Chapter 1 - MADISON?
Claire Bennett slapped Ryan so hard his head snapped sideways.
He stood in the middle of their modern living room, stunned, one hand rising toward his cheek.
Beside him stood a woman in a black dress.
Head lowered.
Long hair hiding most of her face.
Claire pointed at her.
“YOU CHEATED ON ME?!”
Ryan reached toward Claire.
“Claire—”
She slapped his hand away and shoved him backward.
Then moved straight toward the woman.
“LOOK AT ME!”
The woman lowered her head further.
Claire’s rage sharpened.
She grabbed both of the woman’s shoulders and spun her around.
Still the woman stared at the floor.
Ryan rushed forward.
“CLAIRE, STOP!”
Claire whipped toward him.
“STAY BACK!”
He froze.
Claire turned again.
Grabbed the woman under the chin.
Forced her face upward.
“LOOK ME IN THE EYES!”
The woman’s face rose.
Claire stopped breathing.
The fury left first.
Then color.
Then certainty.
“No…”
Ryan lowered his head.
The woman finally looked directly at Claire.
Tears already gathering.
Claire took one step back.
Then another.
Her mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Finally:
“Madison…?”
Her younger sister.
Twenty-seven years old.
The person Claire had defended since childhood.
The woman who had sat beside her at her wedding.
The woman who had held Claire’s hand when their mother died.
Madison whispered:
“I’m sorry.”
Claire laughed once.
A broken sound.
Then looked at Ryan.
“How long?”
He answered too slowly.
Claire turned back to Madison.
“How long?”
Madison said:
“Eight months.”
Claire stared.
Eight months.
Ryan and Madison had shared holidays.
Birthdays.
Family dinners.
Claire had hosted both of them in this room.
Eight months.
Claire picked up the nearest framed photograph.
Their wedding photo.
Then stopped herself from throwing it.
She set it down instead.
Ryan said:
“Claire, we need to talk.”
She looked at him.
“No.”
“Please.”
“No.”
Madison wiped her face.
“There’s more.”
Claire’s eyes moved to her.
“What could possibly be more?”
Ryan said:
“Not here.”
Claire almost laughed.
“This is my house.”
Madison looked at Ryan.
That glance mattered.
Claire saw it.
The affair was not the only secret.
Then Ryan’s phone lit up on the coffee table.
A notification.
BENNETT LAKE RESORT — EXECUTION PACKAGE READY.
Claire looked at the screen.
Then at her sister.
The heartbreak changed shape.
May you like
“What execution package?”
Neither answered.
