Chapter 2 - The Model in the Red Dress
Sienna Vale entered their lives at the Northstar charity gala.
She was a successful fashion model with millions of social media followers and a growing reputation for promoting healthcare charities. Northstar’s public relations director suggested hiring her as the face of an awareness campaign.
Amber met her in a hotel ballroom beneath a ceiling covered in crystal lights.
Sienna wore a red dress and moved through the crowd as if cameras followed her even when none were visible.
She was beautiful, but what Amber noticed first was how familiar she seemed with Kenton.
When Amber approached them, Kenton’s hand dropped quickly from Sienna’s lower back.
“Amber,” he said. “You made it.”
It was a strange thing to say to his wife at their company’s event.
Sienna offered a bright smile.
“I’ve heard so much about you.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Amber replied.
Kenton laughed too loudly.
Throughout dinner, he barely looked at Amber. He watched Sienna from across the ballroom, checking his phone whenever she checked hers.
Amber left early because pregnancy-related nausea had returned.
Kenton did not come home that night.
At six the next morning, he sent a message claiming he had fallen asleep in a hotel conference room after meeting investors.
Amber did not accuse him.
She asked the hotel for a copy of their event invoice because Northstar had paid for several rooms.
One suite had been charged to Kenton.
Room service for two had been delivered at 1:17 a.m.
When Kenton returned home, Amber placed the invoice on the kitchen table.
He looked at it and sighed.
“You went through company records to investigate me?”
“Were you with Sienna?”
“This is exactly why I didn’t tell you. You’re emotional because of the pregnancy.”
“Answer the question.”
He poured himself a glass of water.
“We were discussing the campaign.”
“In a hotel suite?”
“She had too much champagne. I made sure she was safe.”
“Did you sleep with her?”
Kenton set down the glass.
His silence answered first.
Then he said, “Our marriage has been failing for a long time.”
Amber felt the room tilt.
“No, it hasn’t.”
“You haven’t noticed because you only care about the laboratory.”
“I built that laboratory. I built the product paying for this apartment.”
“And I built the company around it.”
“We built it together.”
Kenton looked almost annoyed by the statement.
“You stopped being my partner months ago.”
“I’m carrying your child.”
“That doesn’t solve our problems.”
“What problems?”
“You don’t support me. You question every decision. You make investors uncomfortable. And now you’re going to disappear for months when the baby comes.”
Amber stared at him.
“So that’s what this is about.”
“It’s about reality.”
“No. It’s about you believing my pregnancy makes me easier to replace.”
Kenton reached into his briefcase and placed a thick envelope beside the hotel invoice.
Divorce papers.
Already prepared.
Amber looked from the documents to his face.
“How long have you had these?”
“A few weeks.”
“Before the gala?”
He did not answer.
Amber rested one hand over her barely visible belly.
“Are you leaving me for her?”
“I’m choosing a life that makes sense.”
“And your child?”
“I’ll provide financial support.”
The coldness of the sentence stunned her more than the affair.
Amber slowly closed the envelope.
“You should leave.”
“This apartment is in both our names.”
“Then I’ll leave.”
She packed one suitcase.
By noon, she was sitting in a taxi with her laboratory laptop, three notebooks, and the ultrasound photograph Kenton had never asked to see.
As the car pulled away, she noticed Sienna entering the building.
May you like
The model carried an overnight bag.
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