Chapter 2 No.2

Liam insisted on a "romantic evening."

He said he felt distant, wanted to reconnect before their anniversary.

He'd booked a table at 'Celeste,' the city's most exclusive rooftop restaurant, complete with a private fireworks show he'd arranged "just for her."

Over-the-top, expensive, and utterly meaningless to Maya now.

He was incredibly attentive, holding her hand, ordering her favorite champagne.

Playing the part of the doting husband.

It was a performance, and she was his unwilling audience.

"I'm going to disappear, Liam," she thought, watching him point out constellations in the night sky.

"You just don't know it yet."

He pulled her close, nuzzling her neck. "You're quiet today, beautiful."

"Just tired," she lied.

His touch, once a comfort, now felt like a brand.

As the fireworks began to burst in dazzling colors across the sky, camera flashes suddenly erupted from the corner of the terrace.

"Mr. Goldstein! A perfect anniversary celebration?" a reporter called out.

Liam, ever the showman, beamed. He pulled Maya into a practiced embrace.

It clicked then. This wasn't for them. It was for them-the public. His new line of "empowerment" jewelry for women needed a wholesome, romantic face to sell it.

He wasn't just being a husband; he was managing his brand.

"Smile, darling," he murmured.

Maya forced a smile. She felt like a prop, a complete imposter, a fraud.

The flash went off. Another perfect moment captured for a lie.

The reporters, clearly tipped off and paid for, thanked them profusely before being discreetly escorted away.

Maya wanted to scream.

Liam was on his phone constantly.

"Urgent work stuff, baby, sorry," he'd say, turning away.

But Maya saw the screen reflection in the polished silver of the ice bucket once.

A text message, from a contact named with a simple heart emoji. It was a picture of a woman's lips, pouty and seductive. The message underneath read: Thinking about last night... Can't wait for my real birthday present later.

"I have to use the restroom," Liam said abruptly, his composure slightly frayed. "Be right back."

A cold premonition washed over Maya. She waited a moment, then excused herself.

She didn't head for the main restrooms. She followed the path he'd taken, up a private staircase she hadn't noticed before, leading to an even more exclusive level.

A single door was marked: "The Celestial Suite."

She could hear voices from within. She pressed her ear to the cool wood.

"Oh, Liam, this is the most romantic birthday ever!" It was Ava Sinclair's voice, breathless and ecstatic.

"Only the best for you," Liam's voice was a low, intimate rumble. "You think I'd book this place and arrange a private fireworks show for anyone else?"

The blood drained from Maya's face. The "romantic evening," the "reconnecting"-all of it, a lie constructed around another woman's birthday celebration.

Then came the sounds. A low moan from Ava, a sound of pure pleasure that made Maya's stomach churn. The rustle of silk. The suggestive clink of an ice cube being dropped into a drink, followed by a throaty giggle.

"You know what would make it absolutely perfect?" Ava's voice was cloying, possessive. "That necklace. The 'Maya's Horizon.' It's so beautiful. I want it."

There was no hesitation in his voice. Only the casual confidence of a man granting a wish.

"It's yours," Liam promised. "I'll get it for you."

Maya felt a sharp, physical pain in her chest. That necklace wasn't just jewelry. It was the kidney. It was the rare book. It was the supposed proof that he would walk through fire for her. And he was going to hand it to his mistress like a party favor.

It was like watching him tear their life apart, piece by piece, and display it for sport.

The betrayal was so blatant, so cruel.