JACQUELINE

“How’s your evening looking?” I ask, running my hand down my dress, smoothing the fabric of my skirt as I glance over my shoulder.

Clad in a wool-silk blend, black suit, bright white shirt and emerald tie, Sebastien enters the bedroom.

He tosses me a quick glance.

“Good. I’ll be at the club till midnight,” he says, securing his cufflinks. “You?”

“Martha and Josie meet me for dinner, and then we have tickets to a show.”

He holds my eyes, a small smile creasing his lips when my phone starts buzzing in my purse. Without making the slightest gesture to pick it up, I turn around and start checking my makeup.

“Aren’t you going to take that?” he asks, locking my eyes in the mirror.

A knowing grin tugs at his lips.

I flick my hand dismissively.

“No reason. I don’t expect important calls. I’m sure it’s one of them.”

The phone starts humming again.

I look down, pretending that I’m checking my shoes as I push back a sigh of frustration.

Sebastien’s stare burns holes in my back.

The phone stops for a split second before it starts ringing again.

What is wrong with him?

I have no other choice but to smile and turn around. Sebastien’s eyes lock mine, touched by a faint grin.

“It must be a fire somewhere,” he says jokingly.

It strikes me as odd since I’ve rarely heard him making a joke.

“Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” I mutter distracted.

I pivot away from him and take a few steps toward the bed, his stare making me uncomfortable.

For a few moments, I fumble through the contents of my purse to retrieve my phone.

Several missed calls from Stephan flash on the screen. Text messages too. All summoning me to answer his calls.

A shudder goes through me as I get swept by a bad feeling.

“Who is it?” Sebastien asks.

Swallowing a gasp, I smoothly slide my thumb onto the phone and drop it back into the bag.

“Some unknown number,” I say, instantly realizing that it’s an amateurish lie.

Especially now, that the phone starts ringing again.

“This is beyond ridiculous,” I blurt, genuinely frustrated.

I snatch the phone out of my purse and power it off.

There.

What has gotten into him?

Smoothly, I replace my expression with a smile and flick my gaze back to Sebastien.

Standing in the middle of the room, hands tucked into his pockets, Sebastien slowly lifts his eyebrows observing me in silence.

It takes a lot of effort to hold his gaze.

“You said you’d break up with him.”

His words, smooth and cold like freshly sharpened blades slice slowly through me. My heart jumps erratically, my mind scrambling for an explanation.

“I did break up with him,” I say as convincingly as I can while spinning back to the mirror.

Pressing my lips together, I run my gaze down on my dress, trying to conceal how distraught I am.

“And?”

My eyes flick up, connecting with his in the mirror.

Boldly, I toss him a questioning look.

“How did he take it?” he asks, smiling mysteriously.

No emotion flashes through his eyes. I wish I could read beyond his mask of coldness.

I take a quick, deep breath, hoping that it doesn’t register with him, and shrug dispassionately.

“I think he expected it. He was always aware that there was nothing special between him and me,” I say purposely callously. “He knows our situation. I never promised him anything. It was what it was, and sooner or later, it was bound to end,” I comment dryly, tipping my gaze down and tugging at my neckline.

“Does he know about Allan Sandoval?”

I cut my eyes at him in the mirror.

“Why would I tell him that?”

An amused smile curves his lips.

“I don’t know. Pillow talk?”

I toss him a pointed look.

“Allan Sandoval didn’t mean much to me. Not that Stephan Leon does,” I add, flustered.

His silence becomes uncomfortable, prompting beads of sweat to trickle down my neck.

“Listen, none of this would’ve happened, had we had a normal marriage,” I say, discreetly wiping away the sweat from my brow.

Sucking in a quiet breath, I check my lipstick and my lashes, deciding for another layer of mascara.

I give him another glance in the mirror.

He leans against the window sill.

“What was wrong with Allan Sandoval?” he asks, cornering me again.

I suck in another breath, and spin around, right hand clasped on my hip.

“In fact, nothing,” I say bluntly, eager to strike back. “He scored decently in every department, but he wasn’t anything more than a way to keep Stephan on his toes,” I say callously.

I expect to see surprise on his face. Not even a shred of it threads through his gaze.

“By keeping him on his toes, you mean... nudging him to break up with Carmen?”

I waggle my finger.

“That was not my intention. I never wanted him for myself, but I told him that you and I had nothing to do with each other. I’m not the kind of woman who gives exclusivity to a man who can’t return my favor. There was no way in hell, I’d be the other woman, and he’d go back and forth between us. I know better than that.”

“How did it help you having Allan on the side if Stephan didn’t know about your fling?”

I flick my hand up.

“He didn’t need to know. It was enough that he felt it. He couldn’t put his finger on it, and despite his squirming and questioning he couldn’t get the confirmation that he needed from me, but it worked. I took great care in not revealing it to him. Besides, I didn’t want to feel his wrath.”

I give Sebastien a relaxed smile as if I’m not shaking inside.

“You know how artists are,” I continue. “Their emotions run high and they can get out of control at the drop of a hat, and Stephan is no exception.”

“You seemingly know your man,” he says curving his lips into a knowing smile.

I take a step in his direction.

“I had no chance but learn him, and yet...” I say as I collect my purse from the bed and turn around to face him again. “He is not the man I really want to know.”

Grinning sultrily, I take a few more steps toward him.

“After all this time, I can’t say that I know you, Sebastien. You’re still a mystery to me,” I mutter, running my hand down his tie, smoothing the silk. “I wish I knew what makes you tick.”

A faint smile kisses his eyes, his face unreadable as always.

I tip my gaze down for a moment as I fan my fingers on his chest.

“Seeing you with that woman made me realize that I know nothing about you. She and I couldn’t be more different,” I say as I swing my gaze up.

His eyes glint with a secret smile.

“I’m not that complicated,” he finally says.

My gaze shifts to his perfect lips.

“Perhaps,” I say, tearing my hand away from him. “But your taste in women has surely changed. Unless, of course...”

I pause and flash a smirk.

“Unless you have corrupted her and made her dirty like you.”

“I guess we’ll never know.”

The ghost of that unreadable smile fleets across his lips again.

“I guess...” I say as he pushes away from the window sill.

I watch him pull away from me as well.

“Have fun,” he slings at me on his way out.

“You too,” I mutter, my eyes lingering on his broad shoulders.

A few moments slip by before I shift my eyes back to the window.

It doesn’t take long before he walks out of our home. He climbs into his car and swiftly drives away.

My eyes go automatically to the building across the street.

The windows at her place are sunk in darkness.

I spin away, pull my phone out and call a number.

“Hi. Can you have someone following my husband? He’s on his way to the club.”

“Sure, ma’am. Anything else?”

“That’s it for now.”

I leave the lights on and exit the room, briskly walking across the second floor.

A few moments later, I exit the house, hastily motioning to the driver. He rushes to open the car door for me.

Smoothly, I slip in.

“Can you please hurry?”

The man gives me a soft nod as he steers the car away.