Chapter 2

Graham's key turned in the front door just after ten o'clock.

I was sitting in the dimly lit living room. He walked in, shrugged off his damp wool coat, and crossed the room straight to me. He wore a perfectly practiced expression of exhaustion.

"Mara," he murmured, his brow furrowing with genuine worry. He pulled me into his arms, pressing a kiss into my hair. "I am so sorry."

I sat perfectly still. He smelled like expensive cologne and the crisp night air, masking the faint, unmistakable scent of Camille's perfume.

"You're freezing," Graham scolded gently, his warm palm pressing against my cheek.

Without hesitation, he pulled off his cashmere sweater and wrapped it around my shoulders. He looked at me with those gray-blue eyes, brimming with what looked like absolute devotion.

For one dizzying second, the contradiction nearly tore my mind in two. If I hadn't seen him with Camille, I would have believed he was the most loving husband on earth.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice terrifyingly calm.

"A massive crisis with the merger," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was trapped in the boardroom all night. I couldn't get away. You know I wouldn't have missed Miles's birthday for anything else."

I stared at him. He was lying to my face, looking me right in the eyes, without a single tremor in his voice. This wasn't a mistake. It was a flawless, ruthless performance.

"I'm going to check on him," Graham said, his voice softening.

He walked upstairs. I followed quietly, stopping in the shadows of the hallway.

Miles's bedroom door was cracked open. My son was sitting up in bed, staring blankly at a comic book.

"Hey, buddy," Graham said, sitting on the edge of the mattress. "Happy birthday. I'm really sorry I missed the cake."

"It's fine," Miles said to the pages of his book.

"I had a huge emergency at work," Graham explained, reaching out to affectionately ruffle Miles's hair.

Miles subtly shifted his weight, letting his father's hand fall into empty air.

Graham sighed, gave Miles a patronizing smile, and stood up.

He walked out to the hallway and lowered his voice when he saw me. "He's giving me the silent treatment," Graham whispered, completely unbothered. "I'll buy him that new gaming console he wanted this weekend. He'll forget all about it."

Everything inside me stopped. He really thought he could buy his way out of breaking his son's heart. He honestly believed we were just pieces on a board he could easily manage.

Graham wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me against his chest. "I canceled my early breakfast meeting tomorrow," he murmured. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you."

Late that night, Graham slept behind me, his arms locked tight around my waist, his breathing deep and steady.

The way he held me,it was exactly how a man holds his most prized possession.

But I knew the truth now. Inside that warm body lived a stranger.

I gently slid out of his grip. I walked into the guest room, opened my laptop, and began quietly compiling every financial document my lawyer had requested.