Chapter 3
Morning light filtered through the blinds as I stepped into Xavier's office building earlier than usual. I needed to prepare for today's board meeting—a presentation I'd spent weeks perfecting. The security guard nodded as I passed, used to my early arrivals.
"Good morning, Ms. Reed," he said. "Mr. Collins is already upstairs."
I smiled, appreciating his consistency. Unlike some people who couldn't be bothered to remember important dates.
The elevator doors opened to the executive floor, and I froze. A familiar scent hit me first—Jardin de Minuit, my signature perfume. The one Xavier had once said reminded him of midnight gardens and secret promises.
Helena sat behind Xavier's desk, her fingers tracing the edge of my usual chair during partner meetings. She wore a cream blouse that looked suspiciously like one I'd left in Xavier's closet last week.
"Good morning, Sophia," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Xavier mentioned you might be stopping by."
I stood in the doorway, my briefcase suddenly heavy in my hand. "I didn't realize you came in so early."
"Oh, I always do." She smiled, reaching for Xavier's coffee mug—the one with the Harvard logo I'd given him on our first anniversary. "Xavier needs his coffee exactly at seven-thirty. Two sugars, no cream. He gets cranky if it's not ready."
The casual way she mentioned his morning habits made my stomach twist. Those were details only someone intimate with his daily routine would know.
"He mentioned you prefer tea," she added, gesturing to a teapot on the credenza. "I made some for you. Chamomile, right? For your... digestive issues."
I felt heat rise to my cheeks. That was something I'd told Xavier in confidence months ago.
"Thank you," I managed, setting down my briefcase. "But I can make my own tea."
"Don't be silly." She laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "That's what I'm here for—to make things easier for both of you."
---
Over the next three weeks, every dinner reservation, every movie night, every attempt at reconnecting with Xavier was systematically dismantled by "urgent client meetings" that required Helena's presence.
"We need to reschedule," Xavier would text, usually an hour before we were supposed to meet. "Takahashi needs reassurance about the Asian markets."
Or: "Can't make it tonight. Helena's arranged a conference call with the European investors."
Each time, Helena would appear at his side during the video calls I was excluded from, her expression a perfect blend of professional concern and personal triumph.
"You're being ridiculous," Xavier snapped when I finally confronted him about the pattern. "These are business emergencies."
"Every Friday night is a business emergency?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Every time we plan something?"
"You're being controlling," he accused, his eyes narrowing. "Not every relationship needs constant togetherness. Some of us have important work to do."
I watched him pack his briefcase, his movements sharp with irritation.
"Is it work, Xavier? Or is it Helena?"
His head snapped up. "Now you're just being jealous."
---
The private investigator's photos arrived in a manila envelope. I spread them across my kitchen table, each image more damning than the last.
Helena collecting my flowers from the receptionist's desk. Helena redirecting my emails to her inbox. Helena deliberately spilling coffee on presentations I'd prepared.
But it was the final photo that made my blood run cold—Helena in her apartment, surrounded by bouquets. Our anniversary flowers sat in a vase on her coffee table, the card clearly visible: "To my love, always—X"
I stormed into Xavier's office without knocking. He looked up from his computer, annoyed at the interruption.
"What is this?" I demanded, slapping the photos onto his desk.
He flipped through them, his expression darkening. "What the hell is this, Sophia?"
"Evidence," I said, my voice shaking with rage. "Helena has been intercepting our communications, stealing my work, and deliberately sabotaging us."
Xavier's face contorted with fury. He stood so abruptly his chair slammed against the wall.
"You hired someone to spy on me?" he shouted, gathering the photos and tearing them in half. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
I stared at him, stunned by his reaction. "Xavier, look at what she's doing!"
"I don't care!" he roared. "You don't spy on people you claim to love!"
As the torn pieces fluttered to the floor between us, I realized with perfect clarity that Xavier had already chosen whose side he was on.
And it wasn't mine.
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