The Neglected Wife's Spectacular Artistic Comeback

st the polished floor. A deep exhaustion settled in her bones from the transatlantic flight, but a current o

r a su

for

dow, a familiar landscape that felt different today, charged with the secret she was carrying. Her thumb instinctively found th

one, her fingers flyi

iversary presen

e to silent, tucking it away in her

at scraped the sky. Kaitlynn took a deep breath, the city air thick with possibility. She pictured Julian's face,

ft chime announcing her ascent. The doors opened direct

ing to sneak up behind him at his desk, wrap her ar

ir of Manolo Blahniks, a sharp, strappy stiletto style she

vy, suffocating, a stark contrast to the subtle, woody fragrance s

eam-colored sofa was a beige trench coat. It was a woman's, tailored and modern. It wasn

, feminine laugh drifting

're always s

nuckles were white where she gripped the handle of

ntil she reached the edge of the study's doorway. Through

her. Standing beside him, leaning in

ly tucking a stray strand behind her ear. Th

issful contentment. A flicker of something-triumph, m

wn home. A wave of nausea and sharp, gu

d. A small, cho

snapped in h

in their depths. He snatched his hand back from Ava

t are you doin

se, a blush of innocent fear coloring her cheeks. She

... we were just

ce, dismissively, before landing on her husband.

you know wha

a dawning horror as he clearly searched his memory and f

your wedding anniversary, isn't it? Julian was just men

the wound. It confirmed he had forgotten,

ed towards her, reaching for her suitcase. "I'm

ach. Her voice was ice. "So this is how you cele

led. "Mrs. Sinclair, you've misunderstood. I was just helping

instantly. "Kaitlynn, don't. Ava was

tuation. "Now that you're back, let's go out to dinner. A prop

tterly tone-deaf that Kaitlynn felt the world t

Ava's poorly concealed look of eager anticipation behind her

scream. She

thin, sharp, t

oice unnervingly calm.