Chapter 2

2: 2

2

After I left the house, I went to the pharmacy near our complex.

On my way back, I ran into Anita Lambert, a neighbor.

"Queenie, my son tells me you two are buying a new place. A whole house, no less."

Anita's words left me completely lost.

Bryan had, at one point, thought about moving into a house.

But I didn't see the point in spending that kind of money yet, and I didn't want him footing the bill alone.

I'd rather stay in this big open-plan apartment for now and buy once my company was on solid ground.

I also didn't want people thinking I leaned on a man.

Bryan's family was comfortable, and these days he helped run his father's company.

Though in recent years, the family business had slipped quite a bit too.

Bryan ran a little cold by nature, but things between us had always been good.

It hurt, knowing he'd done all this to me over a bidding meeting.

"Queenie, that house must be expensive, right?"

Anita's loud voice pulled me back to the moment.

I waved a hand. "Anita, we're not buying a house."

Anita quickly pulled out her phone and dug up a chat log.

"Look, my son sent me this."

"That's your husband, Bryan, isn't it?"

In the photo on the screen, Bryan was touring a house with a woman, my husband smiling wide.

The woman showed only part of her profile.

But with the build, I was certain it was Maud James.

Maud and I were in the same industry, so we'd crossed paths several times.

"Anita, that's my husband, but that woman isn't me."

Anita's eyes went round, her face turning a little awkward.

"Queenie, maybe Bryan just went along with a friend. Don't read too much into it."

"That boy Bryan seems distant, but he's got a good heart."

"I've got my dance class to get to, so I'll be off."

And with that, Anita vanished from sight at top speed.

I brought the painkillers home.

My husband had already changed into a fresh suit and was sitting on the couch.

I poured a glass of warm water and handed him the medicine.

"Bryan, take your pills."

Bryan nodded. "Mm, I'll take them in a bit."

"Bryan, once I win this bid, we'll move into a house."

"There are some nice houses out in the western suburbs."

In an instant, my husband's face went a shade paler.

Because the house in the western suburbs was the one he'd toured with Maud.

"I even heard Maud's planning to buy out there too. We could be neighbors."

Bryan set the glass back on the coffee table, his brow furrowing.

"Queenie, do you already know Maud and I went to see a house?"

"There's no need to test me. I just went along to look at the area with her."

Bryan and Maud were childhood sweethearts, but they'd never crossed any lines.

On that point, I'd always trusted him.

This time, what he'd done for Maud left me no choice but to doubt.

"Bryan, I'm not testing you. I mean it."

"If I win the bid, my company will take off fast."

"Maud's going to be at the bidding meeting too. Which of us do you want to win it?"