Chapter 3

3

I took the rest of the day off. When I got home, Lyra was zipping up her suitcase.

She looked surprised to see me.

"You didn't have to come home just to see me off, honey," she said.

"It's only three days. I'll be back before you know it."

I didn't say anything. She paused and walked over to me.

"What's wrong, Asher? You look like you've seen a ghost."

She reached up to touch my forehead, caring for me just like she always did.

But now, I knew that tenderness was a performance.

It was a script she played for two different men.

"Lyra, I want a divorce," I said.

As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how stupid I sounded.

I corrected myself. "I mean, we need to end this."

We didn't have a marriage license. We were just living together.

I wasn't the husband. I was the mistress.

"Where is this coming from?" she asked.

She leaned in, her eyes filled with fake concern.

"Did something happen at work?"

My voice was a ragged whisper. "You aren't going to New York for business, are you?"

Lyra laughed softly. "Oh, is that what this is about?"

"Of course it's business. I'm taking my lead assistant with me."

Lyra was always careful. She only ever traveled with female assistants to make me feel secure.

She reached for her phone to call her assistant, acting like I was being paranoid.

I looked into her beautiful eyes and realized I didn't know her at all.

I swiped the phone out of her hand. "Your husband came to see me today."

"He told me you two are trying for a baby."

"I saw your six-year anniversary photos, Lyra."

The color drained from her face. Her eyes darted around the room in a panic.

"He also said this trip is a romantic vacation for the two of you."

The cold, composed CEO was finally falling apart.