Behind Closed Doors by Ava Catori

Chapter 1
    Pulling
into our long driveway, I saw my husband’s mistress leaving
through the front door. She didn’t even have the decency to use
the back entrance. I was torn between anger and shame, feeling the
slap in my face. I could walk away from this, live my own life, and
be done with him. Only it wasn’t that easy, being in the public
eye, every action I took touched us both.
    Hunter
opened my door, “Ma’am” he said, escorting me to
the entrance.
    I
don’t know how to play these games anymore. I sighed wearily
and stepped out of the car. Returning from a charity luncheon, I
didn’t expect to see my husband’s sexual toy pass before
my eyes. I could only ignore so much and pretend like it wasn’t
real, but when I saw her leaving the pains in my stomach told me the
truth.
    She
was tall and slender, and whether she wore big dark sunglasses or
not, I knew her eyes screamed slut. She knew he was married, but that
didn’t seem to matter. I resisted the urge to scream at her,
tell her to stay away, but there was no point in doing that. If it
wasn’t her, it would be somebody else. I held my tongue and
what little dignity I had left.
    Walking
in, I set my bag down and tossed off my heels, something I’d
wanted to do since I put them on this morning. Padding down the
hallway with my shoes in my hand, I found my way to the bedroom. I
used to share it with my husband. We used to be in love before I
learned about his mistress, or should I say mistresses. The worst
part was learning she wasn’t his first. We don’t sleep
together anymore, but I can’t just leave. It’s not as
easy as that.
    Changing
into more comfortable clothes, I went to the library to bury myself
in a book so I wouldn’t have to think about my own life. A
large overstuffed chair with an ottoman called to me. I sank into
it, wishing it would swallow me up. Settling in with a story I sighed
heavily, letting my tears fall. I’m not made of steel; of
course it hurt to see her. She was younger, prettier, and my husband
chose another woman over his own wife.
    Alex
“Hunter” Stone knocked at the door, making his presence
known.
    I
looked up and said nothing; my tears spoke volumes.
    “ Are
you okay, Mrs. Michaels?” His concern seemed genuine, but he
was simply doing his job to watch out for me.
    I
nodded, swallowing my pride. “I guess I have to be.”
    “ Would
you like some company, or would you prefer I remain out here.”
    “ I’d
like to be alone,” I said, appreciating the gesture.
    “ I
understand,” he stated and then stood guard at the doorway
entrance.
    Hunter
was my assigned bodyguard, and spent his days nearby. He had a quiet
strength. His presence was felt, but he never got in the way, always
staying to the side. It’s hard to be the Governor’s wife
while avoiding a huge controversy, but it’s harder to be the
wife of a cheater.
    This
wasn’t his first time, but it was the first time he’d
been so brazen about it, throwing it in my face. When I confronted
him he didn’t lie, didn’t pretend like it wasn’t
happening, he simply said he wasn’t in love with me anymore.
I’m not sure when the love stopped, but it never stopped
hurting.
    I’d
been groomed for a life in the public eye. My family came from
politics, and I was raised to be another politician or at least a
trophy piece for an important man – only this trophy’s
shine had faded. There was talk of my husband being a future Vice
President candidate, and the last thing he needed was for his
marriage to fall apart. So I stood by his side, being a devoted wife,
knowing his career depended on my silence.
    I
tried to bury myself in the story, but I reread the same damn
sentence over and over again. Finally giving in, I put the book down
and stared at the bookshelves stacked with leather bound books. I’d
systematically gone through the classics – and while they were
good reading, I settled on something more modern.
    “ Hunter,”
I called