Chapter 3 Three

Valentina Pov

I stared at the message until it disappeared from the top of the screen.…  there had to be another explanation.

Camille. The same name that had just shattered whatever certainty I had left. My fingers moved before my mind could stop them. I tapped the notification, opening the conversation.

My stomach lurched.There wasn’t just one message; there were dozen... Months’ worth, pictures, and Inside jokes I didn’t understand.

Plans for dinner. Complaints about meetings that had gone on too long.

I stopped reading. I couldn’t felt like throwing up. 

The phone felt too heavy in my hands.

Twelve years… twelve fucking years of promises. 

Every excuse I’d defended. Every time I’d told myself Julian worked hard because he wanted to give us a better life and prove himself.

My vision blurred. I blinked hard, refusing to cry. A shaky breath escaped my lips as I closed the messages and stared at the address again.

He was supposed to be there tonight. A bitter laugh caught in my throat.  So that’s why he’d been eager to leave after the gala.

I looked toward the ballroom doors. The music drifted into the hallway, cheerful and oblivious.

Somewhere inside, Julian was probably laughing with investors, shaking hands, playing the devoted husband.

My thumb hovered over the address; it was just Twenty-three minutes away.

I swallowed.

I needed to see her. I needed to look this Camille in the eyes and hear her tell me it wasn’t true.

Because if she did… Then I could still save my marriage. And if she couldn’t… I closed my eyes for the briefest second. I had to find this  Camille 

I quickly memorized the address before locking Julian’s phone. Just in case, I typed it into the notes app on my own phone.

My fingers shook so badly I had to type it twice. When I was sure I had it, I slipped my phone back into my clutch and walked toward the ballroom.

By the time I found Julian, he was still talking to the investors, laughing as though he had done no wrong. 

“There you are.” His eyes found me immediately. “You were gone a while.”

For half a second, I froze.

“I ran into a few donors,” I said with a small shrug. “One conversation turned into another.”

His expression softened.” You're such a work addict, honey.”

I forced myself to smile back. “I guess I learned from the best.”

He chuckled. “So…” He held out his hand. “Did you find your phone?”

I nodded. “It slipped into my clutch. I completely panicked for nothing.”

“I figured as much.”

Heat crept into my cheeks, I tried had to hide the anger burning slowly within me “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” He reached for his phone. “Can I have mine back?”

“Oh.” I handed it to him. Our fingers brushed for the briefest second. He slipped the phone into his pocket without checking it.

“See?” he teased. “I told you nobody stole it.” His arm settled comfortably around my waist. “Come on. Richard’s been waiting to introduce us to a few investors.”

I looked up at him. The same warm smile. The same gentle eyes. The same man I’d loved for twelve years.

Only now… Every smile felt fake. Every touch felt like a lie.

“I actually have a bit of a headache,” I said quietly. “I think I’m going to head home.” I said, pulling away from his arms 

Concern immediately crossed his face. “Do you want me to come with you?”

My heart clenched. “No.” I shook my head quickly. “Stay. Tonight’s important for your company. I’ll just get some rest.”

“Come on Val. Work can wait? Let me take you home?”

For a moment, I almost said okay.

Almost.

But if he came with me…I would never find out who Camille was.

I shook my head. “No.” I managed a small smile. “This gala is important. Richard’s expecting you, and Dad will wonder where you’ve gone.”

“I don’t care about the gala if you’re sick.”

“I’m fine.” I reached for his hand and squeezed it gently. “I just need some rest. I’ll head home, take something for the headache, and be asleep before you get back.”

He searched my face for a long moment. “You promise you'll be fine?”

“I promise.”

He sighed before leaning down to kiss my forehead.

“Text me the moment you get home.”

“I will,” I said. The lie came easier than I expected.

“Have James drive you.”

I hesitated.“If I wait for the car, Dad will insist on leaving too.” I smiled weakly. “I’ll just grab an Uber. It’s quicker.”

Julian considered it for a second before nodding.

“Alright. Get some rest.” 

“I won’t.”

He kissed my lips…  one last kiss… one Last smile.

Then he disappeared back into the ballroom.

I stood there for several seconds, staring after him.

The man I had trusted with my heart… The man I’d defended to everyone… The man I thought I knew.

I pulled my phone from my clutch and opened the Uber app. Instead of typing Home, I entered the address from Julian’s GPS history.

Apartment 8B. Twenty-three minutes away.

I stared at the screen until the driver accepted the ride. There was still time to cancel.Still time to go home. Still time to pretend I’d never seen Camille’s name.

Instead, I climbed into the waiting car.

“Evening,” the driver said. “Apartment 8B?”

I looked out the window as the hotel disappeared behind us. “Yes,” I whispered. 

The driver pulled away from the curb, merging into the evening traffic as the Grand Regency Hotel disappeared in the rearview mirror.

I rested my forehead against the cool window.

This was insane. Every instinct told me to turn around. To go home, crawl into bed, and pretend none of this had happened.

But every time I closed my eyes, I saw the message.

Can’t wait to see you tonight, baby.

My stomach twisted. I pulled my phone from my clutch and opened the address again.

I kept telling myself there had to be an explanation.

Maybe Camille was a client. Maybe she’d sent the message to the wrong person. Maybe Julian was helping her with something she couldn’t talk about.

The excuses sounded weaker every time they crossed my mind.

The city lights blurred past the window.

The driver hummed softly to the music playing through the radio while I sat in silence, twisting my wedding ring around my finger until it dug into my skin.

Twenty-three minutes later, the car slowed to a stop.

“We’re here, Ma’am,” the driver said.

I looked up.

A modern apartment building stood before me, its glass entrance glowing beneath warm lights. It was expensive. Tasteful.

Not the kind of place I’d imagined. I paid the fare, thanked the driver, and climbed out. The night air felt colder than before. I stood on the sidewalk, staring at the building.

I could still leave. I could still call Julian and ask him who Camille was 

Instead, I walked inside.

The concierge barely looked up as I crossed the lobby. I pressed the elevator button.

The wait felt endless. When the doors finally slid open, I stepped inside and pressed 8.The elevator climbed in complete silence. My heartbeat seemed louder with every floor.

Ding.

The doors opened and the hallway was too quiet. Apartment 8B sat at the very end. I walked toward it on unsteady legs. By the time I stopped outside the door, my palms were damp with sweat.

I stared at the polished brass numbers.

8B.

This was it. I lifted my hand.For a second, I couldn’t bring myself to knock. 

I curled my fingers into a fist……and knocked.

No response. A few moments later, footsteps echoed from inside the apartment.

The lock clicked. The door swung open.

The woman standing before me couldn’t have been older than thirty.

She was beautiful.

Long platinum blonde hair framed a face that belonged on the cover of a magazine. She wore a black satin slip that barely reached the middle of her thighs, as though she’d been expecting company.

Her eyes met mine. Then they dropped to the wedding ring on my finger.

A slow smile spread across her lips.

There was no surprise on her face. Only recognition.

“Wow,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.”look who we have here: the great Valentina Fisher.”