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PROLOGUE
Four Years Ago . . .
Astra
I stand in front of the mirror in our fifth-floor apartment, pulling my perfectly toned chocolate hair up into a tight bun.
My gaze falls on my wedding ring, and I feel a twinge of sadness. When Tony and I got married, he couldn’t afford much, and this is something he bought me last month for our fifth wedding anniversary.
Now we’re both doing exceptionally well, working at the same company, kicking ass in corporate America.
The building is a glass-facade skyscraper in downtown Chicago, and I can see the city skyline from the living room window.
The sun rises over Lake Michigan, casting a warm glow on the city’s skyline. It’s a beautiful start to the day, but I don’t know if it’s going to end that way.
Something has been off lately, and I feel like I’m insane half the time. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I have this gut feeling like my world is about to come crashing down on me.
With a deep breath, I exit my apartment and make my way to the elevator.
As soon as I make it inside and the doors close, I feel the weight of everything crushing me down.
Tony hasn’t been acting himself, is going into work early, and sometimes he even stays late. Years ago, we used to be inseparable, and now I have to beg him to spend time with me.
I step out of the elevator into the lobby of our condominium complex and head outside. It’s a beautiful, sunny Chicago day, and the office is only a couple of blocks away from where we live.
My stomach grumbles, and I’m in desperate need of a good latte, so I decide to stop at one of the shops on the way to the office.
This one just opened up last week, and I’ve yet to go inside, so now is the perfect opportunity.
I open the doors to the country rustic-themed shop and head up to the counter.
Freshly ground coffee and cinnamon wafts through my nostrils.
I’m greeted by a friendly woman and order a hazelnut latte as well as a mini loaf of cinnamon coffee cake.
As I wait for my drink, I take a gander around the shop and see someone I didn’t expect to see—my husband.
Tony sits in a tiny booth tucked back in a corner with a woman I don’t recognize.
Her long blonde hair falls over her shoulders, and she laughs at something he just told her.
My heart drops into the pit of my stomach.
What is going on?
Is this where his meeting is?
I try to be rational, but how can I be when I know that he hardly ever takes meetings outside of the office.
There’s only one possibility mulling around in my mind: he lied to me about his meeting and came to meet this woman for a coffee date instead.
I stand here, frozen, watching the two of them smile, laugh, and wonder how he could do this to me.
If he isn’t happy in our marriage, he could have just said so, but here he is, breaking his vows instead.
Tony says something hysterical and grabs ahold of the woman’s hand, running his thumb across the top of her hand.
This fucking bastard.
