His Secret Empire, Her Shattered Heart

I had barely stepped outside when something slammed into the side of my head.

A rock. The pain at my temple was blinding, white-hot. In the last second before consciousness slipped away, I heard a voice dripping with contempt:

"Homewrecking slut thinks she can just waltz around in public? You deserve to die!"

When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital.

The nurse told me not to be too upset. I could always have another baby.

I stared at her blankly. My hand drifted to my flat stomach, and only then did the recent changes in my body click into place.

What surged up alongside the pain was a bitter, crushing irony.

Your own child, Dirk. Was this what you wanted?

The next day, I dragged my weakened body back to the apartment, only to find my landlord standing at the door with her arms crossed and fury in her eyes.

"Get out. I don't rent to homewreckers who destroy other people's relationships!"

She would rather forfeit my deposit than let me stay another night.

I wheeled my suitcase past her, and she spat on the ground behind me.

"Disgusting! Looking all prim and proper, but you're nothing but a shameless tramp!"

Dirk called me. His voice was low, measured.

"Celeste, I never wanted us to split up. But you hurt Freda. There has to be some consequence for that."

"She's calmed down now. You can come back to Butler Group anytime. Celeste, I really do want to protect you."

I hung up. The nausea that had been building in my chest finally broke loose, and I doubled over, retching.

He probably assumed I had nowhere left to turn. That he was my only option.

What he didn't know was that I'd already been planning to leave.

I flagged down a cab headed for the airport. The post sitting in my drafts folder was already polished and ready.

Freda wasn't the only one who knew how to go public.

Laid out on a timeline, the truth was unmistakable: Freda was the real other woman. The one everyone should have been cursing.

I hit send. Then I turned and took one last look at the city I'd poured seven years of my life into.

And I boarded a plane heading south.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, an assistant burst into Dirk's office in a panic.

"Mr. Butler, Ms. Finch just posted your entire relationship timeline online!"

"She's saying Ms. Henson was the other woman!"