sophisticated twist with a few tendrils left down to curl around my face. My makeup was soft and natural. The only jewelry I wore were the diamond solitaire earrings my father gave me for college graduation and my wedding ring.
I heard the front door open and took a deep breath in, trying to ready myself to spend an evening pretending to be happy with my husband. I heard him walking toward the bedroom and my eyes moved to the door. He walked briskly through the door, glancing at me, then moving back toward the dresser, where he stopped and opened the top drawer. I noticed he was in a tuxedo and I wondered, briefly, where he’d gotten ready. Then I laughed softly because I realized exactly where he’d dressed. I also noticed he spared not even three seconds to admire me in this dress, in which I looked fantastic. But just as quickly as his eyes passed over me, the thought flitted from my mind. I didn’t need or want him to desire me. I wanted out. Unfortunately, I was forced to spend the next few hours with him.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked as he put new cufflinks in.
“Yup,” I said, popping the P at the end of the word.
“Great, the town car is outside waiting for you.”
I wasted no time walking outside, only stopping to grab my coat. As I walked down the path to the waiting car, I saw the black Lotus drive slowly past my house and my heart rate spiked, knowing Preston was inside the car. The car continued down the road, turning at the corner, and then disappearing. I took in a sharp breath when I heard the front door close behind me and heard Derrek’s voice.
“Lena, we don’t have all night. Let’s go.” He was being impatient. Fantastic. I climbed in the car, hoping Preston didn’t follow us. I didn’t need this kind of drama tonight. I just wanted to get the event over with and go home, hopefully without Derrek, and hopefully with Preston in his car down the road. It was selfish of me, I realized, but I also didn’t care. What I didn’t need was Preston making a scene. I hoped he was smart enough to realize that and keep his distance.
An hour later, we were fully surrounded by Derrek’s co-workers and employees. There were many other people in attendance and occasionally Derrek would pull me away to meet people he was trying to network with. I played my part: smiled, nodded, and pretended to be interested in their conversation. I also withheld from shooting glares at Derrek when his hand rested on the small of my back, or he leaned over and placed soft kisses on my neck behind my ear. In the past, these gestures would have left me swooning, my heartbeat pulsing through my veins, my need for him building, the anticipation of our night in bed filling my mind. Instead, I tried not to roll my eyes when he touched me. At one point, I found myself fantasizing about Preston kicking my door down and rushing to find me in bed, waiting for him, naked.
I was pulled from my daydream, and caught completely off guard, when Derrek interrupted me with an introduction that sounded forced and uncomfortable.
“Ms. Fahey, this is my wife, Lena.”
I turned to see the woman I was being introduced to was, in fact, my husband’s mistress. I deserved an academy award for my performance over the next few minutes. Not only was I able to keep my face from showing any of the discomfort I was feeling as I eyed the woman sleeping with my husband, but I managed to ignore the glare she was not as good at hiding from me. She looked me up and down, obviously sizing up the competition.
“Lena, this is Jessica Fahey. She’s the assistant to the CEO.” I smiled sweetly at her, secretly pleased that I was already winning the ‘Who Can Keep Their Cool’ competition. She was losing, miserably.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” I said, with a smile. “I love your dress.” Her dress was hideous.
She tilted her head to the side and tried to smile, but it
I heard the front door open and took a deep breath in, trying to ready myself to spend an evening pretending to be happy with my husband. I heard him walking toward the bedroom and my eyes moved to the door. He walked briskly through the door, glancing at me, then moving back toward the dresser, where he stopped and opened the top drawer. I noticed he was in a tuxedo and I wondered, briefly, where he’d gotten ready. Then I laughed softly because I realized exactly where he’d dressed. I also noticed he spared not even three seconds to admire me in this dress, in which I looked fantastic. But just as quickly as his eyes passed over me, the thought flitted from my mind. I didn’t need or want him to desire me. I wanted out. Unfortunately, I was forced to spend the next few hours with him.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked as he put new cufflinks in.
“Yup,” I said, popping the P at the end of the word.
“Great, the town car is outside waiting for you.”
I wasted no time walking outside, only stopping to grab my coat. As I walked down the path to the waiting car, I saw the black Lotus drive slowly past my house and my heart rate spiked, knowing Preston was inside the car. The car continued down the road, turning at the corner, and then disappearing. I took in a sharp breath when I heard the front door close behind me and heard Derrek’s voice.
“Lena, we don’t have all night. Let’s go.” He was being impatient. Fantastic. I climbed in the car, hoping Preston didn’t follow us. I didn’t need this kind of drama tonight. I just wanted to get the event over with and go home, hopefully without Derrek, and hopefully with Preston in his car down the road. It was selfish of me, I realized, but I also didn’t care. What I didn’t need was Preston making a scene. I hoped he was smart enough to realize that and keep his distance.
An hour later, we were fully surrounded by Derrek’s co-workers and employees. There were many other people in attendance and occasionally Derrek would pull me away to meet people he was trying to network with. I played my part: smiled, nodded, and pretended to be interested in their conversation. I also withheld from shooting glares at Derrek when his hand rested on the small of my back, or he leaned over and placed soft kisses on my neck behind my ear. In the past, these gestures would have left me swooning, my heartbeat pulsing through my veins, my need for him building, the anticipation of our night in bed filling my mind. Instead, I tried not to roll my eyes when he touched me. At one point, I found myself fantasizing about Preston kicking my door down and rushing to find me in bed, waiting for him, naked.
I was pulled from my daydream, and caught completely off guard, when Derrek interrupted me with an introduction that sounded forced and uncomfortable.
“Ms. Fahey, this is my wife, Lena.”
I turned to see the woman I was being introduced to was, in fact, my husband’s mistress. I deserved an academy award for my performance over the next few minutes. Not only was I able to keep my face from showing any of the discomfort I was feeling as I eyed the woman sleeping with my husband, but I managed to ignore the glare she was not as good at hiding from me. She looked me up and down, obviously sizing up the competition.
“Lena, this is Jessica Fahey. She’s the assistant to the CEO.” I smiled sweetly at her, secretly pleased that I was already winning the ‘Who Can Keep Their Cool’ competition. She was losing, miserably.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” I said, with a smile. “I love your dress.” Her dress was hideous.
She tilted her head to the side and tried to smile, but it
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