Chapter 1: The Woman Who Knew My Name
“Hi, Emily. Nice to finally meet you.””
The woman holding my husband's arm said it with a smile so warm that, for one ridiculous second, I wondered whether I had met her before.
Then I heard the word again in my head.
Finally.
She had been waiting to meet me.
She knew I existed. She knew Daniel was married. And judging by the way her fingers remained wrapped around his arm, she had absolutely no intention of pretending otherwise.
My name is Emily Bennett. I was thirty-one years old, had been married for four years, and until that afternoon, I believed my biggest marital problem was that my husband had become increasingly distant.
Apparently, I had been giving him far too much credit.
Twenty minutes earlier, I had been walking through Water Tower Place in Chicago with my mother-in-law, Margaret Bennett.
Margaret was the kind of woman people noticed without her trying. She was sixty-two, elegant, wealthy, and always impeccably dressed. Her family owned a successful chain of commercial real estate developments throughout Illinois and several neighboring states.
She had never been particularly affectionate toward me, but she had always been fair.
At least, that's what I believed.
That afternoon, she had invited me Christmas shopping.
"Daniel said you two haven't bought your Christmas decorations yet," she had remarked while examining a display of silver ornaments.
"We've been busy," I answered.
"Daniel is always busy.""
There was something unusual in her tone.
I looked at her.
"He's working on a big project. It's been stressful.""
Margaret placed an ornament back in its box.
"Emily, when was the last time Daniel took you somewhere nice?""
I laughed awkwardly.
"Last month, I think.""
"Where?""
I searched my memory.
We had gone to a restaurant near our apartment. Daniel had spent most of dinner checking his phone.
"Downtown," I finally said.
Margaret didn't respond.
Instead, she studied me for several seconds before continuing down the aisle.
I didn't understand why she was asking those questions.
I certainly didn't understand why she looked so sad.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Daniel.
Long day. Don't wait up for dinner. Love you.
I smiled despite myself.
That morning, he had kissed my forehead before leaving.
"Big design charrette today," he had said, adjusting his expensive watch.
"The clients are flying in, so I might be stuck there until late.""
"Good luck, sweetheart.""
He had smiled.
"I'll make it up to you.""
I had believed him.
I had even packed him a sandwich because he often forgot to eat when he was working.
Now, standing in the middle of a crowded shopping mall, I watched him stroll past a jewelry store with another woman.
He wasn't at a design charrette.
He wasn't working.
He was holding hands with someone who looked as though she belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine.
She wore an emerald green coat, black leather boots, and a diamond bracelet that caught the overhead lights.
Daniel wore his charcoal wool coat.
The one I had bought him for his thirtieth birthday.
I'd saved for three months to afford it.
He had hugged me when he opened the gift and said, "You always know exactly what I need.""
Now he was wearing it while another woman's hand rested against his chest.
My shopping bags slipped from my fingers.
Margaret caught my forearm.
"Don't react, Emily. Watch me.""
I couldn't speak.
"Margaret...""
"Stand up straight.""
She picked up my bags and returned them to my hands.
Then she walked directly toward them.
Daniel noticed us first.
His expression changed so quickly that I almost missed it.
His smile disappeared.
His shoulders stiffened.
"Mom?""
Then he saw me.
"Emily?""
The woman beside him didn't move away.
In fact, her fingers tightened around his arm.
Margaret looked at her.
"Good afternoon. I'm Margaret Bennett.""
The woman smiled.
"Victoria Hale. It's lovely to meet you.""
Margaret nodded.
Then she gestured toward me.
"And this is Emily Bennett. Daniel's wife.""
Victoria turned.
"Hi, Emily. Nice to finally meet you.""
My throat tightened.
"Finally?""
Daniel immediately interrupted.
"Victoria, maybe we should—"
"Oh, don't be rude, Daniel," Victoria said lightly.
"Your mother is introducing us.""
Margaret's expression didn't change.
"How long have you known my son?""
Victoria tilted her head.
"Almost a year.""
A year.
I felt the shopping bags digging into my palms.
"Daniel," I whispered.
He rubbed his forehead.
"Emily, this isn't what you think.""
I looked at the woman still holding his arm.
"What exactly am I supposed to think?""
"She's a client," he said.
Victoria laughed softly.
"Daniel.""
He shot her a warning look.
She ignored it.
"Darling, I think your wife deserves a little more than that.""
Darling.
She called my husband darling in front of his mother and his wife.
Margaret stepped forward.
"Victoria, I believe this conversation is finished.""
Victoria looked surprised.
"Of course. I wouldn't want to ruin your shopping afternoon.""
She reached into her handbag and pulled out a business card.
Then she handed it to me.
"Perhaps we can have coffee sometime, Emily. There are a few things you might find interesting.""
Daniel's face went pale.
"Victoria, stop.""
She smiled at him.
"Why? I'm being friendly.""
I accepted the card without looking at it.
Margaret turned toward her son.
"Dinner. Seven o'clock. Our house. Your father wants to speak with you.""
Daniel swallowed.
"Mom, this isn't a good time.""
"Seven.""
"Can we talk privately?""
"No. You have had plenty of private conversations.""
Her words landed like a slap.
Then she took my arm and walked away.
I didn't turn around.
Not once.
We rode the escalator in silence.
At the bottom, I finally found my voice.
"Does everyone know?""
Margaret stopped.
"Know what?""
"That he's seeing someone.""
She looked at me for a long moment.
Then she said something that made my stomach turn.
"I don't know how many people know about Victoria. But I know this isn't the first time Daniel has lied to you.""
I stared at her.
"What do you mean?""
She looked toward the crowded Christmas decorations.
"Not here.""
"Margaret, please.""
Her jaw tightened.
"Emily, I invited you shopping today because I needed to see something with my own eyes.""
"What?""
"Whether you were still wearing your wedding ring.""
I glanced down.
The diamond on my finger caught the light.
"Of course I am.""
Margaret nodded slowly.
"Good.""
I didn't understand.
She reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone.
Then she showed me a photograph.
It was Daniel standing outside a restaurant.
Beside him was Victoria.
But they weren't holding hands.
They were holding a small child.
A little girl, perhaps three years old, wearing a pink winter coat.
My heart began pounding.
"Who is that?""
Margaret lowered her phone.
"That's the question I've been trying to answer.""
I looked at the photograph again.
Daniel was smiling at the child.
Not the polite smile he gave strangers.
Not the tired smile he gave me lately.
It was the same expression he'd worn when we first met.
A smile filled with tenderness.
"Margaret," I whispered.
"Is that his daughter?""
She didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she took my hand.
"Seven o'clock, Emily. Please come with me tonight.""
Then she added something I would remember for the rest of my life.
"Because before you decide whether to leave my son, you deserve to know what he's been doing with your marriage.""
My phone buzzed.
Daniel.
Please don't believe anything Victoria tells you.
A second message appeared.
And whatever Mom says tonight, don't let her turn you against me.
I looked at Margaret.
She had seen the messages.
For the first time that afternoon, her composure cracked.
"He's already trying to control the story," she said.
May you like
Then she looked me straight in the eyes.
"And that tells me he's frightened.""
