[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260313014099-49":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},49,1,"Chapter 1: The Perfect Facade","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">From school uniforms to a wedding gown, Archer and I seemed to have the ultimate fairy tale.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">We were the couple everyone else aspired to be.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Little did they know, I was the only one privy to the real story. Two years into our marriage, barely two months pregnant, I stumbled upon his dirty little secret: an affair.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">---\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The clock struck noon as I exited the gallery.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Even through the throng of people, my eyes zeroed in on the familiar Maybach gleaming by the curb.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer spotted me and was out of the car in a flash, practically power-walking my way.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He snatched my bag, his voice dripping with what sounded like a complaint.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Why'd you brave the gallery solo?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It's a zoo in here. What if you got bumped and hurt the baby? We agreed I'd take you when I had a free day.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I just smiled and shook my head, mumbling something about being bored outta my skull at home and needing to get out.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer didn't say much, but his vibe was definitely off.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He just promised to clear his schedule once his current project was wrapped so we could hang out more.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">If I hadn't seen those incriminating texts with some other chick, I might have actually felt a pang of something – maybe guilt, maybe concern.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But now? It just made me want to gag.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">We hit up our usual private spot for lunch. Archer, bless his heart, ordered all my favorite local dishes.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">My taste buds lean towards the delicate, while Archer’s are all about the rich and savory.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Ever since we first got together, Archer’s been toning down his food game to match mine.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">And after I got pregnant? It was on a whole new level.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Seriously, I couldn't recall the last time I’d seen him indulge in the hearty grub he actually loved.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Anyone watching us would have sworn Archer was wrapped around my little finger, that I was his absolute world.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">From the mundane to my personal quirks, he always put me first.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">His business buddies would often crack jokes like, \"We've all heard the legends of how Mr. Edwards spoils his wife, but seeing it firsthand? Now we get it. Dude's seriously devoted.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The thought brought a silent, cold chuckle to my lips.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Who could actually see the truth when it wasn't spoon-fed to them?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When the food arrived, Archer, in true form, scooped a piece of my favorite scallop into my bowl.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I paused, took a tiny bite, and nodded.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Only then did he dig in, all the while continuing his server duties for me.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">By the end of the meal, I was stuffed, but Archer had barely made a dent in his own plate.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer’s phone buzzed, and he excused himself, stepping out of our private room.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I couldn't pinpoint when it started, but he'd begun making a production out of stepping away for calls.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I leaned back, watching his silhouette disappear.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A dull ache started to bloom in my chest.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After lunch, Archer insisted on driving me home.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He had office stuff to deal with and needed to head back before the afternoon was over.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I stood at the grand entrance of our villa, watching his car shrink down the long driveway.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The second it was out of sight, I bolted for the bathroom, my body heaving as the sounds of my retching bounced off the tiled walls.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I purged everything I'd just forced down.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A frantic knock at the door jolted me.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"...Ma'am? Ma'am, are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I plastered on a fake smile and opened the door.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It's nothing, just some morning sickness.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Oh dear, should we call the doctor? I'll ring Mr. Edwards right away...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The housekeeper was in full panic mode, already reaching for her phone.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The mere thought of Archer sent another wave of nausea crashing over me, a sharp twinge in my lower abdomen making me fight the urge to hurl again.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I waved her off firmly, assuring her I was fine, and retreated to our room.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">On the nightstand, a framed photo sat, a relic from a happier time.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It was from Archer's graduation, the very moment he popped the question.\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272931262]