The betrayal was too much to handle, choking the air right out of Clara’s lungs. But looking at Marcus’s completely indifferent, cold face across the table, something inside her shifted. The crying, desperate housewife died right there over the candlelight. A cold, sharp, and calculated calm took over. “Of course, darling,” she said softly, clearing the plates with a steady hand. “I’ll make sure you have everything you need.”
While Marcus was in the master bathroom enjoying a long, steaming shower, Clara quietly slipped down to the hallway closet. Hidden inside a hollowed-out decor box was her secret fund. Over the years, she had meticulously saved cash from the strict household “allowance” Marcus rationed out to her. It was money she had initially intended to spend on a beautiful, expensive anniversary watch for him.
She counted the crisp bills. It was more than enough. Sitting in the dark on her phone, she didn’t book a vacation to distract herself. She purchased a single, one-way ticket to the exact same coastal destination, flying out just an hour after him.