Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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It all began with a photo. I received a letter from the elementary school, even though Juno Cook, my son, had just started kindergarten.
I thought they’d mixed up the address, but when I looked at the recipient’s name–no, it was my husband, Dexter Cook.
I opened it, and inside was a photo along with a thank–you note from the school. There was also a small piece of paper. It read, [Sylvia, don’t you think this photo of him and me looks more fitting than yours?]
My heart sank. I quickly glanced at the photo. It was a family portrait, but the faces of the woman and child had been scratched out, leaving only the smiling man. That man was someone I knew all too well–Dexter.
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The child in the picture looked to be about ten, several years older than my son. I thought, ‘What the hell is this? Is someone playing a prank on me? Or… has Dexter really betrayed me?‘
My phone suddenly rang, making me jump. The photo slipped from my hands and fell to the floor, sliding under the cabinet. In a panic, I didn’t have time to pick it up and grabbed the phone.
“Hello, darling, I’ll be home tonight. If it’s too late, don’t wait up for me.” Dexter’s warm, familiar voice was a small comfort to my racing heart.
“What time’s your flight?” I asked.
“After five. I’ll be back once I finish my work. I’m skipping the dinner. How are you and Juno?”
“We’re… fine.” I held back my unease. “I’ll wait for you.”
“Alright, love you.” Dexter hung up.
I exhaled. That was Dexter, the one who loved me. We’d been married for six years, and our relationship had always been strong. I thought, ‘No man who cheats could ever be Dexter. But that photo…
Suddenly, a colleague knocked and opened the door. “Sylvia, hurry up! The boss is waiting for us in the meeting room.” “Okay, I’m coming.” There was no time to pick up the photo. I grabbed my folder and hurried out.
Two hours later, after a nonstop meeting, I finally made it back to my office. My legs ached from standing in high heels for so long.
I rushed to check under the cabinet, but it was empty–nothing was there. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming.
I thought, ‘No one ever comes into my office, and I was the only one in the room when the photo fell. How could it have disappeared?‘
I searched every corner of my office, but the photo was gone–vanished without a trace. Not only the photo, but the envelope I’d left on my desk was missing too.
That crucial piece of evidence–the one that had stirred up all those emotions–was gone. I sat there, stunned, wondering if I was imagining things.
Then my phone rang again–it was Juno’s teacher, Vivian Paige.
“Mrs. Cook, when will you come pick him up?” Vivian asked.
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‘Oh no! I almost forget about my son!‘ I thought.
“I’ll be right there. Please keep an eye on him for a little longer”
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I wondered, ‘How can I be so absent–minded? No matter how busy or upset I am, I shouldn’t have forgotten to pick up Juno‘
The housekeeper had the day off, and I’d reminded myself this morning, but the letter completely threw me off track.
I rushed to the kindergarten, and the campus was already deserted. Not a soul in sight. Juno, with his little backpack, was waiting for me, blinking his big eyes at me.
“Mom!” The moment Juno saw me, his eyes lit up. “Why are you so late? All the other kids have already been picked up by their parents.”
I felt a rush of guilt. I hugged him and kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry, sweetie. Mommy had a sudden meeting. I didn’t mean to make you wait so long.”
Vivian smiled. “Juno was such a good boy. He didn’t cry at all while waiting for you.”
“Thank you so much, Ms. Paige.”
“You’re welcome. Oh, by the way, this was delivered to the school for you. They said it’s for your family,” she said, a bit confused, as she handed me a cardboard box. The label read, [Sprout Class, Juno Cook’s Mother.]
‘How strange.’ I felt a little confused, but I thanked her and took the box.
On my way home, I suddenly remembered the letter I had received earlier, and an unsettling feeling settled in my chest. Today, I was alone at home. As soon as I walked in, I had to get dinner ready for Juno, give him a bath, tell him a story, play with him, and then put him to bed. By the time I finished tidying up, I was completely drained.
I saw a text message from Dexter saying he had already boarded the plane. I felt an overwhelming weariness, staring at the package, and decided to open it.
Inside was a lace thong–sexy and delicate–and it had been sprayed with perfume. I didn’t even need to get close to recognize the scent. It was a high–end, niche brand known for its sensual allure.
There was also a card. It read, “Try it on. Your husband loves it like this. Last time I wore it, he wouldn’t let me out of bed all day.”
My hands started to shake. I recognized every word on the card, but when I put them together, I couldn’t understand what they meant. I wondered, ‘What is going on? Is Dexter really… betraying me?”
I quickly called him, but his phone was off. Right, he was on a plane, so he couldn’t take my call.
‘What should I do?‘ My heart was racing, and all I could think about was confronting him–storming right up to him and demanding answers.
The night stretched on, each minute of waiting for Dexter to come home feeling like an eternity. I sank onto the couch, exhausted, and eventually fell asleep.
When I woke up, it was already past 2 a.m. Dexter still hadn’t come home.
I had a voicemail. It was from him. “Hey, honey, my flight was delayed. I haven’t even boarded yet. Don’t wait up for me, go
to bed.”
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The message had been sent at 12:30 am. I thought, ‘A flight that is supposed to leave at 5 p.m. delayed until after midnight? That doesn’t add up
Before I could process it, my email pinged–an anonymous message. It contained just one photo. Before I could process it, my email pinged–an an
The photographer had a good eye. The picture showed a lavish candlelit dinner and a big bouquet of roses. In the background, two people were embracing, but their faces were blurred.
My heart sank. Others might not recognize them, but I… I only needed one glance to know that man was Dexter.
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Dexter’s phone was still off. I couldn’t reach him. the night was calm, but inside, my mind was in turmoil. I wondered, ‘Where is he?‘
I tried to force myself to stay calm. I still had Juno to take care of, and I couldn’t just go searching for him now.
Fairhaven was huge, and finding one person would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. I made myself go to bed, but sleep wouldn’t come.
Around dawn, half–awake, I heard my phone ding. It was another voicemail from Dexter. I opened it quickly, but the message made my blood run cold.
“Honey! Dexter, whose man are you?” A woman’s voice, sweet but dripping with flirtation, practically pierced my ears.
What froze my heart was the man’s reply. It was Dexter’s voice. “Do I need to say? Of course, it’s you.”
