Eliora’s POV

The sound of a woman's moan stopped Eliora in the hallway. She froze.

For a second, she wondered if she had imagined it.

Then it came again.

A soft, breathless sound from behind the bedroom door.

Eliora's fingers tightened around the car keys in her hand.

She stared at the door.

Her bedroom door.

Their bedroom.

Her husband had told her he was at the office.

He had even kissed her goodbye that morning and complained about an important meeting he

could not miss.

So why was there a woman in their bedroom?

Eliora's heartbeat grew louder.

She walked toward the door.

Another sound came from inside.

This time, she heard Gavin's voice.

"Slow down."

Her stomach twisted.

She knew that voice.

She had spent five years knowing every change in it.

She reached for the doorknob.

Before she could turn it, Gavin spoke again.

"She won't be back until tonight." Eliora stopped breathing.

The door was not completely closed.

She pushed it open.

Her world shattered.

Gavin was standing beside their bed with a woman wrapped around him.

His shirt was open.

The woman's dress was on the floor.

And her hand was resting against his chest as if she belonged there.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

The woman was the first to notice Eliora.

Her eyes widened.

Gavin slowly turned.

The color drained from his face.

"Eliora."

Eliora stared at him.

Then at the woman.

Then back at him.

She had imagined many ways she would react if Gavin ever betrayed her.

She had never imagined silence.

She couldn't scream.

She couldn't cry.

She couldn't even move. Her eyes fell on the small cake box in her hand.

She had bought his favorite dessert on the way home.

She had planned to surprise him.

Instead, she had been surprised.

Gavin hurriedly grabbed his shirt.

"Eliora, listen to me."

She finally looked at him.

"How long?"

He stopped.

"What?"

"How long have you been sleeping with her?"

"It's not what you think."

A hollow laugh escaped her.

She looked around the room.

"Then tell me what I'm supposed to think."

The woman quickly stepped away from Gavin.

"I should go."

"Don't you dare leave," Eliora said.

The woman froze.

Eliora looked at her.

"I want to know how long you've known my husband."

"I didn't know he was married." Gavin's head snapped toward her.

"That's enough."

Eliora's eyes narrowed.

"You told her you were single?"

"Eliora, please."

"Or did you tell her I was some irrelevant woman who happened to live in your house?"

Gavin moved toward her.

She stepped back.

"Don't touch me."

His hand dropped.

"I made a mistake."

"A mistake?"

"It happened once."

She stared at him.

"Once?"

"Yes."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I swear."

Eliora looked at the woman.

The woman avoided her eyes.

That was enough.

She turned back to Gavin.

"You brought another woman into our bed." "I was going to tell you."

"When?"

Gavin said nothing.

"After she left?" Eliora asked. "Tomorrow? Next month? Or were you planning to let me grow

old beside you without ever knowing?"

"I was going to end it."

"But you didn't."

He had no answer.

Eliora felt something inside her break.

She had spent years defending Gavin.

Whenever someone questioned his character, she defended him.

Whenever rumors appeared, she ignored them.

Whenever he came home late, she trusted his explanation.

She had believed that at least one thing in her life was real.

Her marriage.

Apparently, she had been wrong.

Gavin grabbed her wrist.

"Eliora, please. Don't leave."

She immediately pulled away.

"Let go of me."

"I'm begging you."

"Don't."

"I love you." She stared at him.

"Then you have a strange way of showing it."

He looked desperate.

"I can explain everything."

"I don't want an explanation."

"Then what do you want?"

Eliora swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I want the truth."

Gavin went silent.

That silence answered her.

She nodded slowly.

"That's what I thought."

She turned toward the door.

"Eliora!"

She stopped.

Gavin's voice trembled.

"Please don't destroy our marriage over this."

She turned around.

"Our marriage?"

Her eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall.

"You destroyed it when you brought her into our bed."

She walked out. "Eliora, wait!"

She didn't stop.

She reached the staircase before Gavin caught up with her.

"Please."

He stood behind her, his voice breaking.

"I'll change."

She looked over her shoulder.

"You should have changed before you cheated."

"I'll do anything."

"Then give me a divorce."

Gavin went completely still.

For the first time, his desperation disappeared.

"Eliora..."

"I want a divorce."

"No."

She frowned.

"No?"

"I won't divorce you."

She stared at him.

"You don't get to decide that."

"We can fix this."

"There's nothing left to fix."

"There is." He stepped closer.

"You are my wife."

Eliora laughed bitterly.

"That didn't stop you from sleeping with someone else."

"I love you."

"And I loved you."

The past tense made Gavin's face fall.

Eliora wiped the single tear that escaped her eye.

"I don't know what hurts more."

"What?"

"Finding you with her..."

She looked directly into his eyes.

"Or realizing that everyone who told me I had the perfect marriage was wrong."

Gavin reached for her.

She moved away.

"I'm leaving."

"Where will you go?"

"Somewhere you aren't."

She picked up her bag and walked toward the door.

Behind her, Gavin's voice followed.

"Eliora, if you walk out of this house, you will regret it."

She stopped. For a moment, she almost turned around.

Then she remembered the woman in their bedroom.

She opened the door.

"No, Gavin."

She looked back at him one last time.

"I think I'll regret it more if I stay."

Then she walked out.

She did not know that the divorce she wanted would soon pull apart more than her marriage.

It would lead her into a world of hidden alliances, corporate enemies, buried family secrets, and

a billionaire who had been waiting years to find her.

But for now, Eliora only knew one thing.

Her marriage was over.