Page 31 of My Husband’s New Fiancée

Gaspard Peltier and the two attorneys exchange a glance, gather their things, and exit the room without a word.

“You too, Bianca.”

She opens her mouth, then seems to think better of it.

Is this the kind of woman he likes now?

Because if he’d spoken to me that way, I would’ve made him regret it very quickly.

She gathers her documents with calculated slowness before crossing the room toward him.

Her hand settles against his chest.

Then she rises onto her toes and kisses him.

Not a quick kiss. A long one. Intimate. Deep.

Dante stiffens at first. Then his hands find Bianca’s waist, pulling her against him.

I want to look away. To disappear.

But I’m trapped there, forced to watch the scene burn itself into my memory.

It takes every ounce of control I possess not to reveal what I’m feeling. Not to let them see me falling apart inside.

A presence moves discreetly closer beside me.

Hugo.

His voice brushes softly against my ear.

“Don’t let them see how much this hurts you. Smile at me. Pretend we’re sharing a secret.”

He’s right.

Neither of them can ever know.

So I reach for reserves of strength I didn’t know I still had and smile at him. A natural smile. Almost conspiratorial.

“Good,” he murmurs.

When I glance back toward the couple, Dante is glaring at us like he wants to kill someone.

Is he… jealous of Hugo?

I dismiss the thought immediately.

He just kissed Bianca in front of me. Deliberately.

I can’t afford to read meaning into his silences simply because I want to find it there.

That’s the fastest path to destroying myself.

Hugo leaves in Bianca’s wake. Before disappearing through the doorway, he gives me one last meaningful look.

Then the door closes.

We’re alone.