Chapter 2 - The Key in Naomi’s BagNaomi moved first.
“Elise, I can explain.”
Elise raised one hand.
“No.”
Her voice was quiet.
Naomi stopped.
Trevor stepped forward.
“Elise, please.”
She turned toward him.
“No.”
That single word hit him harder than a scream.
Sunny sat beside the wardrobe, looking from face to face.
Elise’s eyes returned to Naomi.
“How long?”
Naomi swallowed.
“It’s complicated.”
“How long?”
Trevor interrupted.
“It was a mistake.”
Elise looked at him.
“A mistake?”
“Yes.”
“You accidentally ended up in bed with my sister?”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
Naomi’s eyes filled with tears.
“Elise—”
“Were you in my bed?”
Naomi looked down.
Elise laughed once.
There was nothing amused about it.
“My bed.”
Trevor reached toward her.
She stepped away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Elise, we should talk privately.”
She stared at him.
“Privately?”
Her voice cracked for the first time.
“You were lying in my bed with my sister.”
Naomi began crying.
“I’m sorry.”
Elise turned.
“You don’t get to cry first.”
Naomi went still.
For several seconds, the only sound was Sunny breathing.
Then Elise pointed toward the hallway.
“Get out.”
Naomi wiped her face.
“Elise—”
“Get out of my house.”
Naomi grabbed her shoes.
She moved toward the door.
Trevor started after her.
Elise’s voice stopped him.
“You stay.”
Naomi looked back at Trevor.
That glance lasted only a fraction of a second.
But Elise saw it.
And she hated that she noticed how much fear passed between them.
Not guilt.
Fear.
Naomi hurried downstairs.
A minute later, the front door slammed.
Elise walked to the window and watched her sister run toward the road.
Trevor stood behind her.
“Elise, listen to me.”
She did not turn.
“Was this the first time?”
Silence.
“That’s what I thought.”
“It didn’t mean anything.”
Elise finally faced him.
The pain in her eyes made him step backward.
“Do you think that helps?”
“No.”
“You married me eighteen months ago.”
“I know.”
“My mother had been dead for six months.”
“I know.”
“I trusted you.”
“I know.”
“And my sister?”
Trevor rubbed his forehead.
“She was struggling.”
Elise stared.
“So you comforted her by sleeping with her?”
“That isn’t fair.”
Elise almost smiled.
“Fair?”
Trevor’s face tightened.
“I’m trying to explain.”
“No. You’re trying to find a version that makes you sound less disgusting.”
His expression changed.
A flash of irritation appeared beneath the guilt.
Elise saw it.
That frightened her more than his apologies.
“Leave.”
“This is my home too.”
“No. This mansion belonged to my mother.”
“We’re married.”
“The house is held separately under the estate.”
Trevor’s jaw tightened again.
Elise noticed.
He knew that immediately.
Too immediately.
“I want you gone tonight.”
“You’re emotional.”
“You hid my sister in a wardrobe.”
“Elise—”
“Go.”
Trevor stared at her.
Then walked toward the hallway.
At the door he turned.
“You’re going to regret making decisions like this while you’re angry.”
The words landed strangely.
Not as a plea.
As a warning.
Elise watched him leave.
Ten minutes later, she heard his car disappear down the driveway.
Only then did her knees weaken.
She sat on the edge of the bed.
Sunny came to her.
Elise buried both hands in his fur and finally cried.
She cried for her marriage.
For Naomi.
For every memory that suddenly felt contaminated.
After several minutes, Sunny stood and wandered back toward the wardrobe.
He sniffed inside.
Then pushed his nose against something on the floor.
A handbag.
Naomi had forgotten it.
Elise stared at it.
She should have left it alone.
Instead she picked it up.
Inside were cosmetics, a wallet, a charger and a silk scarf.
Then something metallic slid beneath her fingers.
A key.
Small.
Brass.
Not a house key.
Elise turned it over.
A tiny engraved number was stamped into the metal.
Her breathing changed.
She knew that number.
There was a locked document drawer inside the study safe.
Drawer 317.
A compartment containing original estate records, company stock certificates and several documents her mother had instructed Elise never to remove from the house.
Only two keys existed.
One belonged to Elise.
The second had been stored inside the safe.
Elise hurried down the hallway.
She entered the study.
Opened the safe.
Then stopped.
The slot where the duplicate key belonged was empty.
Elise looked at the key in her hand.
Naomi had not merely been sleeping with Trevor.
May you like
Someone had opened her safe.
And suddenly the betrayal in the bedroom seemed like only the first door.
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