Chapter 2 Two

Valentina Pov

My fingers tightened around my phone. The words blurred for a second before snapping back into focus.

I couldn’t believe what I’d just read. A chill crawled down my spine. This had to be a joke—a cruel prank.

I looked up. Julian was still smiling for the cameras, his arm secure around my waist as another round of flashes lit up the night.

He looked… relaxed. Innocent. This had to be a mistake. Julian wouldn’t…

“Val?”His voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Everything okay?”

I swallowed hard and locked my phone before slipping it back into my clutch.

“Yeah.” My voice sounded thinner than I intended. “Just a work message.” His eyes lingered on my face for a beat, as though trying to decide whether he believed me.

Then he smiled. “You work too much.”

I forced a laugh, praying it didn’t sound as fake as it felt. One of the photographers waved us over.

“Mr. and Mrs. Wilder! One last picture!”

Julian leaned closer, his lips brushing my temple.“Come on,” he murmured. “Let’s give them something worth printing.”

I smiled because I didn’t know what else to do.

The cameras flashed again. Anyone looking at us would see the perfect couple. No one would notice the way my hand trembled around my clutch.

No one would know that, in the space of a few seconds, someone had planted a seed of doubt that refused to let go.

My phone vibrated for the third time.

I didn’t have to look. I already knew it was the same number. I told myself to ignore it.  Whoever was behind the messages was looking for a reaction, and I refused to give them one.

Another flash lit up the entrance. Julian smiled effortlessly, his arm still around my waist as though nothing in the world could touch us.

I smiled too. .. But it felt forced. Like I was wearing someone else’s face.

“Thank you,” one of the photographers called out. “That’s perfect.”

The moment we stepped away from the cameras, I slipped my hand out of Julian’s grasp.

“I need to use the restroom,” I said, trying to steady my voice 

He frowned. “We just got here.”

“I know. I’ll only be a minute.”

His expression softened. “Alright. I’ll go find Richard while you’re gone.”

“I’ll meet you inside,” I said, forcing a smile on my face again. 

He leaned down and kissed my forehead before disappearing into the growing crowd.

I waited. One second. Then two, then three. Only when I was certain he wasn’t looking back did I pull my phone from my clutch.

The screen lit up instantly.

Unknown Number

I thought you would tell him about the text; guess you don't trust him either.

My breath caught.

How… How did they know that? My eyes darted around the entrance. Guests laughed as they greeted one another. Valets hurried from one luxury car to the next. Photographers shouted for another celebrity couple to look their way.

Everyone looked… normal. Yet whoever sent the text was watching me 

The phone vibrated again.

Don’t bother looking around. You won't find me

A cold shiver ran through me. Whoever this was could see me.

They were close. My fingers hovered over the keyboard before I finally typed.

Who is this?

The reply came immediately.

Someone trying to save you.

I stared at the message, my pulse hammering against my ribs.

Another vibration.

If you want the truth, check your husband's GPS history for Thursday on his phone  and thank me later

I stared at the screen until it dimmed.

Check Julian’s GPS history? My first instinct was to laugh. Cause this wasn't funny anymore.

Whoever was behind these messages had clearly done their homework. They knew exactly how to get under my skin. I wasn’t going to let a stranger destroy twelve years of marriage with a few anonymous texts. I was going to prove this bastard wrong. 

I slipped my phone into my clutch and switched it to silent before taking a slow, steadying breath.

Pull yourself together, Val.

Whatever this was, it could wait. Julian wouldn't. 

I forced my feet to move, weaving through clusters of guests until I spotted my father near the center of the ballroom. He was laughing at something one of the board members had said, a glass of champagne balanced effortlessly in his hand.

“Dad.”

His face brightened the moment he saw me.

“There’s my beautiful girl.” He pulled me into a quick hug before holding me at arm’s length. “You’re as beautiful as your mother was.”

A lump formed in my throat. “Thank you, Dad.”

“You're welcome.” He smiled. “Now, where’s that husband of yours?”

I glanced across the ballroom. “There.”

Julian stood a few feet away, deep in conversation with a group of investors. He laughed at something one of them said, looking every bit the confident businessman everyone admired.

“If you’ll excuse me,” I said.

Dad nodded. “We’ll talk later, my dear.”

I made my way toward Julian, forcing a smile onto my face before he noticed me.

“There you are,” he said, resting a hand on my waist. “I was wondering where you disappeared to.”

“I was saying hello to Dad.”

He nodded before turning back to the guests. “Gentlemen, this is my wife, Valentina.”

After exchanging a few polite greetings, I gently touched Julian’s arm.

“Honey…” I said softly. I took a deep breath. I wasn’t accusing him. I was just proving a stranger wrong.

He looked at me.

“Would you mind if I borrowed your phone for a minute?” I asked

His brows pulled together. “Why? What happened?”

I let out a nervous laugh. “I think my phone’s been stolen.”

“What?” His voice rose just enough to catch the attention of the people standing nearby. “How?”

“I… I don’t know.”

His expression tightened.

“Come on, Val.” He shook his head with a small sigh. “You’re being a little careless.”

“I know.” I forced an embarrassed smile. “I just need to call it. And I need to ask Sarah to back up my emails and log me out before anyone gets into it. There are important company files on there.”

For a second, I thought he’d refuse. Instead, he reached into the inside pocket of his tuxedo and handed me his phone.

“Here.”

Relief washed over me so quickly I almost let it show. “Thanks.” I turned the phone over in my hands.

“It’s locked. What's the password?”

Julian glanced at the investors waiting for him before looking back at me. His smile never slipped.

Then he leaned down, close enough for only me to hear. “The password is…” he whispered against my ear.

He straightened before anyone could notice.

“Go make the call,” he said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll be right here.”

I waited until I was out of Julian’s sight before ducking into a quiet hallway just outside the ballroom. The music faded behind me, replaced by the low hum of the hotel’s air conditioning.

My pulse refused to slow.  This was ridiculous.

I was standing in a hotel hallway, about to search my husband’s phone because of a few anonymous text messages from someone I didn’t even know.

I unlocked the screen. For a moment, I just stared at it.

I could still stop. I could lock the phone, walk back into the ballroom, hand it to Julian, and laugh at myself for letting a stranger get inside my head.

My thumb hovered over the screen. 

Then I remembered the message.

I swallowed. “One look,” I whispered to myself. “That’s all.”

I wasn’t trying to catch my husband cheating.

I was proving a stranger wrong. With a shaky breath, I opened the Maps app. For a second, I wasn’t sure where to look.

Then I found the location history. My finger hesitated before I selected Thursday.

A list of places appeared.

Our house, Wilder Capital. Then one address I didn’t recognize.

My brow knitted together.

It wasn’t one of our properties. It wasn’t the office. It wasn’t any restaurant or hotel I could remember him mentioning.

Maybe it was a client. I tapped on it. The visit had started at 7:12 p.m. He hadn’t left until almost midnight.

A knot formed in my stomach. There had to be a reasonable explanation. I went back and selected the previous Thursday.

The same address. My heartbeat quickened.

I checked the Thursday before that. The same address.

Again. And again. Every Thursday for the past several months.

My mouth suddenly felt dry.

What was so important about that place?. Just as I was about to check another week, a banner notification slid across the top of the screen.

Camille: Can’t wait to see you tonight, baby. 

The world around me fell silent.