Chapter 1

"Size S?" I stared at the women's outfit in the suitcase.

Justin Collins, my husband, was in the shower and had asked me to go through his bags for him. It was a couple's set, made for a male and a female. The women's piece was size S.

I wore M. There was also a brand-new bikini.

"Claire, grab me a towel," Justin said.

I stuffed the bikini back and shut the suitcase. "Darling." I pushed open the bathroom door and handed him the towel.

"What's up?"

"You're going to Borenia for the team-building trip?"

"Yep, work-organized." Justin was drying his hair with a relaxed smile.

I smiled too. "Are you sure the company will cover the 40,000 dollars?"

His hand froze for a moment. "What does that amount mean?"

"The ocean-view suite for two, 2,000 dollars a night for seven days. Do the math."

The towel dropped to the floor.

*****

Justin's face changed. "Y-You checked my credit card?"

"It's our joint account. I was checking my own card." I leaned against the doorframe, watching him.

He bent down to pick up the towel and wrapped it around his waist. "I-It's a company expense. I paid upfront; they'll reimburse me when I get back."

"So you're bringing a size S dress for reimbursement?"

"It's a gift for a female coworker." Justin avoided my gaze. "You know, it's normal to bring back gifts after a trip."

"So your coworker happens to be a size S?"

"I-I didn't know her size, so I grabbed whatever."

I nodded. "What about the bikini?"

"That's a gift too."

"A bikini as a gift for a coworker?"

Justin fell silent.

I turned and walked out of the bathroom, hearing him call after me, "Claire, don't overthink it. It's only a team-building trip."

I wondered whether I was overthinking that.

I went back to the bedroom, closed the door, and pulled out my phone.

I checked my credit card statement. There was a pre-authorization from this afternoon. It was a five-star hotel in Borenia, a honeymoon suite for seven days, for 20,000 dollars.

I zoomed in on the booking screenshot.

The order listed two names: Justin Collins and Sophia Reed.

Sophia was the 25-year-old young woman from Justin's office.

I ran into her once when I dropped off some files at his company. She called him "Mr. Collins" with that sweet smile, and she was a size S.

My fingers were shaking, but I forced myself to calm down.

I couldn't let him know I was onto him.

He was leaving tomorrow for seven days. That gave me time to figure things out.

*****

The next morning, Justin wheeled his suitcase out the door.

"Darling, take care on the road." I stood at the door with a smile and waved.

"Okay, make sure you take good care of Lucas while I'm gone." He kissed my forehead. "I'll be back soon."

"How many people are going on the team-building trip?"

"About ten. The core team."

"Is Sophia going too?"

Justin paused for a second. "Yeah, she is my assistant, so she is coming."

"Oh, I see." I nodded. "Have a nice trip."

The elevator doors closed. Justin's smile was still lingering on his face.

I closed the door, my smile vanishing in an instant.

I walked back to the bedroom and grabbed his spare phone. He thought I had no clue about the password, but I'd watched him enter it several times.

I opened the photo album and checked the recently deleted pictures. There were 87 photos.

The first showed Sophia on a Borenian beach, rocking a bikini and flashing a bright smile. Around her neck was a diamond necklace that looked familiar.

I walked over to the vanity and opened my jewelry box.

That necklace was the one Justin gave me for my birthday last year. He said it cost 13,000 dollars. I always treasured it when I wore it.

It turned out that mine was a fake.

The real one was hanging around Sophia's neck.

I went through every photo: hand in hand on the beach, feeding each other at a restaurant, hugging by the pool, and kissing in the hotel room.

Each stung me hard, but I didn't cry.

I took screenshots, saved them, and put the phone back where I found it.