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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
FOR A MOMENT STELLAdidn’t understand what she was looking at.
Then it hit her.
Her husband, his trousers around his ankles, was having sex with a woman bent over his desk.
Stifling a cry, she ducked out of sight, then unable to stop herself she took another peek. As a wave of nausea suddenly washed over her, she raced down the hall to the ladies room, and with her hands trembling uncontrollably, she grabbed the door handle only to find it was locked.
She wanted to scream.
Hide.
Confront him.
Go straight to the airport and take the first flight back to Texas.
Her father’s advice abruptly echoed through her head.
If you don’t know what to do, don’t do anything.
“Thank you, daddy,” she whispered, then hurried to the elevators and stepped inside. Worried the lobby guard might be awake, she pushed the button for the basement parking. When the doors opened, she stepped out and dropped the take-out bag with the expensive meal into a trash can.
Dimly lit and quiet, the underground garage felt eerie. Slipping her shoes back on her feet, they echoed as she walked through the concrete chamber, then up the ramp that would take her to the parking lot. Reaching her car and climbing in, she drove across the lot to the back gate. There was no guard, just an automatic wooden arm that opened for approaching vehicles.
Still shaky as she drove through the dark, empty streets, her emotions and thoughts spun out of control. Fury, abject pain, disbelief, back to anger then she had a sudden fear he’d discovered she’d been with Tony...maybe even Matt...and was getting even. When she neared the entrance to the freeway, she pulled to the side of the road and stopped. She was in no state to drive at high speed. Taking several long, deep breaths and regaining some semblance of control, she retrieved her cell phone from her bag.
The first person she tried to reach was Tony, and her heart fell when his voicemail picked up. Calling Stephanie also turned out to be fruitless. Her last hope was Tia, and when she answered the call Stella closed her eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks.
“Tia, it’s Stella,” she managed. “I, uh...” but hearing the sound of conversation and laughter in the background, she paused.
“Hi, Stella, are you okay? Sorry, it’s difficult to hear you,” Tia declared. “I’m at Nobu with Jerry and this place is packed. Should I go outside? Is it urgent?”
“No, it’s nothing,” Stella said quickly, knowing it would be impossible to talk if Tia was in a restaurant. “I’ll catch you later.”
“Stella, are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Enjoy your dinner. Bye.”
Quickly ending the call, she stared out up the dark sky and swallowed back fresh tears. But as the seconds passed, she thought back to the many times John had been gone overnight.
A chill pricked her skin.
Deep in her soul, she knew the scene she’d witnessed in his office was not an aberration. Gripping the steering wheel, she started up her car.
“Just get yourself home,” she said out loud, and tuning into her favorite Bobby Lee CD, she drove up the ramp and onto the freeway.
The miles flew by.
She could feel herself coming to terms with the truth of her marriage...and her life. As she followed the winding Malibu Canyon Road she had a startling epiphany. The marriage was over. And the guilt from sleeping with Tony and seeing Matt evaporated.
* * *
AT TONY’S HOUSE, HEATHERwas sighing happily. Tony had just brought her to a mind-numbing orgasm, and though her backside was still stinging, she loved every tingling, hot pinprick.
She had arrived at his house carrying dinner on a tray.
