From Betrayal To Fatherhood

Synopsis

The phone trilled three times before I snatched it up. "Mr. Carter, your wife's been spending at our club, but..." A hesitant voice crackled through. It was eleven at night. Emily Foster, my wife, had said she'd be out for a girls' dinner. That should've wrapped up ages ago. "But what?" I prodded. "Your wife's in a booth with a guy. They look... pretty chummy. We weren't sure if we should..." The phone slipped from my fingers and thunked onto the desk. Stunned, I slumped in my chair, my mind a swirling void. Ten minutes later, I was speeding towards the Golden Oak Lounge. It was one of my ventures, a place Emily never set foot in. What on earth had lured her here tonight? In the parking lot, Emily's white Maserati caught my eye. Parked beside it was a sleek black Mercedes with an unfamiliar plate. The manager, Sam Williams, awaited me at the entrance, his face ashen. "Third-floor VIP room, Mr. Carter," he murmured. I trailed after him upstairs, my footsteps soft but my heart hammering. The hallway was hushed, save for the distant strains of music. The booth door was ajar. Peering through the crack, I saw Emily nestled in a man's embrace. He was a stranger, around thirty, dressed to the nines. They were locked in a long, soul-searing kiss. Emily's hand stroked the man's cheek, her eyes glazed with desire. I'd never witnessed such a look on her face. Not even in the early days of our marriage. The man's hands were fumbling with Emily's dress buttons. I shouldered the door open. "Having a ball, honey?"