His Whispers in Another Tongue

I maintained a safe distance, tailing Judson's car until he pulled into a private yacht club. I followed, pulling in slowly.

Thankfully, the guard at the gate recognized my car, offering a respectful nod as he let me pass without a word.

I parked in the shadows, watching quietly through the windshield.

The moment Judson opened his car door, Rebecca rushed out of the clubhouse in a plunging red dress that left little to the imagination. She wrapped herself around him like a vine, holding him in a tight embrace.

"Darling, I saw the drone show on a livestream. I'm so jealous."

Judson patted her back affectionately. "Didn't I throw you an extravagant party on the new yacht for your birthday just last week? Half of Hollywood was there. Wasn't that enough, my little starlet?"

"Behave yourself, and don't let Camila find out," Judson murmured. "You can have everything she has. Everything but the title."

My chest tightened so much I could barely breathe. The "extravagant yacht party" flashed through my mind.

That night, Judson had told me he needed to "handle" a confidential company matter. He didn't come home.

Like a fool, I had waited up for him in our vast, empty house.

Now I finally understood. What he was "handling" was Rebecca.

"So, I'm not even allowed to be jealous now, Mr. CEO?" Rebecca pouted. "Honestly. What am I going to do with you?"

"Well, you'll have to make it up to me tonight," she purred. "I've prepared something special for you."

She leaned close and whispered something in his ear. His eyes darkened with desire.

He swept her into his arms, kissing her deeply as he strode toward the private dock and onto the massive yacht. Even from the car, I could see the triumphant smirk on her face as his lips captured hers.

They disappeared below deck.

I stayed in the car, staring at the yacht long after they were gone.

In that moment, our six-year marriage finally crumbled to dust. I thought I was numb, but tears still streamed uncontrollably down my face.

When we first got married, Judson promised we would spend every anniversary together. Now, a single phone call from Rebecca was enough to make him forget everything.

I was utterly defeated. I took a long, shuddering breath, forcing the pain down.

I just had to hold on for three more days. After that, I would shed the identity of "Mrs. Hawthorne" and become "Dr. Ross" once more.

...

It was two in the morning when I returned to the estate. I walked straight past the master bedroom and into the guest room, locking the door from the inside.

Around three-thirty, Judson burst into the house, reeking of sea breeze and another woman's perfume. When he found the master bedroom empty, he started shouting my name, his voice growing more frantic with each call.

"Camila? Camila! Damn it! Where did she go? You all get paid a fortune and can't even keep track of one person. What good are you?"

The estate manager, David Coleman, answered in a trembling voice, "Sir, Mrs. Hawthorne's car went out earlier, but it came back. She... she might be in the guest room."

His footsteps grew closer. I turned off the light, slipped under the covers, and feigned sleep, as if I'd just been woken by the noise.

The door flew open with a bang.

The moment Judson saw me, his anger instantly melted into relief. "Oh, God, Camila, you scared me to death. I thought something had happened to you!"

He rushed over and held me tightly. I could feel his heart hammering against my chest and smell the nauseating scent of Chanel No. 5.

I gently patted his back, stifling the urge to gag. "What's wrong?"

Judson kissed the top of my head, his voice tinged with fear. "Nothing. I just couldn't find you, and I panicked. Why weren't you in our bedroom?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd try a different room."

Lying was becoming frighteningly easy.

A flicker of relief crossed Judson's face. "Don't do that again. I can't stand not knowing where you are. You know I'd do anything for you."

If he really believed that, he wouldn't have been with Rebecca in the first place.

I closed my eyes and let out a cold laugh to myself, my resolve hardening like steel.

...

The next morning, I re-wrapped the Tiffany gift box. Inside, I placed three things: the miscarriage report, my wedding ring, and the divorce papers I had signed in the dead of night.

I closed the lid, tied the ribbon, and handed it to Judson at breakfast. "Judson, this is the gift I didn't get to give you last night."

He took the box, a little surprised. "Can I open it now?"

"No. Open it in two days. I want you to see it when you get back from your business trip. It'll be more special that way."

He nodded, carefully placing the box in his safe. "Whatever it is, I'll love it."

Good. That was exactly what I wanted to hear.

In two days, when he saw the contents, I would already be crossing the border. The "gift" would tell him everything.

Just as he finished speaking, the doorbell rang.

He opened the door to find Rebecca standing there, makeup-free and tear-streaked, looking pitiful and helpless.