Sarah Cadwell sat hunched in the plush leather chair of Rachel Donovan's office, her auburn hair falling like a curtain over her face, shielding her hazel eyes from the world. The dim light of the late afternoon filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the room, a reflection of the darkness seeping into her heart. Her olive-toned hands, trembling slightly, clutched a crumpled tissue, the faint freckles on her cheeks stark against her pale, tear-streaked skin.
After the discovery yesterday, she came back home, really depressed, her life felt colourless and she felt dead inside as she followed her daily routine like a Zombie.
Finally going to the bedroom to sleep, she stared at David's phone, wondering how many more secrets lay within, then a single message notification from an unsaved number lit the screen; The message was obviously from Lisa Hargrove—"Can't wait for tomorrow, babe. She'll never suspect a thing"—haunted her, a reminder of the betrayal that had robbed her of sleep throughout the night, they were probably already together now. The revelation that her husband, David Cadwell, was entangled with her best friend had shattered the trust she'd built over years, a trust rooted in a past she'd clung to for safety.
Sarah's childhood had been a nightmare until her parents' car crash when she was twelve. Her spirit was bruised by years of their abuse—her drunk father's fists, her mother's cold indifference. But salvation came when she moved to State R to live with her grandmother, Mrs. Ellis Grayson from her mother's side. There, she was showered with love, her granny's warm embrace and lilac-scented hugs mending the wounds of her past. It was Mrs. Ellis who introduced her to David, the son of her close friend, a struggling young entrepreneur just starting Cadwell Enterprises. Back then, David was different—lean but earnest, his cold gray eyes softened by ambition, his dark blond hair often mussed from late nights building his company. They would usually hang out at community picnics or share quiet dinners at Mrs. Ellis's modest home, and over time, love blossomed. His persistence helped her overcome her fear of men, and they married when Cadwell Enterprises was still a fledgling company. But now, that past felt like a lie, the explicit messages and Lisa's voice a dagger to the life they'd built together.
She hadn't confronted David. Her trauma-induced timidity held her back, a vise tightening around her throat at the thought of his sneer or the crooked nose twitching with disdain. Instead, she'd sought solace in the only remaining friend she trusted—Rachel Donovan, her lawyer and confidante. Rachel, with her sharp features and dark ponytail, leaned forward, her voice carrying the authority of a seasoned advocate.
"Sarah, I know this cuts deep," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "But if you want a divorce, you need more than a phone call, a text and a few photos, David's a powerful man now—his lawyers will crush you without solid evidence. Hire a private investigator. Let them dig deeper, in secret. We'll build a case he can't escape."
Sarah nodded, her full lips pressed into a thin line. The idea of secrecy suited her introverted nature, as she dreaded confrontation. [I can't face him], she thought, her mind was in turmoil. [What if he denies it? What if he turns on me, like my father did?] The memory of her fathers' rage flashed before her eyes.
Yet, a flicker of defiance stirred—I deserve better than this betrayal, after all Granny helped me build. Rachel's advice felt like a lifeline, a way to reclaim control without breaking under the weight of her past.
Rachel handed her a business card for a discreet investigator, her eyes softening. "Keep this quiet, Sarah. David can't know you're onto him. We'll get the proof—financial records, hotel stays, whatever it takes. You'll walk away with what's yours."
Sarah tucked the card into her pocket, her mind racing. [What's mine?] she wondered, thinking of the $200 million David had hidden. The sum, uncovered in his financial records, now seemed like the fruit of his deceit, funding a double life she'd never suspected. She left the office, her emerald-green dress a stark contrast to her subdued demeanor, and returned to the Cadwell Mansion, where David's snores filled at night after his return from "work" —a sound that now grated like a lie from the man she'd once believed in.
Over the next few days, the private investigator, a shadowy figure named James, worked in silence. Sarah avoided David, her timidity keeping her interactions brief and polite, her hazel green eyes avoiding his gaze. The mansion, once a symbol of their shared struggle and success, felt like a prison, its opulent chandeliers and marble floors a reminder of the life she'd helped build, now tainted by his infidelity. Her internal struggle intensified—part of her yearned to confront Lisa, to demand why her friend had stabbed her in the back, but the fear of ridicule, of being alone again like after her parents' death, held her back. [What if Rachel's wrong? What if I'm overreacting, misjudging the man Granny trusted?] The doubts gnawed at her, echoing her childhood insecurities, yet the evidence of that Bluetooth call and the text message was as clear as the blue sky on a sunny day and that fueled her resolve.
James delivered his first report a week later, on February 22, 2025, meeting Sarah in a quiet café near Elm Street, close to Mrs. Ellis's home. The investigator, a wiry man with a scarred face, slid a manila envelope across the table. "Mrs. Cadwell," he said, his voice low, "your husband's been busy. This goes deeper than you thought."
Sarah's hands shook as she opened the envelope, her breath catching. Inside were photos, receipts, and call logs detailing David's serial infidelity. A beachside apartment in State D, which was rented under a shell company, served as a love nest for one of one of his favorite mistresses. Hotel bookings in cities across the country in different States—correlated with his so called "business trips," each stay accompanied by charges for room service and lingerie. The timeline goes as far back in years, long before Lisa even entered the picture, even before Cadwell Enterprises stabilized. One photo showed David with a blonde woman, her face obscured, leaving a hotel in a red dress .
Her stomach churned as she read further. Most of David's so-called business travels to "secure deals" when the company was struggling—were rendezvous with various lovers. A spreadsheet listed dates and locations: a weekend in State V with a brunette shortly after their marriage, a week in State C with a redhead during a period of hardship, when life was hard and they could barely afford the essentials, all while Sarah waited at home, believing in his dedication to their future.
The $200 million he'd hidden wasn't just for tax evasion—it was used to fund his wayward lifestyle, paying for apartments, gifts, and silence.
[All these while he must have been laughing at my stupidity,] she thought, her chest tightening with a mix of rage and humiliation. The timid girl inside her wanted to curl up and disappear, to avoid the pain of facing this cold hard truth, especially knowing her grandmother had vouched for him. But the woman she was turning into, pushed back. [I won't let him get away with it.]
The familiarity of Lisa's voice from the Bluetooth call haunted her again, This was an undeniable and sinister confirmation, the betrayal cut very deeply. Lisa, one of her two only friends, had been with her a long time till the moment she introduced David to her, perhaps even before David's company took off. The thought of confronting her friend twisted her gut, her introversion warring with a growing need for justice. [How could she betray me?] she wondered, as tears threatened to pour out of her. Yet, the evidence of David's broader infidelity shifted her focus— She realized that Lisa was just one piece of a larger puzzle, a puzzle that stretched back to the days when she and David were already serious in their relationship.
She thanked James, her voice barely a whisper, and left the café, the envelope clutched to her chest. The walk to her grandmother's home was a blur, her mind filled with a storm of conflicting emotions. Part of her wanted to run to David and demand for answers, but her childhood trauma—her father's rage, her mother's abandonment—kept her silent. I can't face him alone, she thought, leaning on Rachel's advice. The investigator's findings were a weapon, but she needed more—proof of the $200 million, concrete ties to Lisa, something to ensure David couldn't bury her in court with his wealth.
At Mrs. Ellis's, the elderly woman with her lilac cardigan and wise eyes greeted her with a hug. "You look troubled, dear," Mrs. Ellis said, her voice a balm to Sarah's frayed nerves. Sarah forced a smile, hiding the envelope. "Just tired, Granny," she lied, her timidity shielding her pain. Inside, she resolved to stay quiet, to let James dig deeper. [I'll tell granny later] she thought.
That night, back at the mansion, David sat in his study, oblivious, his snores later filling the silence. Sarah lay awake, thinking about the investigator's report, her mind replaying the beachside apartment, the hotel rooms, Lisa's voice. The timid girl she'd been wanted to forgive, to forget, to honor the man Granny had introduced, but the woman she was becoming knew better. He's been cheating for years, she thought, her resolve hardening.
David had destroyed their marriage with his own two hands, his habitual infidelity showed that being with multiple women was in his nature and such nature cannot be changed easily. What if he had contracted an incurable disease and transmitted it to her, the thought of that made her skin crawl with disgust, she remembered when she used to hear stories of wives who fell sick because their spouse was unfaithful. A woman in particular felt sick repeatedly and kept going for treatments to no avail, it was only after they ran thorough tests, did they discover she had HIV/AIDS but by then it was too late, but the funny thing was that the husband already knew what he had and had been going for treatment while keeping his wife in the dark. Sarah did not want to end up like this, the emotional trauma from having a cheating spouse was already too much for her to handle. With this thought she resolved to go through with the divorce no matter what and when the time came, she'd take what belonged to her—leaving David Cadwell with his biggest regret.