Chapter 2

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, applying lipstick with surgical precision. The woman looking back at me was composed, collected—a perfect mask hiding the turmoil beneath. Three days had passed since I'd heard that recording in the car, and I'd spent every waking moment since then planning my next move.

I needed to see for myself.

"I'm heading out," I called to Luca, who was reviewing documents at the kitchen island. "Thought you might be hungry, so I'm bringing you lunch."

His head snapped up, surprise flickering across his face before settling into a smile. "You don't need to do that, Elena."

"I know." I slipped on my coat. "But I want to."

The drive to his office was familiar—I'd made it countless times over our five years together. But today, every mile felt like crossing into enemy territory.

Bennett Financial occupied three floors of a gleaming downtown high-rise. I'd helped Luca choose the space when we were still newlyweds, my architecture classes from pre-med proving useful as I pointed out the building's structural integrity and natural light.

The receptionist's eyes widened when I walked in. "Mrs. Bennett! We weren't expecting you."

"Is he in a meeting?" I asked, keeping my voice light.

"No, just finishing some calls. I'll tell him you're here."

I set the lunch bag on her desk. "Actually, surprise him for me?"

She nodded, clearly delighted by what she assumed was a romantic gesture.

I wandered toward the break room, taking my time. The office hummed with activity—analysts hunched over computers, assistants rushing with coffee cups, the low murmur of business conversations.

And women. Plenty of women.

I cataloged them methodically. The receptionist, young but not particularly striking. Two analysts in their fifties. A group of interns huddled around a conference table.

None matched the voice I'd heard.

"Mrs. Bennett?"

I turned to find Marcus Chen, Luca's business partner. His expression was cautious.

"Elena, what a surprise."

"Thought I'd bring Luca lunch," I said, gesturing to the bag the receptionist now held. "Is he free?"

"Of course." Marcus led me down the hallway. "He'll be thrilled."

When Luca saw me, his surprise seemed genuine. He rose from behind his desk, crossing the room to kiss me.

"This is unexpected," he said, voice warm. "What's the occasion?"

"No occasion." I set the bag on his desk. "Just thought you might be hungry."

His office looked exactly as it always had—neat, organized, with framed photos of us on the credenza. Nothing seemed out of place.

"Let me just finish this call," he said, glancing at his phone. "Give me five minutes?"

I nodded, using the time to study the room. The company organizational chart hung on one wall, the employee directory on another. When Luca stepped into the hallway to take his call, I quickly pulled out my phone and snapped photos of both.

---

That evening, I set the dining table with extra care—candles, wine glasses, our wedding china.

"To what do I owe this special treatment?" Luca asked as he sat down.

"You work too hard," I said simply. "Thought we deserved a nice dinner."

We were halfway through the meal when his phone rang. He glanced at it, and something flickered across his face—so quickly I almost missed it.

"A work call," he said, already rising. "I need to take this."

"Of course." I kept my tone neutral as he stepped into the kitchen.

I moved closer to the doorway, straining to hear.

"—miss you too," his voice drifted in. "Can't wait until tomorrow night."

A pause.

"No, Elena has no idea. And I need to keep it that way."

Another pause.

"I'll call you later. We can discuss the details then."

When he returned, I was sitting exactly where he'd left me, cutting into my chicken with steady hands.

"Sorry about that," he said, settling back into his chair. "It was about the new tea import project."

"Tea?" I asked innocently.

"Heritage Tea Company. Small but growing. They need help expanding into European markets."

My fork froze midway to my mouth. Heritage Tea. The voice in the car had mentioned tea.

---

The next morning, I called Sarah.

"I need your help," I said without preamble.

"Anything," she replied instantly. Sarah had been my friend since college, the one person who'd warned me about giving up medical school for Luca.

"It's about Heritage Tea Company," I said, pacing my living room. "Can you find out anything about it? Connections to Luca's business?"

"Consider it done," Sarah said. "But Elena... what's really going on?"

I hesitated, then told her everything.

Three hours later, she called back.

"Elena," her voice was tight with controlled anger. "I've found something. Luca's been making investments in Heritage Tea—big ones. Far beyond what the company's worth or potential."

"How big?"

"Half a million last quarter alone. And he's scheduled to invest another million next month."

My hand tightened around the phone. "For what purpose?"

"To promote someone named Anastasia Williams to CEO." Sarah paused. "Elena... this isn't normal business. This is personal."

The pieces were falling into place—the late nights, the new cologne, the recording in the car.

And now, a woman with a name.