Page 47 of My Husband’s New Fiancée

The door slides open silently. I step into my workspace. When it seals shut behind me, the outside world disappears.

The first time Dante brought me here, he blindfolded me. I’d laughed, incredulous. He guided me to the center of the room before removing the blindfold.

“Welcome to your kingdom,” he’d said.

The first thing I saw were the massive windows flooding the room with light, making it feel almost like an apartment. A desk sat at the center; to the right, a wall of greenery, with the laboratory tucked farther back. To the left, a modern lounge area in warm tones.

“I wanted your space to feel like you,” he’d said. “Not sterile. Not clinical. Somewhere you’d actually want to come back to.”

Nothing has changed.

This is where Dante came to tell me Auzene had received therapeutic approval. He’d lifted me into his arms, radiant smile spread across his face.

“You did it. You’re going to change so many lives... I’m so proud of you, Valeria.”

He kissed me, and we made love against the sofa bench — slow, passionate.

I force the memory away before it weakens my resolve.

I sit behind the desk, pull my phone from my bag, and power on the workstation.

It’s brand-new, installed in a hurry, probably yesterday.

I take my time, going through the files. Everything is here, including the ones hidden behind an innocuous codename.

Blood pounds through my veins.

I remove the key concealed inside the hollow heel of my right pump.

Just as expected, the USB port is sealed behind a security cover. No direct connection possible.

I take out the ceramic tool kit, undetectable by scanners. My fingers tremble despite myself as I force the mechanism open.

It takes longer than expected.

The clock keeps ticking.

Fuck.

Sweat trickles down my back and along the nape of my neck.

After one final push, the cover finally snaps loose.

I plug in the drive.

The icon appears on-screen. I double-click. A minimalist interface opens immediately.

I select the sensitive files.

The ones no one can ever be allowed to exploit.

I drag them into the open window.

A progress bar appears.

0%.

The workstation emits a faint hum.