Chapter 1
The moment I started to sit down at my husband’s birthday dinner, his mistress yanked my chair away—and the whole table watched me hit the floor.
For one second, the private dining room in downtown Chicago went completely silent.
Then I heard a woman laugh.
I looked up and saw Madison standing behind my chair, one hand still gripping the backrest.
“Oh my God,” she said, covering her mouth. “I thought you saw me moving it.”
I knew that smile.
She hadn’t made a mistake.
My husband, Daniel, stayed frozen in his seat.
“Emily, are you okay?” my sister whispered, rushing toward me.
I pushed myself up before anyone could help.
My palms were shaking, but I refused to cry in front of her.
Madison tilted her head and said, “You really should be more careful.”
That was when something inside me snapped.
I reached for the glass of red wine beside Daniel’s plate.
“Emily,” Daniel warned.
Too late.
I threw the wine straight into Madison’s face.
She screamed as red wine ran down her cheeks and expensive white dress.
“You psycho!” she shouted.
The entire table erupted.
But Daniel didn’t defend me.
He jumped up and grabbed a napkin for her.
For his mistress.
In front of his wife.
I stared at him. “Are you serious?”
“She could’ve gotten hurt,” he snapped.
I almost laughed.
“I just fell on my back because she pulled my chair away.”
Madison wiped her face and suddenly started crying.
“I told you she was unstable, Daniel.”
My stomach dropped.
“Told him?”
Daniel’s mother quickly looked down at her plate.
His brother stopped making eye contact with me.
That was when I realized everyone at that table knew something I didn’t.
I looked at Daniel. “How long has everyone known?”
Nobody answered.
Then Madison slowly reached into her purse.
Daniel’s face went white.
“Madison, don’t.”
She ignored him and placed a small velvet box on the table between us.
My wedding anniversary was three days away.
Inside the box was the exact diamond necklace Daniel told me he had bought for me.
Madison smiled through the wine dripping from her hair.
May you like
Then she whispered, “He wasn’t planning to give it to you.”
Before I could speak, Daniel’s father suddenly stood and said, “That necklace isn’t the secret she should be worried about.”
