Chapter 2

Ethan walked back into the house the next morning, feeling like a ghost in his own life. The air was thick with the scent of Sarah' s perfume and fresh coffee, a familiar combination that now turned his stomach. She was in the kitchen, humming a cheerful tune as she packed a small suitcase on the counter. His suitcase. For the anniversary trip that would never happen.

"There you are," she said, turning with a bright, false smile. "I was getting worried. I tried calling you."

He glanced at his phone. Twelve missed calls from her. He had ignored every one. "My phone died," he lied, his voice flat.

She walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. He stood rigid, a statue of a husband. "I'm so sorry about the trip, baby," she murmured into his chest. "I promise I'll make it up to you. A week. That's all. Then I'm all yours."

The hypocrisy was breathtaking. He felt a wave of nausea. He gently pushed her away. "It's fine, Sarah. Work is important."

Her smile faltered for a second, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes at his coldness. But she recovered quickly. "See? This is why I love you. You're so understanding."

He had to get out of there. He mumbled something about needing a shower and escaped upstairs. In the bathroom, he braced his hands on the sink and stared at his reflection. The man looking back at him was a stranger, his face pale and his eyes hollow. He remembered two years ago when his father passed away. Sarah had been his rock. She held him while he cried, she handled the funeral arrangements, she cooked for him when he couldn't eat. She had been so tender, so genuinely caring. Had that been a lie too? Was she already traveling back and forth to David and her children then? The thought made the betrayal cut even deeper. The kindness he had cherished was just part of her performance.

Later that day, she sat next to him on the sofa, her laptop open but her attention on him. She started talking about the future, about a new house they had been looking at, about finally starting a family of their own.

"Maybe when I get back from this trip, we can seriously talk about kids," she said, her voice filled with a fake, dreamy quality. "I think I'm ready. I want a little Ethan running around."

He felt a bitter laugh rise in his throat but choked it down. She wanted to add another child to her collection, a legitimate one to show off to the world while her other two remained a dirty little secret. The pain in his chest was sharp, a constant, dull ache. He just nodded, unable to form words.

That weekend, they had to attend a fundraising gala for the hospital where his mother had been a board member. It was an obligation he couldn't escape. He stood by her side in his tuxedo, a perfect prop for her perfect life. People came up to them all night, gushing about what a wonderful couple they were.

"You two are just the picture of happiness," an elderly woman told them, patting Sarah's hand. "It's so lovely to see."

Sarah beamed, squeezing Ethan' s arm. "He's my everything," she said, looking at him with an expression of pure adoration.

Ethan felt a profound sense of detachment, as if he were watching a movie of his own life. He was an observer, no longer a participant. He saw the glances from other men, envious of him for having such a beautiful, successful wife. He saw the admiring looks from other women, directed at Sarah's perfect facade. He was the most envied man in the room, and also the most pathetic. He was completely, utterly alone in a crowd of people who thought they knew him.

As they were preparing to leave, Sarah's phone rang. The screen lit up with a name: "David." Ethan' s eyes locked onto it. Sarah saw him looking and her face went pale. She snatched the phone up, her movements jerky.

"Sorry, it's just my boss," she said quickly, her voice a little too high. "He's a nightmare, calls at all hours."

She turned her back to him, walking a few feet away. "What is it?" she hissed into the phone, her voice a low, angry whisper. "I told you not to call me when I'm with him... No, I can't talk now... It will have to wait."

She hung up and turned back to Ethan, her smile strained. "Sorry about that. Work emergency. Shall we go?"

He just nodded, the silent confirmation of her ongoing lie twisting in his gut. The truth was right there, a vibrating, illuminated screen in her hand, yet she continued to deny it, to build the wall of her deception even higher. He followed her out of the gala, the polite smiles and empty praise echoing in his ears. The night was cold, but not as cold as the void that had opened up inside him.