Waking Up to Her True Face

hat night. Not until the

d racing. The image of her with Liam

into bed, she smelled of

nking I was asleep. "Client dinner

any lies,

alled her office around lunchtime, using

Hayes's

e?" I asked, my voi

r a long lunch today. She menti

lie. I

was a small park, often used by office workers for

ng on a bench, not with

gazing at him, her expression soft, captivated. An expression I hadn't seen d

A public displ

the cheek. A real kiss, lingering, passionate. Righ

for a split second. He didn't know who I was, just some random

nfatuation this was, seemed o

isgust, cold and bitt

little too brightly. "Productive day,

d at her. The memory of that kiss,

tmare future anymore. T

late nights – it wasn't jus

ng whisper: "I regret Liam... not him." But here, now,

miliar echo, a wo

etending to check messag

leep. Olivia was out again. "

utside her home office. The door was slightly ajar. I heard voices. Ol

saying, her voice dreamy. "Ethan is sweet, s

iv," Chloe said, a note

metimes I wish things were simpler. If Ethan were jus

And hey, there's always that life ins

ily. "Liv, don't ev

ce. The casual cruelty, the dis

was a fundamental disregard f

to our bedroom,

ckness and in health, till death do us part." She had looke

ike props in a play where I was the

hought I loved, was a figment of my imagination. The real Olivia wa

something else stirred. A desire not just to escape, but to make her understand

ent, undeniable betrayal, I knew what I had to

through my contacts. Aunt Carol. Estranged, yes, but wea

time to start plannin