The Maxwell Secret

, New York's golden heir, was a carefully

le; privately, our Park Avenue a

e other men in our rarefied circle, E

n I found an AmEx receipt from a

and Mrs. Vanderbilt" had enj

as not that M

like a cold knife

cally when his college-aged mistress, Chloe

hag," claiming Ethan was leaving me for her

e didn't shield me; he shield

kid" and that I, being "older," shou

ater casually mentioned he wouldn't ev

my dignity, his casual cruelty, was

eat after allowing his mistre

ge felt like a si

illuminated my phone's scre

r from my own impulsive night of rebellion j

"I wouldn't even care" – echoed

spark ignited deep w

I typed back, my finge

the perfect, accommodating Vande

refully curated masterpiece of New York high society

d believed him impeccably discreet. Unlike other men in our circ

m a Hamptons hotel, not a business ledger. A quick call to the hot

eekend. I was in our Park Avenu

m lights and soft piano were a balm to my shredded composure. Three mar

light streamed through the silk curtains. Noah was bes

and more from the sheer audacity of my acti

beautiful. Or should I say, Mrs. Vanderbilt?" His voic

my voice flat. I

eyebrow. "Jus

ollars. "Consider it a

pop up on his own phone, then slid out of bed

lection in the mirror showed a woman I barely recognized – Olivia Prescot

nt, a merger of two dynasties. But th

uarters. My father, Richard Prescott, ran the com

woman's softer, giggling reply. Not my mother, of course. She'

onder if Ethan was just following a script writte

long with any lingering scent of Noah, into the building's commercial

s putting away the new linens.

" I said, trying to

but his eyes, those cool blue Vanderbilt eyes

s box. A Birkin. His standard peace

h, expensive. Meaningl

ark just below his ear, peeking f

voice carefully neutral as I

gs ran late." He didn't lie outright, just omitted the part where

knew. Or suspected. He just did

e of our bed, a chasm of unspoken truths between u

nse of satisfaction. We were even. He had his college st

ext morning. No note. Just the ind

prepared by Maria, our housekeeper, when t

A group of young women, led by

finger at me. "There she is! The b

arazzi shots I'd seen online, the ones Ethan t

The mistress, storming the