The Next Day
I brought lunch to his office. The receptionist looked startled.
“He asked not to be disturbed.”
My stomach tightened. I opened his door anyway.
They were locked together—Nathan leaning on his desk, Stephanie’s hands around his neck. Her skirt was askew, his tie loose. It wasn’t a first-time mistake; it was routine.
When the door clicked shut, they jerked apart.
“Rebecca!”
“This isn’t—” Nathan began.
Stephanie didn’t bother pretending. She lifted her chin.
“We didn’t plan it. It… happened.”
“How long?”
“Let’s talk privately,” Nathan said, stepping behind his desk.
“How. Long?”
“For months,” Stephanie admitted. “Since the engagement party.”
The lunch bag slipped from my hand.
“I trusted you—both of you.”
Nathan’s tone shifted into business smoothness.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen like this. Feelings change. I was going to tell you.”
“After what? After the wedding?”
“I was looking for the right time.”
He pressed the intercom. “Margot, please come in.”
“You don’t need to escort me,” I said. “I’m leaving.”
In the elevator, the tears finally came.
Summary: The betrayal is no longer a suspicion—it’s real, and it’s been months in the making.
