The day had stretched endlessly for Evelyn, filled with back-to-back meetings and the unrelenting pace of running a company. She thrived in the chaos of her office, but by the time the clock struck eight, she was drained. As her cab pulled up to the sprawling Thorne mansion, she felt a familiar pang of emptiness. The grandeur of the place was undeniable, but it offered little solace. 

Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she entered the quiet house. The faint scent of polished wood and roses lingered, a reminder of the over-the-top wedding arrangements that still decorated the home. She dropped her bag on the console table and sighed. 

The mansion was silent. Too silent. 

She headed to the kitchen, deciding to make herself a cup of tea. As she filled the kettle, she caught her reflection in the gleaming appliances. Her emerald green dress hugged her curves, her auburn curls still perfectly styled despite the long day. She looked every bit the powerful CEO she was—but inside, she felt like a stranger in her own life. 

It was then she heard the sound of a car pulling up outside. Curious, she walked to the large bay window in the living room and peered through the sheer curtains. Augustus’s sleek black car had just arrived, but he wasn’t alone. 

A woman stepped out of the passenger seat, and Evelyn froze. 

Katherine. 

---

Katherine was strikingly beautiful in an almost unnerving way. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her back in glossy waves, framing a face that seemed sculpted to perfection. Her sharp cheekbones and piercing blue eyes exuded confidence, but there was an edge to her beauty—a coldness that made Evelyn shiver. 

She wore a sleek black dress that clung to her like a second skin, paired with sky-high heels that clicked against the driveway as she walked toward the house. Every movement was deliberate, calculated. 

And then there was Augustus. 

The transformation in him was startling. His normally rigid posture softened, and there was a faint smile on his lips as he opened the door for Katherine. His usual cold demeanor melted away as he placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the entrance. 

Evelyn felt a strange twist in her chest, a sensation she couldn’t quite name. Was it jealousy? No, that couldn’t be it. Why would she feel jealous of a man she didn’t even like? 

*Because he’s your husband,* a voice in her head whispered. 

The front door opened, and Augustus walked in with Katherine by his side. Evelyn stepped back from the window, her heart inexplicably racing. She quickly busied herself in the kitchen, pretending not to notice their arrival. 

“Evelyn,” Augustus’s deep voice called, sharp and authoritative. 

She turned to see them standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Katherine’s icy blue eyes swept over her, assessing her with a faint smirk. 

“Good evening,” Evelyn said, her tone neutral. 

“This is Katherine,” Augustus said curtly, his hand still resting on Katherine’s lower back. “A… friend of mine.” 

Katherine extended a perfectly manicured hand, her smile dazzling but insincere. “Pleasure to meet you, Evelyn. Augustus has told me so much about you.” 

Evelyn took her hand, noting how cold it felt. “Likewise,” she lied. 

The tension in the room was palpable, and Evelyn couldn’t shake the feeling that Katherine’s words carried an unspoken message. 

Augustus, meanwhile, seemed completely at ease, a stark contrast to how he usually acted around Evelyn. He poured a glass of wine for Katherine, something he had never offered Evelyn, and leaned against the counter, his body language relaxed. 

“How was work?” Evelyn asked, more out of habit than genuine curiosity. 

“Fine,” Augustus replied shortly, not even looking at her. 

Katherine chimed in, her voice dripping with charm. “Augustus works too hard. I keep telling him to take a break, but you know how he is. All business, all the time.” 

Evelyn forced a polite smile. “Yes, that sounds like him.”  

As Augustus and Katherine moved to the living room, Evelyn stayed behind in the kitchen, her tea forgotten. She could hear their laughter, low and intimate, drifting through the house. 

She tried to focus on other things—her work, her plans for the next day—but her thoughts kept circling back to them. To Augustus’s rare smile, to the way Katherine’s hand lingered on his arm, to the way she felt utterly invisible in her own home. 

Deciding she couldn’t bear to listen any longer, Evelyn grabbed her tea and retreated to the sunroom. The large windows offered a view of the moonlit garden, a peaceful contrast to the turmoil in her chest. 

*Why does this bother me so much?* she wondered. 

But she already knew the answer. She hated how different Augustus was with Katherine. How he could be warm, almost tender, while treating Evelyn like an inconvenience. 

As Evelyn sat in the sunroom, trying to calm the storm inside her, she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up to see Katherine standing in the doorway, a glass of wine in hand. 

“Mind if I join you?” Katherine asked, her tone polite but laced with something Evelyn couldn’t quite place. 

“Of course not,” Evelyn replied, though she wanted nothing more than to be alone. 

Katherine sat down across from her, crossing her legs elegantly. For a moment, she simply studied Evelyn, her blue eyes sharp and calculating. 

“You know,” Katherine began, swirling her wine, “you’re even more beautiful than Augustus described.” 

Evelyn blinked, caught off guard. “Thank you,” she said cautiously. 

Katherine smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It must be… difficult, being married to a man like Augustus.” 

Evelyn straightened, her defenses rising. “Why do you say that?” 

“Oh, no reason,” Katherine said lightly. “He’s just so… intense. Always focused on work, always keeping people at arm’s length. But I suppose that’s what makes him so fascinating, don’t you think?” 

Evelyn didn’t respond, unsure of how to navigate this strange conversation. 

“Well,” Katherine said, standing up, “I should get back to him. It was lovely chatting with you.” 

Evelyn watched her leave, her chest tight with emotions she couldn’t name. 

---

Hours later, Augustus finally walked Katherine to the door. Evelyn stayed in the sunroom, unwilling to face him or his guest again. She heard their muffled voices, Katherine’s laughter, and then the sound of the front door closing. 

When Augustus finally appeared in the doorway of the sunroom, his expression was unreadable. 

“You didn’t have to stay up,” he said, his tone as cold as ever. 

“I wasn’t waiting for you,” Evelyn replied, keeping her voice steady. 

He stared at her for a moment, his blue eyes dark and guarded. Then, without another word, he turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. 

Evelyn sat alone in the dim light, her tea long since gone cold. She hated how much his actions affected her, how Katherine’s presence had stirred something raw and unfamiliar inside her. 

But one thing was certain: this marriage was going to be far more complicated than she had ever imagined.