Falling for my Husband's Rival

Sarah's POV Ms. Harlow suddenly gripped my shoulder, forcing me down with unyielding pressure. My knees slammed against the hard tiles, the dull thud sending a sharp sting shooting up my legs. “On your knees,” she hissed close to my ear, her voice cold and unforgiving. “Apologize to Mr. Adrian. Now.” The boutique erupted in chuckles, my colleagues trying to hold back laughter, and people passing by stopped to stare, giggling. My face instantly turned bright red from the heat of shame. I stared at the floor, my throat feeling tight and dry. I was a mother, a wife, and a human being, but here, I was being treated like a dog. My throat tightened as the words forced their way out. “I… I’m sorry, Mr. Adrian…” They barely made it past my lips. “Thats enough.” His voice was quiet, but it carried a weight that cut clean through the room. Ms. Harlow’s hand went rigid on my shoulder, then slipped away at once. “It’s fine.” He turned to Ms. Harlow, the look in his eyes saying far more than words ever could. I lifted my gaze, just enough to catch his dangerously handsome face. There was no anger there, only a sharp edge of annoyance, and it wasn’t directed at me. “No one’s getting fired. You may go, Ms. Harlow,” he said calmly. Ms. Harlow blinked rapidly, as if she’d just been struck. “Yes… of course, sir. Thank you… you’re too kind.” She stepped back at once, hurriedly smoothing down her expensive dress, though her hands trembled enough to betray her composure. For a fleeting second, her gaze dropped to me—sharp, venomous, filled with undisguised hatred. “Take care of him,” she snapped. Then, without waiting for a response, she turned and fled to her office. I pushed myself upright on unsteady legs, my body still trembling. I tried to straighten my uniform, but my fingers fumbled uselessly, refusing to cooperate. My heart pounded hard against my ribs, each beat loud in my ears. “I… I’m so sorry,” I said again, my head bowed as the words scraped out of my dry throat. “Do you really have memory problems?” The question made me flinch. I glanced up and shook my head quickly. “No… no, sir. I just–” My voice faltered. “I’m not feeling very well today.” “Then why are you working if you are sick?” “It just started,” I said, nervously scratching the back of my head. He didn't speak for a beat. He simply stood there, watching me. “Call me Adrian,” he said finally. The words caught me off guard, sending my thoughts into a brief spiral. Why would a man like him want me to use his first name? “Oh… okay,” I breathed. Suddenly, Penelope, my colleague pushed her way in, a bright, practiced smile already in place as she smoothed her hair. “Hi, Mr. Adrian,” she said sweetly, her voice coated in honey. “I can help you with anything you need. Sarah is a bit slow today.” Mr. Adrian didn’t even glance at her. His attention stayed firmly on me. “As you can see,” he said, voice edged with ice, “I already have someone assisting me.” Penelope’s smile faltered, slipping out of place. Her eyes shifted to me sharply. “Don’t keep your children waiting, Sarah,” she snapped, loud enough for nearby ears to catch. “Help Mr. Adrian and then go home to your husband. He’s waiting, isn’t he?” Her words landed hard, knocking the breath out of me for a moment. It reminded me of the card, and the lie I was living. She gave me a dismissive once-over, turned sharply on her heel, and walked away. Mr. Adrian flicked his wrist. The huge guy stepped forward, picked up my things, and handed them to me without a word. “Thank you,” I whispered to the guy, holding my bag tight against my chest like a shield. Mr. Adrian's gaze lingered, the silence thick between us, till he finally asked, “You are married?” Voice softer now, laced with curiosity. I waited a second, then nodded. “Ye... yes, sir. Sorry, Mr. Adrian.” "And children?” I thought of Ethan and Lily, my chest tightening with a quiet ache. “Yes,” I said softly. He nodded slowly. “Oh. Okay.” Then, he stepped back, giving me space. “Go home to them. I’ll find someone else to attend to me. You look like you need to rest.” He started to walk past me, then paused, just long enough for his hand to brush lightly against my shoulder. The contact was brief, but it sent a sharp, electric jolt through me, unexpected and unsettling. My pulse jumped, my breath catching as though something had shifted before I could understand it. I stood there, rooted in place, feeling oddly frozen. Then the memory of the black card flashed in my mind again—the name SEAN MILLER in gold letters, the woman called Valerie, and her vacation. The pain returned so sharply it stole my breath. I didn’t hesitate. I turned and walked straight out of Lumière House. Outside, the world felt gray and cold as I made my way home, my eyes fixed on the cracked sidewalk. I didn’t notice the shops or the people passing by. Every step felt endless, as though my body was moving while my spirit dragged behind Could it be another Sean? I asked myself over and over. Is it possible there is another man with the same name and the same bank code? Questions flared in my head like a wildfire, with no water to put them out. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t realize where I was going. HONK! A sharp blast of a car horn shattered through my daze, right beside my ear. I gasped, stumbling back in panic as I realized I’d stepped into the middle of a busy road without even noticing. “Crazy bitch!” a man yelled, pushing his car door wide open and leaning out. He looked at me like I was a piece of trash. “Maybe hitting your skull off would’ve been better for the world!" “I’m so sorry!” I called out, my voice lost in the wind as I clutched my bag tightly and ran toward the sidewalk, my heart hammering in my throat. “Sorry to yourself!” he snapped from the car, slamming the door shut before speeding off without another glance. I stood on the sidewalk for minutes, shaking, and watched his car disappear down the road. I got home a few minutes later. The dim hallway always carried the smell of old grease mixed with harsh cleaning chemicals. I walked to Flat 24 and knocked softly, my hand feeling weak against the door. The door open opened almost immediately Ethan was there first, throwing his small arms around my waist, bouncing with pure excitement. Lily stood just behind him, her little face lighting up like a bulb the moment she saw me. “Hey Mom,” Ethan grinned, “how was work today?” I carried Lily and felt her small arms around my neck. She pecked my cheek and my heart broke into a million pieces just looking at my kids. They deserved the whole world, yet I couldn't even give them a proper meal. “It was good, Eth,” I murmured, forcing a smile. “Is Dad home?” “Yeah, Mom, he got home not too long ago,” Ethan said, taking my heavy bag from me, already trying to act like the man of the house as he led the way into the sitting room. “Just stay with Lily, I need to freshen up. I'll be with you guys shortly,” I told him, grabbed my bag back and walked toward the bedroom. The room was a total mess—clothes scattered across the bed, the sheets crumpled and half-hanging off the side. And there was Sean, standing over a large, expensive-looking suitcase made of dark leather with silver buckles. I’d never seen it before in my life. “You’re back,” he said without looking at me. He slammed the suitcase shut and locked it in one quick motion. “Yeah.” I stood by the door, watching him, waiting, holding onto a tiny bit of hope. Praying he wouldn’t give me any reason to confirm my fears. Sean had a tired expression on his face as he sighed loudly and rubbed his forehead like he was in pain. “Sarah… work is really tough right now. I have to travel tomorrow for a business trip,” he said, still avoiding my eyes as he fumbled with his phone. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but I’ll let you know when I can.” His voice sounded just too calm for someone sharing stressful news. Suddenly, Valerie’s happy words came back to my head; Just shopping for our vacation tomorrow... She was going on a vacation tomorrow. And now Sean was saying he's going on a ‘business trip' the same tomorrow, my mind raced. So it was him. It was my Sean after all.