Chapter 2

I drove home with the image of Ryan and Jessica burned into my mind, their bodies entwined in his leather chair playing on repeat. Each time I blinked, I saw them together—heard Jessica's cruel words about how I'd 'had a kid.' The soup container I'd brought for Ryan—the one I'd spent an hour preparing with tender care—was still in my car, untouched. I'd left it behind, just like the naive version of myself who had believed in our perfect marriage.

By the time I pulled into our driveway, my tears had dried up, replaced by a strange, cold clarity. I checked my reflection in the rearview mirror and practiced a smile. It looked normal enough.

"Sarah?" Ryan called from the living room as I stepped inside. "Where did you go? I was looking for you earlier."

I set my purse down, my movements deliberate and controlled. "Just out for a drive. Emma's still with Mrs. Peterson next door—I'll get her in a bit."

Ryan approached, loosening his tie. He looked tired but content—the satisfied expression of a man who'd had his desires met. "I'm starving," he said, kissing my cheek. "What's for dinner?"

"Dinner," I repeated, the word tasting strange on my tongue. "Of course. I made your favorite—lemon herb chicken with roasted potatoes."

"Perfect." He squeezed my shoulder, his wedding ring catching the light. "I've been working on the Henderson account all day. It's been brutal."

I nodded, moving toward the kitchen where I'd prepared the meal hours earlier. "How's it going?"

"Slow," he sighed dramatically. "Jessica's been a huge help, but there are still some complex financial models we need to sort out. I might be late again tomorrow."

I dished out his portion, noting how his eyes followed me—not with desire, but with casual entitlement. "That's fine," I said, setting his plate before him. "I understand."

Ryan launched into an elaborate story about the Henderson account—the difficult clients, the impossible deadlines, the late nights required to make everything perfect. I listened intently, nodding at all the right moments, while mentally cataloging every lie.

*There was no Henderson meeting today. I called his office while driving home.*

*He changed his cologne. It's not his usual sandalwood—it's something woodsy and unfamiliar.*

*His shirt is different. He left in a blue button-down this morning, but now he's wearing a gray one.*

"Are you listening?" Ryan asked, studying my face.

"Yes," I smiled, refilling his water glass. "It sounds like you're working so hard."

"I am," he confirmed, taking a large bite of chicken. "This is delicious, by the way."

After dinner, we moved to the bedroom. Ryan showered first, humming in the bathroom as if he hadn't just shattered our marriage vows hours earlier. When he emerged, damp and content, he slid into bed beside me and turned off his lamp.

"I'm exhausted," he murmured, already drifting toward sleep. "Big day tomorrow."

I lay perfectly still beside him, watching the shadows on our bedroom ceiling. "Goodnight, Ryan."

He was snoring softly within minutes, completely unaware that his wife knew everything.

---

The next morning, while Ryan showered and Emma watched cartoons, I ordered three tiny cameras online. Each was smaller than a button, designed to be hidden in everyday objects. The confirmation email arrived almost instantly: *Your order is processing.*

I deleted it immediately.

Two days later, I sat across from David Chen in a quiet coffee shop three towns over. He was older than I expected—early fifties with salt-and-pepper hair and eyes that missed nothing.

"Mrs. Mitchell," he said, sliding a business card across the table. "Tell me what we're dealing with."

"Call me Sarah," I replied, studying him carefully. "And I appreciate your discretion."

David nodded once. "Discretion is part of the service."

"I suspect my husband may be hiding assets," I said, the lie coming easily to my lips. "We're... considering divorce."

"Considering," he repeated, his expression unchanged.

"Yes." I kept my voice steady. "I need to know what I'm dealing with before I make any moves."

David leaned back in his chair. "You were an accountant before?"

I blinked in surprise. "How did you know that?"

"Lots of details," he said simply. "The way you're dressed, how you're sitting, the fact you chose this location rather than meeting at your home or office."

I smiled thinly. "Good instincts."

"That's why you're hiring me," he agreed. "Let's talk specifics."

---

While Emma napped that afternoon, I opened my old laptop—the one Ryan thought was used only for online shopping and recipe storage. My fingers flew across the keyboard as I logged into my old professional accounts and began updating my accounting certifications.

*Six courses required for recertification.*

*Divorce law resources saved to folder.*

*Property division statutes printed.*

Each document was another brick in the wall I was building between my past self and whatever came next.

The doorbell rang just as I finished saving everything to a hidden folder.

"Sarah?" Jessica's voice called through the door. "It's Jessica from Ryan's office. I have some urgent documents for him."

I smoothed my hair and opened the door to find her standing there in a fitted red dress that seemed wildly inappropriate for delivering documents.

"Come in," I said pleasantly, noting how her eyes tracked my simple sweater and jeans.

"These need Ryan's signature ASAP," she said, placing a folder on our coffee table. "Oh! Is that coffee fresh? I've been running all over town for meetings."

Before I could respond, she'd helped herself to Ryan's mug from this morning—the one with a lipstick stain I'd deliberately left unwashed.

"Mmm, delicious," she sighed, leaving a fresh red mark on the rim. "You're so lucky to not have to work, Sarah. Your life must be so simple and peaceful."

As she handed me back the mug, her phone chimed with a message.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, showing me her screen where Ryan's name appeared with three dots dancing beside it. "He's texting me now! So funny—he must have thought he was texting you."

The message preview read: *Can't wait to see you again tonight...*

Jessica quickly locked her phone with a nervous laugh. "Oops! Sent that to the wrong person!"

But her eyes held mine with calculated challenge, daring me to react.

I smiled back just as coldly. "These things happen."