CH. 1

Maisie

I woke up with a sense of contentment and excitement.

The sky was bright blue this morning.

My face bloomed into a bright smile when I spotted his familiar towering figure with looks to kill standing before the floor-to-ceiling mirror in our dressing room.

The door was open and I could see him clearly from where I lay tangled in the silky sheets of our massive bed.

I gently rose and padded my bare feet across the plush carpet to cross the room toward where he stood, straightening his tie and running a hand through that thick, perfectly coiffed dark hair.

God, he was so insanely handsome it almost didn't seem fair.

"Good morning, handsome," I greeted in a sweet, slightly sing-song voice as I spread my arms open to wrap around his narrow waist from behind, nuzzling my face against the expensive fabric of his suit jacket.

He always looked so powerful and dominant in a suit.

Instead of melting into my embrace, he stiffened slightly. "Now's not the time, Maisie. I have an emergency business meeting," he said in that familiar clipped, all-business tone as he straightened his tie once more.

I froze, feeling a familiar pang at his cold words. So much for my planned romantic morning.

"Oh...okay. I understand," I replied, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice as I slowly dropped my arms from around him.

He didn't even spare me a glance and grabbed his briefcase off the dresser. "I'll be busy so don't wait up," he threw over his shoulder before heading straight for the door, not even looking back.

"Jason, wait!" I called out desperately, causing him to pause with his hand on the doorknob.

I knew I sounded pathetic. My voice was laced with sadness and neediness, but I didn't care. "It's our anniversary. I thought maybe we could do something together tonight. Just the two of us?"

His broad shoulders tensed up for a split second before relaxing back into his infuriatingly indifferent demeanor. "Maisie, we can celebrate another time."

"Another time?" I cried out before I could stop myself, feeling tears prick the corners of my eyes from the sting of rejection. "Jason, we never celebrate anything! You're always working or away on business trips. When am I supposed to be a priority in your life?"

Finally, he turned to face me fully and I saw the flicker of annoyance pass through his striking features, those emerald green eyes I loved so much now glazed over with impatience and irritation.

"Don't start this again," he said in a low warning tone, jutting out his chiseled jaw. "You know how it is, the sacrifices that come with my status and success. This is what you signed up for when you married me."

I opened my mouth to protest, to point out that his success and wealth shouldn't mean sacrificing his marriage and my happiness. That I deserved more from him as his wife, his partner. But he had already turned away again, not wanting to hear it.

"I have to go. We'll talk more when I'm back," he said dismissively before pulling open the door and walking out without another word or backward glance.

I was left staring after him with a familiar hollow ache settling into my chest as the door clicked shut.

Unconsciously, my hands moved to smooth over the sexy black dress I had bought specially for tonight - a sleek, figure-hugging number from Alexander McQueen I knew he would love.

My throat felt tight as I blinked back traitorous tears.

I tried to push aside the sting of rejection, plastering on a fake smile and I gave myself one last onceover in the mirror.

This was just how things were, I told myself for the hundredth time. As the wife of such a powerful, wealthy, successful man, I had to accept that his work and status would always come first before me. Before anything or anyone else in his life.

----

Hours later, I returned home earlier from a very tiring lecture at college so I could prepare and get ready to surprise Jason for our anniversary, even though he had brushed me off earlier about celebrating.

I got dressed in the tight black dress, allowing the stretchy material to hug every curve. I did a light touch-up on my makeup, keeping it soft and natural but glamorous.

I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, admiring how the intricate lace detailing on the dress complemented my pale skin and auburn hair while feeling a surge of hope and determination.

Maybe if Jason saw how much effort I put into looking nice for him, he would change his mind about going out together.

Just then, my phone beeped from across the room.

I hurriedly padded over to grab it off the nightstand, my heart leaping. Maybe it was Jason, having a change of heart and deciding to take me out after all!

However, the smile instantly faded from my face when I read the message from an unknown number:

"Dear Maisie, do you know where your beloved husband is right now? He's currently at the Harding Luxurious Hotel and Suites with a very beautiful-looking woman. I thought you might want to know. - From a concerned friend."

I stared at the message, rereading it over and over as my stomach twisted into a sickening knot.

It...it couldn't be true, could it? Jason would never do that to me. We might have our problems, but he loved me. He had to.

I tried to brush it off as a cruel prank, but I couldn't ignore the persistent nagging doubt that started gnawing away at the back of my mind.

What if it was true? What if my husband, my supposedly faithful partner, really was being unfaithful right now? With some gorgeous woman, on our anniversary of all days?

I felt numb and sank down on the edge of the bed, still clutching my phone.

Part of me desperately wanted to believe this was all one big misunderstanding. But the other part...the darker, more cynical voice I tried so hard to silence whispered how I already knew the painful truth deep down.

I was merely fooling myself, deluding myself into accepting Jason's lies and excuses because I couldn't accept the reality of him betraying me like this.

Numbly, I reached for my purse and slipped on a pair of heels before calling my driver to pick me up out front.

If this message was true if Jason really was at that hotel right now...then I had to know for sure. I couldn't go on living in blissful ignorance any longer.