Chapter 8

“What did you do to her?” Alex’s mother seethed, her eyes locked on her son like twin blades. “For Lindsey to leave you like that–what exactly did you do? Did you cheat on her?”

The room fell into a stunned silence. All eyes turned to Alex, whose face had gone pale.

He swallowed hard. “No, I didn’t cheat on her,” he said quickly, the words tumbling out. “It wasn’t like that. It was… a misunderstanding. She must’ve been mad about something–I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” his mother snapped. “Don’t give me vague excuses, Alexander. What did you do?”

Before he could respond, Paula stepped forward, chin raised high like she was delivering a defense in court.

“Don’t be mad at him, Mom,” Paula said, with venom in her voice. “That girl is the real villain here. Maybe she’s the one who cheated. Honestly, Lindsey’s always been too soft–too quiet. Probably hiding something behind that act.”

Their mother turned on her in an instant, her eyes blazing.

“Do you really think I’d believe you, Paula?” she said coldly. “Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I don’t have eyes? Do you think I don’t hear things?”

Paula opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

“I know everything,” their mother continued, pointing a firm finger. “I know about Sasha–your precious friend, Alex’s mistress. Don’t play innocent with me.”

Alex stepped forward quickly, trying to contain the fire. “That’s not true–whatever she told you, it’s not the whole story.”

But his mother had already turned away from him. With grace and fury combined, she marched across the ballroom floor straight toward Sasha, who stood nervously at the edge of the room.

Without hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped her across the face.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Sasha staggered slightly, her eyes wide in shock.

“I knew,” Alex’s mother said through clenched teeth. “I was just waiting–waiting for the moment you’d have the audacity to show your face here like you belong. But now? She’s gone. She divorced him! And you,” she pointed directly at Sasha’s chest, “you helped destroy what she built.”

Sasha gaped, holding her cheek. “You’re crazy–”

“No,” the older woman snapped. “I was patient. But I see now, I shouldn’t have been. I should have stopped this before it got this far.”

She turned to Alex. “You let this happen. You stood by while your wife–your real wife–was being pushed out of her own life. She loved this family. She cared for us like we were her own. And what did you do?”

Alex didn’t respond. Because in that moment, her words hit deeper than any slap ever could.

His mind reeled back–flashes of Lindsey appearing like ghosts in the corners of his memory.

Chapter 7 2023

He remembered the time his father was hospitalized with a heart scare, and Lindsey had dropped everything to stay with him, sleeping in a chair by his side. The hand-written meal plans she made to match his mother’s diet. The birthday dinners she cooked by herself, never asking for help. The care packages. The check-in calls. The late-night texts reminding his mom to take her pills. The way she used to iron his father’s dress shirts when they had a formal event, saying, “It’s the little things that matter.”

She had never asked for credit. She just did it–with quiet loyalty and love.

And now, realizing how little he noticed it all… how effortlessly he let her slip away… Alex felt something hollow form in his chest.

And it ached. Badly.

“You deserve this,” she spat. “She should’ve left you long ago.”

Paula stepped forward again. “Mom, come on–”

“Shut up, Paula,” she hissed. “You’re just as guilty. And if either of you don’t fix this, if you don’t bring her back to me–if you don’t fix this, Alex–I’ll strip you of everything. Every cent. Every privilege. Everything the Hale name gave you. You’ll be nothing but a man with a ruined reputation and a mistress who thinks she’s queen.”

Then, with a simple wave of her hand, she commanded, “Get out. Both of you. Out of my sight.” Security, subtle and suited, moved forward without hesitation. Alex and Sasha were quietly but firmly ushered toward the entrance of the ballroom.

Outside, the night air hit like ice.

Sasha was fuming, heels clacking furiously on the pavement. “How dare she? Calling me a mistress in front of everyone? I don’t care who she is, she’s not some goddess–”

“Shut up, Sasha.”

Alex’s voice was cold. Still. Dangerous.

She turned toward him, shocked. “Excuse me?”

“I said shut up,” he snapped, jaw clenched. “You don’t get to speak right now. You just made everything worse.”

“I made it worse?” Sasha cried. “I stood by you! I waited for you! I did everything you wanted, Alex!”

He opened the car door but didn’t gesture for her to follow. Instead, he looked at her–really looked at her–for the first time in weeks.

And all he saw was chaos.

Not love. Not peace. Not home.

“Don’t come with me,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to see you right now. You ruined everything.”

She reached for the door, but he closed it before she could touch it.

Then he got in, started the engine, and drove off into the night–leaving her standing there, heels wobbling, rage burning behind her eyes, alone under the glow of the gala lights.

Inside the car, Alex gripped the steering wheel tightly, his chest hollow, ears ringing with his mother’s words.

What did you do to her?

He didn’t have an answer.

Only silence.