On our wedding anniversary, I drove seven hours to Allan Delgado's place just to surprise him after his half-month business trip.

What I didn't expect was a party in full swing inside an apartment that was supposed to be empty.

And my husband, who'd told me he was stuck in a meeting, was playing a game with some woman where they ate opposite ends of the same piece of cotton candy.

Just as they reached the last bite, someone gave them a little push.

Their lips collided.

Allan grabbed the woman and kissed her like the room didn't exist.

I didn't hesitate. I walked straight in, cake in hand.

It was our anniversary, after all. Might as well make it memorable.

——

The second I pushed through the door, the crowd was cheering them on.

"God, you two are couple goals!"

"I never knew Mr. Delgado had such a soft side."

"Our boss saves all his sweetness for his wife. I'm so jealous."

"He's been away on business for two weeks and she stayed with him the whole time. That's real love right there."

The woman nestled against Allan's chest, blushing coyly.

Allan scolded them for talking nonsense, but the grin on his face carved crow's feet around his eyes.

He turned with his arm still around her, and our gazes locked.

His pupils contracted to pinpoints. Before he could so much as open his mouth, I hurled the cake straight at both of them.

Allan yanked the woman sideways. The cake exploded against the wall behind him.

The woman screamed.

"Funny," I said. "I didn't realize meetings had a kissing segment now."

"Katherine Gilbert, you—"

He scrambled to explain. My palm was already cracking across his face.

Slap. Slap.

Two hits. He hadn't expected me to swing, and for a second he just stood there, stunned.

The woman wriggled free from his arms.

"Who do you think you are, hitting—"

The moment her eyes met mine, the fire in her voice guttered out. She dropped her gaze and scurried behind Allan's back.

Only then did I get a clear look at her face.

Allan's mistress was Delilah James. The owner of Sweet Bliss Dessert Boutique.

I had a sweet tooth. In the early days of our marriage, Allan brought me something from her shop every single evening after work. I got hooked on the flavors, and eventually I started placing orders myself.

I'd always wondered why, for a shop that size, the owner insisted on making every delivery in person.

Now I knew. She'd been rubbing it in my face the entire time.

And I'd been thanking her for it like a fool.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

I was the one who'd built the bridge between them.

"Who the hell are you? Barging in here throwing things at people like a lunatic!" A woman caked in heavy makeup planted herself in front of Allan.

The others piled on immediately.

"How did you even get in here?"

"Mr. Delgado, ma'am, do you know this woman? If not, she's trespassing. I'll call the cops right now."

She was already pulling out her phone.

I folded my arms and stared at the two of them, a cold smile on my lips. "Allan Delgado. Delilah James. Go ahead. Tell them you don't know me."

They glanced at each other, guilt written across both their faces, and said nothing.

I wasn't about to let them off the hook. "Fine. Call the cops. Let them figure out who I am and what exactly my relationship with Allan Delgado is."

The woman with the phone was already dialing. "You think I won't? Let's see how tough you act when the police show up. You assault someone and think you're in the right?"

"Don't call them!"

Delilah James cracked. She lunged for the man's phone and snatched it out of his hand.

He stared at her, bewildered. So did everyone else. They assumed she was scared.

"It's okay, ma'am. Don't worry. When the police get here, we'll all be your witnesses."

"Right, if you don't let the cops straighten someone like her out, who knows what she'll do next."

"She just barged into your home and attacked you. What if she comes back and actually hurts someone?"

"No, that's not—"

Delilah's eyes darted sideways. Terrified of being exposed, she forced the words through gritted teeth. "I... I know her."

The coworkers exchanged bewildered glances. "You actually know her? Who is this lunatic?"

"She's..."

I watched Delilah stammer and stall.

She clutched the hem of her blouse, knuckles white, and turned her most pitiful gaze on Allan, silently begging him to speak for her.

A second later, the man stepped in front of her. His eyes locked on mine, sharp with irritation.

"Katherine, if there's something to discuss, we'll do it in private. Today is Delilah's birthday. She's been looking forward to it for a long time, and I don't want her disappointed."

His voice hardened at the end. "Don't embarrass me and her in front of all these people."

I stared at this man I'd spent five years with, and for a moment, it was like looking at a stranger.

He was cheating on me without a shred of guilt and now expected me to cover for his mistress. To protect their dignity.

And what about mine?

I was supposed to just take it. Supposed to let them carry on right under my nose, play me for a fool, and smile through it.

The fury and indignation boiling inside me had already eclipsed whatever pain the betrayal itself had caused.

I tilted my head, a smile that wasn't really a smile curving my lips. "Allan, do you even know what today is? You two have been sneaking around behind my back, and now you want me to keep your secret? Do you honestly think I owe you that courtesy?"

My gaze cut straight to the male coworker holding his phone. "Call the police. If you won't dial, I will."

That sent Delilah into a genuine panic. She whipped around to face the group, her voice pitched high and sweet.

"It's all a misunderstanding. We know each other. There are just some things we need to sort out today, so why don't you all head back? Allan and I will treat everyone to dinner another time."

She said it with the breezy authority of a hostess in her own home.

A cold laugh escaped me. "You and Allan treating people to dinner? With whose money? Every dollar he has comes from our—"

"Katherine, that's enough!"

Allan's voice sliced through mine, low and dangerous.

With Allan firmly at her side, Delilah's confidence swelled. She straightened her shoulders and looked me dead in the eye.

"Miss Gilbert, I truly had no idea you harbored these kinds of feelings. My husband only visited your little bakery because I have a sweet tooth, and somehow you developed a crush on him. Now you've followed us all the way here on a business trip, showed up at our door uninvited. Don't you think that's a bit much?"

I almost laughed out loud at the sheer audacity. The thief screaming "thief."

"Delilah, you're calling me a bakery clerk. Then what exactly are you?"

"I'm Mrs. Delgado." She lifted her chin. "Everyone here can vouch for that."

The heavily made-up woman was the first to chime in. "Of course she's Mrs. Delgado. Every time Mr. Delgado comes here on business, she's right by his side. We've met her plenty of times. You think we'd get that wrong?"

She turned to the others for confirmation. "We've had dinner with her more times than I can count. How could we not recognize her?"

Heads nodded all around.

"Take a good look in the mirror before you dream about being with Mr. Delgado. You need to apologize to him and his wife right now."

"Mrs. Delgado is being generous, calling it a misunderstanding to save your face. You came here to be a homewrecker, and the most pathetic part? Nobody even wants you."

So that was why every time Allan was away on business and I called Sweet Bliss to order pastries, Delilah always claimed the shop was closed for personal reasons.

She'd been with my husband the whole time.

And now that I'd caught them red-handed, she had the nerve to turn it around on me.

I drew a long, steadying breath. "You say you're Mrs. Delgado. What proof do you have?"

Delilah threaded her arm through Allan's, pressing herself against him with sickening familiarity. "Do I need proof? My husband is standing right here. Go ahead, ask him yourself."

Allan glanced at me, then looked down at Delilah and tipped her chin up with his fingers, indulgent as ever.

"You. I've already introduced you to everyone at the office, threw you a birthday party myself. You're my woman. Does that really need proving?"

His answer was exactly what I'd expected. I knew he would side with Delilah.

So from the very beginning, I had never hoped he would side with me.

Still, I noticed he'd said my woman. He hadn't actually called her Mrs. Delgado.

"Miss Gilbert, what else is there to say?" Delilah's lips curled into a triumphant smile, every word a calculated barb. "Allan loves me. No matter what tricks you pull to hurt me, he'll never love you. Stop embarrassing yourself."

Allan shot me a look that said leave.

I let out a cold laugh. "Sure. I see you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin."

Before she could respond, I'd already opened my handbag.

Under Delilah's stunned gaze, I held up the business card for everyone in the room to see.

"You all graduated from top universities. I'm sure you can read what's printed here. But just in case, allow me."

I read each word, slow and deliberate:

"Sweet Bliss Dessert Boutique. Manager: Delilah James."

"I won't bother reading the phone number. But if anyone still has doubts, I'm happy to dial it right now."

The color drained from Delilah's face. She clutched Allan's sleeve, knuckles white.

The others turned to look at her, their expressions shifting from curiosity to suspicion.

Dawn stepped forward again to defend her. "So what? What does that prove? Mr. Delgado has plenty of money. He can't open a little dessert shop for his wife? You're so desperate for a man you've lost your mind, barging in here trying to steal someone's husband."

Delilah's eyes welled with tears, her voice trembling with rehearsed hurt. "Miss Gilbert, is this what your parents raised you to be? This shameless? Publicly clawing at another woman's husband, is that something to be proud of? Your parents must be so disappointed they ever brought you into this world."

Crack.

I grabbed a fistful of her hair. "Delilah, I wasn't planning on slapping you this soon. But you just couldn't help yourself. This man is garbage. You want him? He's yours. You're welcome to love trash. But you don't get to say a single word about my parents."

"Let go of me! Allan, help me—"

Delilah clawed at my wrist, thrashing wildly.

Dawn shrieked, frantic. "Mr. Delgado! You can't just stand there and watch her get beaten! This woman is insane! Save her!"

Everyone else hung back, watching the spectacle unfold. None of them could tell whose story was true.

Allan hesitated, visibly torn, then finally snapped. "Katherine, let her go! Delilah is my woman. Keep this up and don't blame me for what happens next."

Threat after threat. All for her.

I slapped Delilah hard across the face.

"Allan Delgado, what gives you the right to threaten me? I hit her today. What are you going to do about it?"

Before anyone could move, I landed two more slaps, each one harder than the last.

Delilah screamed. "Allan, save me—"

My hand was already raised for the next blow when Allan caught my wrist. In the same motion, he backhanded me across the face.

The force behind it was enormous.

I hit the floor. My elbow scraped against the ground, and I watched the blood seep from the broken skin. For a moment, all I could see was that night years ago when he'd thrown himself in front of me, taking the knife meant for my body.

He'd promised me once. As long as he was by my side, as long as he still had breath in his lungs, he would never let a single hair on my head be harmed. Never let a single tear fall.

But now...

Every last bit of this pain was delivered by his own hand.