“What exhibition?”
“The one for the art auction two weeks from now. Susan Winters’s paintings are going to be up for sale, and you might want to grab one or two for your wife,” Josh says.
“Why?” I ask. “Is she Lareina’s favorite?”
Bryce and Josh look at each other. “Ares, Susan Winters was Lareina’smom. Haven’t you done a background check on her?”
“Well, yeah, but…” Greg sent it a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t read it. Curiosity compelled me to peek, but I refused. The report would tell me every fact there is to know about her—age, birthday, family relationships and educational background. But that feels forced. Couples should get to know each other by spending time together. When I saw the report attached to Greg’s email, I realized I wanted to learn about my wife organically. “Wait a minute. How comeIdidn’t know about the exhibition? Don’t the organizers want me there?”
“Akiko mentioned it, but you probably forgot as usual, since you hate going to events like that. The organizer probably didn’t bother to invite you either,” Bryce says.
“Assholes. Don’t they know who my wife is?”
“Most likely. They might’ve invitedher.”
Bryce meant to soothe me, but it does the opposite. Why didn’t she say something about the auction? Does she not plan to go? Or worse yet, go with someone else?Like Ethan Beckman?
I jerkily puff my cigar. Just because she doesn’t act jealous over Soledad doesn’t mean I’m going to behave the same way.
Besides, didn’t we promise to be faithful? What she’s doing seems like Cheating Lite.
“She’d probably love to see her mother’s art, unless she hated her mother,” Josh says. “Not only that, if she’s into art, she’ll enjoy meeting one of the latest up-and-coming stars, who’ll be at the event. She’s selling her work there too. Parker Jacoby. Her paintings are already getting a lot of buzz right now.”
Art exhibitions aren’t my scene, but my wife seems to like art in general. She spends hours every day drawing.
“Fine. I’ll take her.” Maybe it’ll provide an opportunity for us to become closer.
Chapter Thirty-One
Lareina
I glance at my phone screen. Since telling me that he needed to work late, Ares hasn’t texted me or anything. Did I sound too cold in my response? I want to be a considerate wife, so I sent him a reply full of cheer, even though I was a little disappointed that he was busy—again.
I look at the colors starting to fill the canvas. Unlike my previous work, the shades are mostly dark wood tones with green and blue. The last is an exact match for Ares’s eyes. He doesn’t like his eyes, but I adore them. I’ve spent so much time making them perfect in the portrait.
The phone buzzes.
–Lucie: Wanna join me and Yuna for an evening get-together? Our husbands are out of town, and the kids are with their grandparents. Just us adults. I know it’s last minute, so if you’re busy, that’s fine.
–Me: Actually, I don’t have anything to do—and my husband’s working late. So let’s do it!
–Lucie: Awesome! Here’s my address.
I get out of the smock and change into a clean shirt and jeans, then ask Javier to drive me to her house. It’s a stunning mansion, sprawled out like a sleepy giant. The garden is massive, and there’s a greenhouse full of lush flowers. Lucie greets me at the front entrance, the double doors large enoughto serve as a gate to a medieval castle. The foyer boasts a high cathedral ceiling with a surprisingly delicate chandelier.
“Thanks for inviting me. I love your greenhouse,” I say as Lucie leads me past two kitchens. She’s dressed casually in a round-neck T-shirt and stretchy cropped pants.
“Seb decided to build one because I was studying ‘flower language’ for the Korean market. He said it’d be inspirational.”
“Which was faster? The greenhouse or your mastering the language?” I ask.
“The greenhouse. The man can make things happen when he’s determined.” Lucie’s eyes grow dreamy. It’s clear she’s crazy in love with her husband.
Good for her. But my happiness for her doesn’t quite soothe the ache from realizing that the kind of mutual affection she has with her husband won’t be mine.
Don’t think too much about it. You’re just infatuated. After you’re divorced, you’re going to find the other half of your soul.
“He had to be like the Terminator, or he would’ve lost you back then,” Yuna says, then waves. “So glad you could join us!” Her auburn hair falls over her delicate shoulders, and she’s in a red sundress that looks amazing against her creamy skin.
