That last phrase made Eleanor flinch. She hadn’t considered it. Andrew handled all the finances.
“We don’t know for sure,” Eleanor said in a steady voice. “And I want to understand how serious this is. What exactly he’s planning.” She paused. “And then I’ll make my move.”
After the call, Eleanor phoned the hospital and took another day off. Two in one week. Unprecedented. But now she needed to uncover the truth and protect what was rightfully hers. The cornered receptionist, Olivia, turned out to be a goldmine of information. All it took was two cups of coffee at the cafe across from the office and a gentle, motherly tone. The cafe speakers played soft jazz, and at neighboring tables, people discussed business over the clinking of spoons against cups.
“Have they been together long?” Eleanor asked, trying to sound casual. Her fingers were trembling slightly, so she wrapped both hands around her mug.
Olivia lowered her voice conspiratorially. The scent of her sweet perfume mingled with the smell of fresh pastries from the kitchen.
“Almost since she started. He gave her the office right next to his. For ‘efficiency,’ he said.” The girl snorted. “But rumor has it there’s a connecting door between their offices.”
Eleanor tasted bile. A connecting door. Like something out of a cheap movie. The girl gossiped freely, completely unaware of who she was talking to. A tall, professional woman who introduced herself as a colleague of Andrew’s from a charity project seemed trustworthy enough.
“Is she married? I don’t see a ring,” Eleanor stirred her coffee, avoiding Olivia’s eyes.
“Her? No way,” Olivia rolled her eyes. “Though she doesn’t seem to have a man. She’s all business, very polished. But I saw the way she looks at Mr. Peterson once. When she thought no one was watching. She’s head over heels.”
Eleanor felt her heart constrict. In love. Not just a fling.
“And him?” Eleanor barely recognized her own voice—it was quiet, broken.
“What about him?” Olivia shrugged, spearing a piece of cake with her fork. “He’s a man. What do you expect? You know how they are with younger women. Although…” she leaned closer, “last week I overheard him telling her something about a re-registered account. Either she has access now, or he transferred something to her. I don’t know, I’m not good with finances.”
In Eleanor’s small purse, her phone buzzed. A text from Susan: “Just saw your husband at the mall. With her. Where are you?”
“I have to go,” Eleanor said, rising quickly and placing a bill on the table. “Thanks for the information, Olivia. You’ve been a great help.”
“No problem,” the girl smiled. “Stop by anytime. It’s never boring around here.”
Twenty minutes later, her car screeched to a halt in the mall parking lot. The sounds of the city filtered through the cracked window: car horns, snippets of conversation, music from storefronts. Her heart was pounding. Through the glass doors of the mall, she saw Andrew and Victoria. They were standing in front of a jewelry store—the same one from the receipt. Their posture screamed intimacy: the tilt of her head, the way their shoulders brushed. Victoria was trying something on. A necklace. Andrew was looking at her with an adoration Eleanor hadn’t seen on his face in years. Then his hand settled on the small of the young woman’s back—a possessive, confident gesture. Eleanor gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles were white. “Fifteen years,” her temples throbbed. Fifteen years with this man. All that time, she thought she knew him. And now—a stranger with a strange woman.
Victoria Klimova closed the door to her apartment and kicked off her heels with a sigh of relief. Her feet were killing her. It had been a hectic but good day. Especially her meeting with Andrew. She smiled, remembering the look on his face when she tried on the sapphire necklace. His gift. “That color looks so good on you,” he’d said, kissing her neck. “Just like your eyes.”
Her small studio apartment, with its bright blue sofa and orange armchairs, always lifted her spirits. Victoria put on some jazz, poured a glass of wine, and walked to the window. Through the thin curtains, she could see the city lights and hear the traffic below. Andrew was supposed to be here in five minutes. “I’m in love like a teenager,” she thought, looking at her reflection in the glass. For a moment, a flicker of anxiety. A married man. She and his wife were about the same age. What was to stop him from doing the same thing to her in a few years?
Victoria pushed the thought away. Andrew had promised a divorce. He said his marriage was just a piece of paper. That she was the one he’d been searching for. He’d said it looking straight into her eyes. Could someone lie like that? Six months ago, when she was laid off from her old job (“downsizing,” they called it), she never would have imagined it was the start of a new life. A chance meeting at a conference. An exchange of business cards. An interview. Then the first dinner. The first kiss. The first night. And now she was the head of PR for a promising medical supply company. And the owner’s mistress.
The doorbell interrupted her thoughts.
“Hey,” Andrew looked tired but was smiling. “Just thought I’d stop by.”
“I’m glad,” she said, reaching up to kiss him. His lips were cool from the evening air. “You look like you’ve had a rough day.”
“You have no idea,” he said, taking off his jacket and tie. “The contract with County General is about to fall through. We need to cut costs somewhere. Plus, Ellie’s been acting strange at home. I’m afraid she suspects something.”
Victoria frowned. Andrew’s wife was always a presence between them, even when she wasn’t mentioned. A ghost in a designer dress with a hospital ID badge.
“Maybe she’s just tired? You said she has a demanding job.”
“What job?” Andrew waved a dismissive hand. “It’s a hospital, same thing every day. No, this is something else.” He took the glass of wine from Victoria and took a large gulp. “I need to talk to her. I want to do this the right way.”
“You’re going to tell her about us?” Victoria raised her eyebrows. Her heart stopped for a second.
“I want a divorce,” Andrew said firmly. “We should be together, Vicky. Officially.”
Victoria sat down on the sofa next to him, her heart racing. Joy mingled with anxiety.
“What about the business? You said part of the company is in her name.” Victoria hesitated. “She could take you for half.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. “I’ve already taken some precautions. Moved the main assets to a new company. Remember that account I gave you access to? That’s our safety net.”
Victoria frowned.
“But is that… legal?”
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