Chapter 3 - THE HOUSE IN PALM SPRINGS
Three days later, I received a message from Melanie Harper.
Hi Claire! Hope you're doing okay with Lucas away. Long-distance marriage must be so difficult.
I stared at the screen.
The nerve.
I considered ignoring her.
Then I replied.
Thank you, Melanie. I'm adjusting.
She answered immediately.
Lucas says you're incredibly strong.
I almost laughed.
Of course he did.
Strong enough to pay the mortgage.
Strong enough to wait.
Strong enough to be fooled.
I typed:
That's kind of him.
Later that afternoon, Eleanor called.
“We've confirmed the Palm Springs lease exists.”
I closed my eyes.
“And?”
“Lucas and Melanie are listed as tenants.”
I swallowed.
“Do we know when they moved in?”
“Not yet.”
I looked toward the window.
The Colorado mountains stood beyond the city.
For six years, I'd believed Lucas loved our life here.
Now I realized he'd been planning another one.
That evening, I opened our shared calendar.
Lucas had entered reminders for Switzerland.
Flight schedules.
Business meetings.
Video calls.
Every detail designed to look convincing.
I stared at the calendar.
Then noticed something.
His supposed Zurich apartment address was missing.
No street.
No building number.
No lease.
Just a vague note:
Corporate housing.
I smiled bitterly.
He had planned every lie except the ones I'd eventually question.
I closed the calendar.
Then opened a new document.
At the top, I typed:
May you like
My Life After Lucas.
For the first time in years, I began making plans that didn't include my husband.
