway until Alexander comes. I have to see it to the end, even as my heart burns to ashes, watching it unfold. I need to see if he respects me enough at least not to come inside Isabel; I have to see if he uses a condom with her at least. I have to hear what he will say to Isabel in that moment. I have to.

Alexander pulls out of Isabel after his release that leaves him shuddering and groaning violently. No condom. He then pulls her back, kissing the back of her neck, and he murmurs against my best friend’s ear. “I love you, Bel. Only you.”

I laugh.