Page 34 of Mr. and Mrs. Novak

Usually, I don't go out at night, but tonight, an emergency requires my presence in the field. An alert reported anomalies in the systems of a power plant, suggesting an attempted intrusion. After several hours of intense intervention, we were able to secure the plant before dawn.

This is the second time I've disappeared like this since my marriage. Eventually, Ruslan will become suspicious.

Initially, I decided to tell him everything. As my spouse, he had the right to know, at least the essentials, but when I learned about Natasha, I decided to keep the secret. What I do is none of his business. We're only married on paper. My thoughts take me back to three days earlier, when Ruslan had dropped his wallet on the floor. It took only an instant for me to understand the extent of his betrayal.

Ruslan lied to me; he has been with Natasha for years. This isn't just an affair but a love story, to the point where, even married to me, he still preciously keeps photos of his mistress in his wallet.

Pain twists my stomach, and with an angry gesture, I wipe away the tear that's falling and preventing me from seeing the road. Fortunately, the streets are deserted at this hour of the night.

What I don't understand is why he needed to lie to me, why play the role of the concerned and attentive husband when obviously there is only one woman who matters to him, and it's not me. Did he meet Natasha before she married her husband? Why didn't they get together?

I wish I could erase these questions from my head, but my brain refuses to cooperate. It's completely exhausted physically and mentally that I enter the penthouse in the middle of the night.

No noise. No explanation to provide.

***

After a day off, I head back to the office. As I walk in—surprise. Delta, usually dressed in pristine white, is wearing pink from head to toe. Pink sweater, pink jeans, pink socks.

"What happened to you, Delta?" I ask, laughing. "Trying out a new color palette?"

Echo, grinning, jumps in.

"Don’t you think it looks good on him? I think it’s absolutely adorable."

India bursts out laughing.

"His son threw a red marker in the washing machine. And voilà—surprise!"

"Oh, hilarious," Delta grumbles. "Go ahead, laugh it up."

"Come on, it actually suits you," India teases, smirking.

"We love you, even all in pink," I add. "In fact, next time, tell your son to throw in two markers. That way, the color will be deeper and really make your blue eyes pop…"

Delta rolls his eyes and heads toward the break room.

"You guys are the worst."

"Delta, come back! We love you!" I call after him, still laughing.

A sharp voice cuts through the room.

"Are you all done?"

Oops. Since when has the boss been here?

"Get back to work. Now."

We all scramble to our desks without another word. As he walks toward his office, the boss throws in casually,

"Great color, Delta."

And that’s when we all burst out laughing.

***

As soon as my screen lights up, I'm 100% focused. I initialize a secure session to review recent seizure reports.