As part one of my unsettling journey concluded, I was on the verge of confronting Alex but ultimately restrained myself. Witnessing how divorce had shattered the lives of close friends and their children, including older ones, convinced me I didn't want that fate for our daughter Emily. The potential impact on her weighed heavily on my mind, creating an inner turmoil that was hard to ignore. A sense of urgency gnawed at m...

Chaos erupted as Alex suddenly bolted from his office, sprinting out the front door, leaving a trail of smoke and tire marks behind. He vanished from the driveway without warning. Emily and I rushed to the front door in a panic, anxiety flooding the foyer as I struggled to process what had just happened to my husband of twenty years. My hand shook as I reached into my pocket, fumbling to pull out my phone to call Alex. Ju...

Just before 9:00 PM, I approached the entrance of Eagle Point, the most prestigious neighborhood in my city. My car came to a grinding halt at the gate, thanks to brakes that should have been replaced months ago. The security guard emerged from a guardhouse the size of an average middle-class home, his face marked with unmistakable judgment. Despite his attempt at politeness, he couldn’t hide his curiosity and contempt fo...

Trailing in the pungent, inescapable chlorine-scented wake of Danny, Candace reveled proudly in the jeers of passing housekeepers and couples within the claustrophobic corridor, most of whose female counterparts would have risked everything to be in her shoes in that moment. As the towering 6’2” Danny began to decelerate, Candace and Paul felt a surge of nervousness, realizing they were mere moments from reaching his room...

Marital hall passes were something only ever mentioned in the movies, or jokingly brought up between couples while in an intoxicated state. The odds of a spouse being presented with the opportunity of a random intimate encounter with Chris Hemsworth or Sydney Sweeney had been so miniscule that it was typically just something passively agreed to in the spirit of avoiding a stupid argument. Paul’s entire life began to flash...