Chapter 1

I got off work early that night and picked up some late-night pizza on the way home.

Pushing the front door open, I immediately spotted the mess.

A pair of women's stilettos were kicked off in the entryway, and Daniel's suit jacket was tossed carelessly over the living room sofa.

Heavy breathing and a woman's soft moans drifted through the crack in the bedroom door. It was a scene I knew all too well.

But this time, I didn't slam the door and storm out like I used to. Instead, I sat silently at the dining table and finished my cold pizza, bite by bite.

*****

Ten minutes later, the noises in the bedroom finally stopped.

Daniel strolled out stretching his arms, completely shirtless. His back was covered in fresh, bleeding scratch marks.

He spotted me at the table but didn't even bat an eye. He just casually lit a cigarette. "I thought you were pulling an all-nighter at the office."

I swallowed my last bite of food and grabbed a napkin to wipe my mouth. "I finished my project early, so I came home."

Daniel blew a smoke ring and nodded without another word.

Right behind him trailed a girl in a torn slip dress. Her skin was littered with angry red marks, making it obvious that their little bedroom session had been pretty intense.

I recognized her immediately. It was Daniel's new assistant, Madison Reed. She was in her early twenties and undeniably gorgeous.

Like a needy puppy, she wrapped her arms around Daniel from behind. Her voice dripped with lazy affection.

"How did I do, Mr. Walker?" she purred, sounding incredibly smug.

Daniel gave her a doting smile and ruffled her hair. "You were great. I'm very satisfied."

Emboldened by the praise, Madison pushed her luck, blowing hot air against his ear. "So... when are we going to try this on your desk?"

Before she even finished her sentence, she caught sight of me sitting at the table and let out a terrified shriek.

She dropped her arms like she had been electrocuted and scrambled to hide behind Daniel, looking like she had just seen a ghost.

I let out a scoff. "This one scares a lot easier than the last one. The previous girl actually had the nerve to smile and say hi to me."

Madison's face instantly flushed a deep, embarrassed red.

Daniel shot me a glare. Then he turned around and patted Madison's cheek like he was coaxing a toddler. "Be a good girl and go get dressed. I'll have the driver take you home."

*****

Once Madison was gone, Daniel acted like nothing had happened.

He walked over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water, sounding completely nonchalant. "Madison is just young and naive. Why do you have to be so hard on her?"

I let out a cold laugh. "You bring your tramp into our home to screw around, and you expect me to roll out the red carpet for her?"

The hickey on his neck was still a vibrant, angry red, yet he didn't look the least bit guilty.

He flopped down heavily onto the couch. "I'm starving. Go make me a sandwich."

He grabbed the TV remote, acting as if the entire absurd situation hadn't just happened.

When he realized I hadn't moved a muscle, he furrowed his brows. "What's the matter?"

Then it seemed to dawn on him, and a playful smirk crept onto his face. "What, are you actually mad?"

He got up and pressed his body against mine, wrapping his arms around my waist. His fingertips slipped under the hem of my shirt.

The lingering smell of sex washed over me, instantly making my stomach churn. I pushed him away on instinct.

Daniel clearly hadn't expected the rejection, considering I used to cater to his every whim.

He froze, and his expression quickly darkened. "Anna, what the hell is your problem?"

I looked down. A used condom was lying right there on the living room rug.

Daniel followed my gaze and clicked his tongue in obvious annoyance. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

His voice dripped with impatience. "You are always going to be the wife in this house. Why can't you just look the other way? Why don't we just do our own thing? Who exactly are you giving this attitude to?"

I stared at him blankly, refusing to say a word.

His face grew cold as he put his clothes back on.

He tossed out a bitter "Looking at you kills my appetite" before storming out of the apartment and slamming the door behind him.