The Lies He Told | PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ROMANCE |

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Even the Sunday golf session, typically a weekly ritual, is unlikely to include my husband, for his initial insistence on remaining in the city had not hinted at a homecoming with his friends. They made plans without him.

"To clarify, when Daniel alluded to a specific location, did he explicitly mention the resort?" She mumbled the question almost shyly. "It's possible he might have been referring to another establishment. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding."

My hand gripped the phone. "With absolute conviction, Daniel had declared his plans to meet with Kieth and the others at the resort. His words left no room for misinterpretation."

And so, I was right to suspect the worst of my husband. He did not go to the resort to laugh and drink with his buddies as he boldly claimed. He went there to get his leg over some shameless homewrecker. He lied to me, yet again, so that he could alleviate stress without a care for my feelings or my safety.

I mean, who does that? Who, in their right mind, leaves their wife on the side of the road in the middle of the night, right outside what most would deem a dangerous motorcycle club so that they can have sex with someone else?

"It does not matter." Unshed tears pressed against the lids of my eyes. "I did not need confirmation, not really. I already knew that he was lying to me."

Consider the champagne cork that popped on Daniel's undefeated cheating career. His once-overlooked infidelities are about as welcome as a rogue jalapeño in my margarita. And guess what? I spat that sucker of a chilli pepper out and ordered another, sans betrayal. I raised a glass, without him, of course, to his future endeavours, which hopefully involved learning the tango solo.

The tears have dried, replaced by a fire in my eyes that could launch a thousand rockets—no more charades of connubial bliss. My calendar is open for adventures with fabulous friends, and the only "wifey duties" I am fulfilling are to myself.

I am trading pity parties for power plays. I have swiped the queen off the chessboard to build my empire, brick by sequin-studded brick.

This plot twist may have been messy, painful and heartbreaking, but my future is a masterpiece in the making, that much I am sure.

"I really am sorry," Hannah replied, her voice light with a disappointed sigh. "Again, I can try and find out if Daniel is up to no good if that is what you want. I can check Kieth's phone when he goes for a shower. There might be text messages on there. Just say the word. I will catch him out for you, no problem. Or better yet, why don't we go to the resort and see for ourselves? I can be your personal chauffeur. I am good friends with the manager's wife, so she will happily point us in the right direction. And hey, if we catch him in bed with a money-hungry bitch, I will be the first to slap him sideways—him and that cow. They will not know what's hit them. And you should know, I mean business. I will go full-force psycho on the pair of them."

"Please, I am too busy plotting his karmic downfall. The principle here is thicker than his apology will ever be. As for the audacity of this man? His cheek? I will slap it so hard, his ancestors will feel it," I promised with a vengeance, sitting at my favourite window seat in the master bedroom, gazing at the strip of lights below. "He may have underestimated my fire, but I will show him what happens when you light a match to a woman with petrol in her veins."

"Oh great. You are going to go all Carrie on his arse, huh?" she joked, and I wished I could channel the titular character's telekinetic powers to unleash hell on the man. A horrific display of revenge is only what he deserved."Okay, well, you know where I am if you need me. Do not suffer in silence. I am your best friend. I want to be there for you."

A morose smile snuck onto my face like a playful thief. "Thank you, Hannah."

"No problem, sweetie." A long, drawn-out sigh punctuated the silence. "Hurry up and arrange that sleepover, anyway. I am itching for another night out. You know I am the perfect wingwoman."