Chapter 3
By the time I got home, it was already ten at night.
Henry was sitting on the couch in his cotton pajamas, gold-rimmed glasses on, quietly reading.
As soon as he saw me, he set the book aside and greeted me, his voice gentle and soft.
"You're home late, honey. Was it cold outside?"
He took my coat from me like it was second nature and hung it up on the coat rack in the entryway.
"Had to stay late at the office," I said, slipping into my slippers.
Henry went to the kitchen, got me a glass of warm water, and brought it over to me.
"Honey, can I run something by you?"
He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and behind the lenses was a barely noticeable hint of guilt.
"What is it?" I asked lightly, taking a sip of water.
"The school's doing faculty evaluations soon, and I've got two design projects to finish up.
"I'll probably be staying up late for a while."
He sighed, putting on a show of concern for me.
"I'm worried I'll keep you up at night tossing and turning, so I was thinking I should sleep in the study for a while."
My hand froze for a second around the glass.
He was saving himself for his side chick.
I swallowed the urge to throw the whole glass of water in his face and just nodded, pretending to care.
"Alright, just make sure you take care of yourself. Don't overdo it," I replied.
"Thanks for understanding, honey," Henry said, visibly relieved as he smiled at me.
He leaned in for a goodnight kiss on my forehead.
I turned away, pretending to reach for a tissue on the table, neatly avoiding his kiss.
"I'm going to take a shower," I said.
Watching Henry eagerly lug his pillow into the study, I couldn't help but scoff under my breath.
After my shower, I went back to the master bedroom, which was now empty, and locked the door behind me.
I opened my laptop and typed his name into the search bar.
"James Sterling."
Before, I'd been so focused on investigating Vanessa that I'd totally overlooked the family backing her.
When the search results popped up, I sucked in a sharp breath.
James, the guy running the Sterling Group, was the prince of the venture capital world, the one everyone bowed to.
He controlled a financial empire worth over a hundred billion dollars.
In every news photo, James was impeccably dressed in a custom suit, his eyes razor-sharp, and his aura so unfathomable.
Financial media said he was ruthless—he'd turn on his own family without blinking, a devil in a suit if there ever was one.
I leaned back in my chair, and I almost burst out laughing.
Henry, you really thought you'd bagged a rich heiress who could change your whole life.
You have no idea what you were doing now.
You went and messed with James's woman. Trust me, you wouldn't even see it coming when he destroyed you.
The next morning, we were sitting at the table, eating breakfast.
Henry was peeling a hard-boiled egg, looking casual as he spoke up.
"Honey, did I ever tell you about a student named Vanessa Summers?"
I paused mid-spoonful of porridge and glanced up at him.
"No, what's up?"
"She's really down on her luck," Henry said with a sigh.
He put on his best 'concerned professor' face, acting like he was some kind of saint.
"Her family's struggling—she says she can barely afford to eat, but she's got a real knack for design.
"I've been helping her out lately, giving her advice and fixing up her projects.
"She's been so grateful, she keeps begging to buy me dinner," Henry said, acting all saintly.
He dropped the peeled egg into my bowl, giving me that earnest look.
"You know me. I can't bear to let her waste her money on me.
"So I figured, why not just invite her over for a simple meal this weekend?
"You could meet her too, maybe cheer her up a bit."
I stared at that plain white egg in my bowl, and my stomach was practically turning inside out.
He was actually planning to brazenly bring his side chick right into our home, like it was nothing.
Cheating on me right under my nose, getting a kick out of the whole twisted thrill.
Henry, you had really taken shamelessness to a whole new level.
I set down my fork, grabbed a napkin to wipe my mouth, and gave him a perfect smile.
"Sure, since she's your favorite student, we should give her a warm welcome.
"Have her come over tomorrow. I'll cook for her."
Henry's eyes lit up, and he instantly agreed.
"You're the best, honey."