Chapter 3

Kora Henderson's office felt like a trap disguised as luxury. Rich burgundy walls, crystal decanters on a mahogany sideboard, and fresh orchids arranged with deliberate precision. She gestured for me to sit in a leather chair across from her desk, her movements fluid and practiced.

"So," she began, settling back into her chair with the grace of a predator, "you're here about our dry cleaning services."

Something in her tone made my skin prickle. The way she emphasized 'dry cleaning' felt mocking, as if we were sharing a private joke I wasn't in on.

"Yes," I said carefully. "My husband speaks highly of them."

"Oh, I'm sure he does." Her smile was sharp-edged. "Mathew has very particular tastes, doesn't he? Always wants everything just so. Perfect presentation, no wrinkles, no... unpleasant odors."

The way she said his name—intimate, familiar—sent ice through my veins. Not 'Mr. Rodriguez' as a hotel manager would say, but 'Mathew' like she'd whispered it against his skin.

"How well do you know my husband?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.

Kora's laugh was like crystal breaking. "Better than you might think." She leaned forward, elbows on the desk, studying my face with calculating eyes. "Tell me, Mrs. Rodriguez, how long have you been married?"

"Seven years."

"Seven years." She repeated it like she was tasting wine. "And in those seven years, has Mathew ever mentioned knowing someone before you? Someone... special?"

My mouth went dry. "I don't understand what this has to do with dry cleaning services."

"Oh, honey." The endearment dripped with false sympathy. "There are no dry cleaning services here. At least, not the kind your husband told you about."

The room seemed to tilt. I gripped the arms of my chair, fighting the urge to run. "Then why—"

"Why does he come here?" Kora stood, walking around her desk with predatory grace. "He comes here for me."

The words hit like physical blows. I stared at her, this beautiful stranger with her perfect hair and designer clothes, and felt my world cracking apart.

"You're lying."

"Am I?" She reached for her phone, fingers dancing across the screen. "Would you like to see proof?"

Before I could respond, she turned the phone toward me. The first photo showed Mathew and her in what looked like a hotel room, his arm around her waist, both of them laughing. He was wearing the blue shirt I'd bought him for his birthday.

She swiped to the next photo. Mathew kissing her neck in an elevator. Another swipe—them sharing champagne on what looked like a hotel balcony, the Chicago skyline glittering behind them.

"Stop," I whispered, but she kept swiping.

There were dozens of photos. Mathew and Kora at restaurants I'd never been to. Walking hand-in-hand through Grant Park. Him fastening a diamond necklace around her throat—the same necklace I had in my jewelry box at home.

"We've been together for three years," Kora said conversationally, as if discussing the weather. "He told me about you, of course. His wife. The obligation he couldn't quite shake off yet."

Yet. The word hung in the air like poison.

"You're sick," I managed, my voice barely audible.

"I'm honest," she corrected. "Something your husband struggles with, apparently. Though I suppose he had his reasons for keeping you in the dark."

She moved closer, and I caught the scent of expensive perfume—the same perfume Mathew had given me for our anniversary. The same perfume he'd bought twice.

"He was waiting for the right time," she continued. "His business expansion needed to be complete first. Couldn't afford a messy divorce during delicate negotiations. But that's almost finished now."

I felt like I was drowning, each revelation pulling me deeper underwater. "This can't be real."

Kora's expression softened into something that might have been pity. "I know this is hard to hear. But surely you've noticed the signs? The late nights, the business trips that don't quite add up, the way he's been... distant?"

She was right. The puzzle pieces I'd been ignoring suddenly clicked into place with devastating clarity.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

Kora returned to her desk, one hand trailing along its edge. When she turned back to face me, she placed her other hand deliberately on her stomach. Even through her fitted dress, I could see the subtle curve I'd missed before.

"Because," she said, her voice taking on a triumphant edge, "Mathew and I are going to be parents."