Zuri hadn't stepped foot outside her home since that unsettling encounter with the man who looked eerily like Kevin.
She spent the next few days poring over every detail of Asher's shared calendar. The next morning, pretending to be his assistant, she called every restaurant and hotel where Asher had claimed to have business meetings and stay to verify his reservations.
The same answer kept coming back: there was no record of any reservation under Asher's or his company's name.
It felt like a punch to the gut. The calendar Asher had shared with her was a web of lies. Every hotel and every restaurant where he was supposed to have stayed or dined—none of them matched.
And it didn't stop there; it was still being updated, filling in dates for the coming month.
'What a fool I have been all these years....'
The nights he hadn't been home and had said he was travelling, he likely hadn't been at those places at all. He had planned this entire false world around her, making her believe he was being honest, that his life was an open book, and that she had nothing to fear.
Her head spun, and her breaths grew shallow as she clutched at the air, trying desperately to steady herself.
That evening, the house remained shrouded in darkness. Zuri sat on the rocking chair in her bedroom, her eyes shut tight as if, by doing so, she could escape the storm of memories replaying in her mind.
Five years of marriage played out scene by scene. Night bled into the morning, and Zuri stayed in the same spot as if the soft creak of the chair was all that kept her connected to reality.
She had only managed to sleep for two hours when the shrill ring of her phone jolted her awake. Her eyes burned from exhaustion, and she pressed them shut before forcing them open to glance at the phone on the bed.
She forced herself to stand and pick up the call.
"Hello?" she answered hoarsely.
"Good morning, wife!" Asher's familiar voice came through the haze of her thoughts. Zuri frowned in confusion and looked at the caller ID. It was indeed him.
She said nothing, waiting for the inevitable lie she was sure was coming. He was probably calling to inform her about yet another 'extended trip.'
"Hello?" Asher repeated when she didn't respond.
"You don't have to call me to inform me of your extended trip," Zuri said flatly as she ended the call without waiting for his response.
The phone rang again almost instantly, Asher's name flashing on the screen. This time, Zuri picked up but remained silent.
"I'm coming home tonight," he said, his tone too casual for her liking. "And I want to introduce Lyla to you."
'It's not that he wants to introduce me to her, but the other way around. What am I, his mom? Asher, you decided to bring another woman to our home,' she thought bitterly.
Asher continued, "I thought you should get to know my personal secretary."
The silence that followed stretched endlessly between them before Zuri spoke.
"Anything else?" Zuri asked, masking her emotions and deciding to play along.
"Yes," Asher's tone was annoyingly warm. "She loves spicy food."
Zuri sat frozen, gripping the phone tightly. He sounded like the most considerate boss, ensuring his wife knew his secretary's preferences.
"Okay," Zuri replied curtly and ended the call.
She stared at the phone for a long moment before pulling the curtains shut and heading back to bed.
******
Zuri sat at her usual spot at the dining table, where she had often waited for Asher in the past, holding onto hope that he might come home early just to see her.
Tonight was different. There was no hope, anger, simmering frustration, just calmness. She stared out the window at a shimmering city in the distance and took another sip of wine. It was her second bottle of the evening.
The sound of the front door opening echoed through the quiet house. She placed her wine glass back on the table. With elegance, she stood. She wanted to look her best and beautiful tonight. She spent three hours looking perfect; her posture was steady despite the storm.
The maid greeted Asher, taking his bag and offering house slippers to him and their guest.
Zuri stood calm, but her fast heartbeat told otherwise. She was about to meet the woman who had stolen Asher's heart or, more likely, one of the many women who had captured his fleeting attention.
She wasn't sure anymore if Asher had ever loved her or if he had simply carried on his playboy habits under the guise of marriage.
Footsteps grew closer, and her heart thundered in her chest.
Asher entered first, his bright smile aimed at her as he pulled her into a casual hug. She didn't return it, nor did her eyes follow him. Instead, her gaze locked on the woman behind him—Lyla.
Lyla was the very picture of innocence, her presence disarmingly pure. Everything about her, from her delicate features to her modest demeanour, screamed untainted perfection. With striking blue eyes that sparkle like the ocean and soft, flowing brown hair, she possesses a beauty reminiscent of a Barbie effortlessly charming.
Zuri bit the inside of her cheek to keep from scowling, maintaining the composed smile she had mastered today. She stepped out of Asher's embrace, putting distance between them, and extended her hand to Lyla.
"I'm Zuri Voss."
Lyla shook her hand with a soft, polite smile. "Hello, Mrs. Voss. I'm Lyla Rewen."
"The Rewen Group?" Zuri's brow furrowed slightly as she searched for an answer.
"Yes, Mrs. Voss. My father is the chairman of the Rewen Group," Lyla replied in her delicate and sweet voice.
Lyla glanced shyly at Asher, her cheeks flushing. "Thanks to my father, Mr. Voss agreed to mentor me," she added, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a gesture that seemed natural yet too perfect.
Zuri's chest tightened, her smile frozen in place. Inside, she scoffed. 'Of course. Why wouldn't she flaunt her feelings when Asher himself brought her home?'
Her fists clenched briefly at her sides before she forced them to relax.
"Please, sit, Lyla. I have prepared 'Spicy food,' as per your preference," Zuri said, gesturing toward the table. "Your boss truly cares for you."
The maid brought out the dishes, filling the air with the aroma of spices. Zuri sat back in her chair, not sparing Asher a single glance. Her eyes either stayed on Lyla or fixed on her own plate.
Lyla's effortless beauty made her chest ache. Zuri couldn't help comparing herself. She felt the heat rising in her body, her legs trembling under the table. She wasn't close to matching Lyla's youth or captivating charm.
She poured herself another glass of wine, sipping it steadily. The bitterness seeping deeper into her soul.
It did not take longer for Asher to pick up on Zuri's frosty demeanour right from the start. During the entire dinner, she didn't cast a single glance his way. Every time he tried to engage her in conversation, she had merely glance at Lyla with a polite smile before returning her focus to her plate.
He smiled inwardly.
When dinner ended, Asher invited Lyla to stay for a while longer to enjoy some wine, hoping to extend the evening.
"I'm sorry, I have plans," Zuri announced abruptly, standing from her chair. Her voice was steady, but her movements betrayed her discomfort. "You two go ahead. I must leave. Have a good time!"
Asher's eyes narrowed on Zuri. Before he could respond, Zuri grabbed her purse and began walking toward the door. She needed to escape this suffocating atmosphere that threatened to choke her. Another minute in that room, and she feared she might either faint or lash out in a way she would regret.
As she reached the door, the force of Asher's pull brought her to a halt, their faces inches apart. His expression darkened as he caught the overpowering scent of alcohol clinging to her.
"Where do you think you are going?" His voice was low, almost a growl.
Zuri tried to tug her hand free, but his grip tightened. "I told you, I have plans," she said, her voice sharper now.
Asher's jaw clenched. "You don't have friends to make any plans."
The words hit Zuri, and she felt the sting of truth behind them. For years, her world had revolved solely around him. She did not need anyone; Asher was the only one to complete her life.
She tilted her chin up defiantly, meeting his piercing gaze. "I do now," she lied.
Asher's grip faltered for a brief moment, his brow furrowing in disbelief.
Zuri seized the opportunity, yanking her hand free. "Please," she said coldly, "don't make a scene in front of your Lyla." and she stormed out.