A Husband's Rage, A Wife's Betrayal

om that moment, everything I did was to get closer to her. Becoming a successful architect, building a name fo

rn, and my world expanded in ways I never imagined. Our life was perfect. A sprawling house I designed myself, tw

ed the fate of millions of dollars. But she would hang up, smile at me, and we wou

night in the middle of the worst bliz

n a foul mood all evening after a deal went south. I heard the faint sound of

her before tucking them in with a story. But before I cou

u two still

n. I walked out of my office and saw Olivia standing at the top of the stairs. The look

stories, Mommy," Lily'

dangerously low. "You know the rules.

rry," Leo

le on my face. "Olivia, honey, it's okay.

ixed on our three-year-old children, who we

ivia said, her voice devoid of any warmt

alfway up the stairs, staring at her. The wind

" I asked, my voic

Lily and Leo by their arms. They we

cry, a high-pitched

It's cold!"

, we'll be goo

ing in my chest. "Olivia, stop it! What are you

r that led to the patio. "They need

this is insane! Punish me instead! Whatever they did, I'll ta

. I would have done anything, of

was so intense it felt like a physical blow. It was an expressio

o take the punishment? You thin

hitting the wall. Before I could recover, she had dragged the crying, scre

to me, her fac

ult," she hissed. "Y

scrambling to my feet. "Let them in,

ed me again, this time toward the basement door. Sh

her voice raw. "They cornered him, ruined his company, an

an accident, a car crash. We were in high school. It was a tragedy t

rry you, to save my family from the ruin they caused. You think I ever wanted you? I have hated you every

tumbling down the wooden stairs and landing hard o

silhouette framed by the hallway light, "was to secure my position. To make sure the Haye

compared to the agony of her words. Outside, I could

I gasped, trying

via said, her voice chillingly calm

eavy bolt sli

screamed her name until my throat was raw. I threw my body against the door a

s use

crete floor seeped into my bones. The cries from outside had stopped long a

ly appeared in the single, high

here, dressed perfectly for work in a tailored suit

ran to the back door, my hands fumbling with the

n a layer of fine, white snow. Their faces were pale, th

It was as cold and hard as ice. I saw the cheap plastic

mber reaching for them, and then nothing. Just a vast, empty darkness. My c