Chapter 3
595 Words
Two days before my flight to Paris, I went to Gavin's company.
Back when we were preparing for marriage, Gavin got sick a lot. My mother had left me an emerald that was said to bring protection and good fortune. I gave it to him, hoping it would keep him safe and healthy.
Gavin told me he kept it in his office. Now that I was leaving, I wanted my mother's keepsake back.
At the front desk, I said politely, "I'm Gavin's wife. I'd like to see him."
The receptionist looked me up and down before letting out a mocking laugh.
"Everyone in this company knows Mr. Baker's girlfriend is Miss Hill. You're not the first person to pretend to be his wife, but you're definitely the funniest."
The words hit me like a brick.
After getting married, I'd rarely visited the company. Gavin always said all I needed to do was stay home and wait for him.
So, while I was hidden away in the house, there had been another woman playing his spouse here all along.
Just then, a stylishly dressed woman walked out from around the corner.
The receptionist immediately greeted her. "Miss Hill, there's someone here pretending to be you."
I turned toward her. Daisy Hill clearly recognized me.
She smiled brightly. "It's okay. I know her. You can get back to work."
The moment she spoke, I recognized her voice. She was the woman who had been in bed with Gavin at the hotel.
Daisy crossed her arms and smiled. "You're here to see Gavin, right? He's in a meeting upstairs. I'll take you to his office first."
She was the mistress. Yet somehow, she looked far more like Gavin's wife than I did.
As Daisy led me through the building, employees greeted her everywhere we went.
By the time we reached Gavin's office, my heart had gone numb.
The room felt lived in. Women's purses sat on shelves. Cosmetics covered one side of the desk. Designer clothes hung nearby.
I didn't need anyone to tell me who they belonged to.
Years ago, Gavin had insisted he loved minimalist designs. Even his study at home followed that aesthetic.
Once, I'd added a few decorative pieces as a surprise. He'd gotten angry for the first time in our relationship.
Later, he'd hugged me and apologized, "I'm just used to this style. I don't like change."
Now I finally understood. Gavin wasn't unwilling to change. He simply wasn't willing to change for me.
My eyes drifted toward the desk. A stack of wedding invitations sat in plain sight. The sight stabbed straight through my chest.
Daisy picked one up and deliberately handed it toward me.
"I'm getting married soon. Would you like to attend my wedding, Miss Myers?"
I didn't take it. Instead, my gaze landed on her chest.
As she'd turned around, the necklace around her neck had slipped into view.
My breath caught. That's my mother's emerald.
The one I'd given Gavin years ago. The one I'd entrusted to him with a heartfelt wish that he'd always stay safe and healthy.
I'd asked him about it before. He'd told me it was locked away in his office.
But the truth was much simpler. He'd given it to Daisy.
I held out my hand. "That's mine. Give it back."
Daisy raised an eyebrow. "Gavin gave this to me. If you want it back, maybe you should ask him whether he agrees."
She glanced at the elevator. "His meeting should be over by now. You can find him on the thirteenth floor."
- Writer
