Page 29 of My Husband’s Wife

Twenty-Eight

The Clifton House Hotel is at least twice as big as the Sea Horse.

It’s easier to get lost in here with all the staff rushing back and forth.

I check out the main ceremony room and duck behind a pillar as I see Theo speaking to the celebrant.

He’s wearing a grey suit with a waistcoat and a single pink carnation in his buttonhole.

We chose pink carnations on our big day.

The celebrant leaves so it’s just Theo and me in this vacuous room full of decorated chairs and flower arrangements.

Blood pounds through my head and my heart booms like there’s a jackhammer in my chest.

As I peer around the pillar, I’m glad his back is turned to me.

He sits on a chair in the front row. He places his head in his hands for a few seconds, then inhales loudly before standing again.

He walks up to the lectern and takes several huge breaths.

His hand reaches his chest and he does a few breathing exercises.

Hugo was a confident man, not like the man in front of me.

I can see that he’s struggling. Madison told me he had agoraphobia, but I chose to believe that he was avoiding going out because of his deception.

Then again, I’ve shown my hand by breaking into his office. Maybe that’s why he’s anxious.

He slowly lets out a breath in a vocal way. I step back behind the pillar and knock the leg of a trestle table.

‘Hello?’ he says.

The table is set up for later, when the room becomes the venue for the evening and the cake is placed there.

He clears his throat and I hold my breath, knowing that I’m about to be busted. His footsteps fall heavily on the wooden floor as he makes his way towards me.

‘I know you came to my house. I’m sick of the phone calls and the stalking.’

His footsteps get closer and closer until he’s almost upon me. I exhale and my shaking hands and the tears running down my face make me unsteady as I scramble for somewhere to hide but he’s fast.

‘You couldn’t just leave it alone and get out of my life. I gave you every chance but you asked for this. I will not let you ruin my life. I’m going to kill you.’