Chapter 4

When Sabine saw me enter the venue, she nearly spilled her champagne.

She recovered quickly, smiled, and crossed the room in her high heels. Then she threw her arms around me before I could stop her.

"You really came! Owen was worried you'd change your mind at the last minute."

She leaned close to my ear and lowered her voice.

"Thank you for coming to help me."

Before I could push her away, she turned toward the cameras.

"Everyone, look. Laurel has agreed to give us the chance to explain."

Applause rose around us.

That was when I noticed the single chair placed in the middle of the audience.

Owen and Sabine, meanwhile, had seats beside each other onstage, with one microphone between them.

Once the event began, Sabine played the edited recording of my call.

My voice poured from the speakers, rushed and furious. I sounded like a stranger who had stormed onto their show to cause a scene.

"Hearing this honestly breaks my heart." Her eyes immediately filled with tears. "I've always respected Owen's marriage, but because he and I work well together, his wife has decided I'm trying to destroy their home."

Someone in the audience shouted, "You didn't do anything wrong!"

Owen took her hand.

I stared at his fingers.

His wedding ring was gone.

It had still been on his hand when he left home that morning.

Sabine wiped her tears and looked at me. "Laurel, would you like to tell everyone why you hate me so much?"

Every camera turned in my direction.

I stood. "Play the full recording."

Her expression didn't change. "We aren't here tonight to argue about editing."

"Because the full recording would let everyone hear that you were the one who mocked my marriage first?"

Whispers spread through the audience.

Owen immediately cut me off. "Laurel, we agreed that you were coming here to apologize."

"When did we agree to that? I said I would come. I never said I would apologize for something I didn't do."

Sabine suddenly burst into tears.

"I've had enough! She's suspected me from the first day I joined the show. Do I have to resign? Do I have to cut Owen out of my life completely before she'll finally leave me alone?"

She stood and headed backstage.

Owen went after her without hesitation and caught her arm.

"You don't have to leave."

Sabine turned to him. "Then tell her. What am I to you?"

The entire venue fell silent.

I watched Owen and waited for him to release her.

I waited for him to say she was only his coworker.

I waited for him to remember that I was his wife.

Instead, he pulled Sabine back to his side.

"You're the most important partner I've ever had. This show wouldn't exist without you."

Cheers erupted from the audience.

Sabine smiled through her tears.

Then she cradled Owen's face in both hands and kissed him.

I heard people scream. Camera shutters began firing one after another.

Owen froze for a second.

Then his hand settled on her waist, and he pulled her closer.

My stomach lurched.

I clung to the back of my chair to keep from collapsing in front of everyone.

Over the past four years, Owen had told me he loved me more times than I could count.

It took him only seconds to show the entire city how little those words had meant.

Sabine finally released him and turned to look at me.

There wasn't a trace of panic on her face.

Instead, she wiped the smeared lipstick from the corner of her mouth with her thumb.

She was waiting for me to scream.

She wanted me to slap her and prove to everyone that I was exactly the unstable woman she had described.

I took the apology Owen had written for me out of my bag and slowly tore it to pieces.

As the scraps fell around my feet, Owen finally remembered I was still there.

"Laurel, I can explain."

"Of course you can."

I walked onto the stage and picked up the second microphone from the host's desk.

"But before you explain that kiss, I'd like everyone to hear how the two of you lured me here tonight."

The smile vanished from Sabine's face.

A faint burst of static came through the speakers.

Then Sabine's voice filled the venue.

"Don't explain anything to her. Let her keep talking. Make sure the camera is pointed at her—"

Owen lunged at me.