Chapter 3

"Ms. Winslow, your husband has asked us to add Talia Monroe to the New Year's trip and arrange a guest room for her near the primary suite." The morning after Christmas, I received a call from our travel advisor. I held my coffee cup without speaking. I had planned this trip three months ago. Every New Year's, our family vacationed in Aspen. Cole was busy with his startup this year, and Peyton was about to graduate, so I had specifically adjusted the dates to make sure everyone could come. At the time, Derek had put his arm around me and said, "No one understands this family better than you." Now he actually intended to bring his pregnant mistress along. "Did Derek contact you himself?" "Yes, yesterday morning. He said Ms. Monroe was also a member of the family and asked us to be mindful of her condition." Yesterday morning. Christmas Day. Before I even knew my husband was having an affair, he had already arranged for Talia to join our New Year's vacation. "Did he make any other requests?" "Ms. Monroe needs to avoid stairs, so we're checking the availability of rooms on the first floor. Mr. Whitaker also asked to change the seating arrangement for the family dinners." "What changes did he request?" "He said Ms. Monroe needed to sit beside him so he could take care of her." I looked at the itinerary on the dining table. It listed the restaurants Peyton wanted to visit, Cole's favorite ski runs, and the wine Derek had asked me to reserve. Talia's name was the only one missing. "Have those changes been confirmed?" "Not yet. Since you're paying for and managing the reservation, we need your final approval." "Then don't confirm them." I paused. "Cancel the trip. Process the refund according to the contract and send me an itemized statement of the fees." After ending the call, I opened my laptop and began organizing our marital records. Bank accounts, property documents, insurance policies, and tax records from the past several years. Derek's real estate company had its own finances, while I had a separate income and assets of my own. But after twelve years of marriage, we still had marital property. I couldn't make reckless decisions about any of it while I was angry. Derek came home at ten that morning. He walked into the kitchen carrying a bouquet of white roses. "Good morning, honey." He came toward me, intending to kiss me. I turned my face away. He paused before setting the flowers on the table. "Last night was a mess. I know you need time." I looked at the flowers. "How is Talia?" "She's fine. The doctor said she was just upset." "So you stayed with her all night?" "I couldn't exactly abandon a woman who's five months pregnant." He spoke as though it were the most reasonable thing in the world. I closed my laptop. "Derek, did you contact the travel advisor yesterday?" His expression shifted slightly. "How did you find out?" "She just called me." He was silent for two seconds. "I was going to discuss it with you." "You were going to discuss bringing Talia on our family vacation?" "Blair, she's carrying my child. There are a lot of things we'll all have to face together from now on." "Including having her stay in the vacation home our family rents every year?" "I just wanted to give everyone a chance to get along." I stared at him. "You even arranged for her to sit beside you." Derek frowned. "She's pregnant. What's wrong with me taking care of her?" "Then where am I supposed to sit?" He visibly faltered. "What?" "At dinner, where am I supposed to sit?" "Blair, why are you obsessing over something as trivial as a seat?" "The trip is canceled," I said. Derek's head snapped up. "What did you say?" "I canceled the reservation." "You can't do that. Cole and Peyton have been looking forward to this trip for months." "Then you can make new arrangements and take them with Talia." "Blair!" He shoved the flowers aside. "Do you have to make the children pay for what happened between us?" I looked at him. "Yesterday, you told me they couldn't lose their mother. Today, you're accusing me of punishing them because I canceled a trip." "Because everything you're doing right now is hurting this family." "Then tell me something, Derek." I stood. "When you were sleeping with Talia, did you ever consider how it might hurt this family?" He didn't answer. After a moment, he rubbed his brow. "I admit I made a mistake. But the baby already exists. I can't make Talia terminate the pregnancy." "When did I ever ask you to?" "Then what exactly do you want?" I looked at him. "I want to know whether you ever considered my feelings, even once." Derek opened his mouth. In the end, all he said was, "Blair, you know you're the one I've always loved most." I didn't answer. Derek's phone rang. Peyton's name appeared on the screen. He answered. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" I couldn't hear what Peyton said, but he glanced at me. "Yes, your mom canceled the trip." His voice was heavy with resignation. "I'll talk to her. Don't worry." After ending the call, he turned to me. "Peyton is crying. She said you've never treated her this way before." I looked at the white roses on the table. "Derek, you told Peyton I canceled the trip." "You did cancel it." "Then why didn't you tell her why?" He fell silent. In this marriage, I wasn't only expected to endure my husband's betrayal. I was also responsible for making sure everyone else remained happy. The moment I refused, I became the one destroying the family. Derek approached me and softened his voice. "Honey, stop doing this. What we have isn't worth destroying over one mistake." He reached out to embrace me. I stepped back. "Are you going out again today?" "I have a project meeting this afternoon. I might be home late." I didn't respond. Once his car had pulled out of the driveway, I reopened my laptop. The divorce firm I had found the night before was still on the screen. I called and scheduled the first available consultation after the holidays. Then I opened a rental site and began searching for an apartment that would belong to me alone.