My Husband’s Mistress Visited Our Home

Aries stepped out of the elevator and into the top-floor penthouse suite. The soft murmur of the TV greeted him as he opened the door, and there was Lainey, passed out on the couch. He shrugged off his suit jacket, tossed it onto a chair nearby, and headed straight for the bathroom. Soon, the sound of the shower echoed through the suite.

The noise stirred Lainey awake. As her eyes fluttered open, she spotted the black jacket draped over the chair—he was back. She got up quickly and made her way to the bedroom. The closed bathroom door and the rush of water confirmed it. She picked up his jacket and hung it neatly in the closet.

Lainey settled back onto the sofa, waiting for Aries to come out. They had things to talk about.

Aries emerged in a white robe, giving her a casual glance as he passed through the bedroom.

"Um, hey..." Lainey hesitated, trying to find the right words to get his attention.

He stopped and turned. "Were you talking to me?"

"Of course! Who else would I be talking to—myself?" Lainey kept her tone civil, but their conversations never seemed to start on the right foot.

Aries watched her with amusement before pulling her into his arms. "Is this how the Fisher heiress behaves?" He caressed her cheek.

A spark of defBraydence flared in her chest. She prided herself on her manners, unlike this man who constantly invaded her space.

"I don't even know what to call you," she murmured.

"You can call me Aries or husband." He chuckled, tightening his grip on her waist and pulling her closer. "And next time, speak up if you want my attention. I can't hear you if you whisper."

Lainey pressed her hands against his chest, desperate to keep some distance. The thought of calling him "husband" made her stomach flip.

"Can you let go of me now?" she breathed, her pulse quickening. Fighting him was pointless and she knew it.

He ignored her protest. "Just say what you need to say."

Lainey pressed her lips together. Fine. If he wasn't going to let go, she'd just get to the point.

"When are we going back home? Aren't you busy?" she asked softly.

"Eager to leave?" Aries studied her face, amused by how badly she wanted out. He had no plans to grant her wish just yet.

Lainey nodded.

"But I'm in no rush. So what are you gonna do about it?" He smirked, brushing a hand over her face. "Disappointed?"

If she weren't in his arms, Lainey might have had a comeback ready. He was doing this on purpose. She regretted bringing it up now. Knowing him, he'd probably prolong their stay just to spite her, ignoring everything she had waiting back home.

Aries laughed softly. "Your angry face is adorable." He pinched her cheek before finally letting her go.

Lainey backed away, putting as much space between them as possible. "From now on, let's keep it this way. No touching, no invading my personal space," she declared, her voice steadier than she actually felt.

Aries watched her with a knowing smile, saying nothing. His little wife was so naive.

He moved into the living room and picked up a financial magazine to flip through. Not wanting to provoke him further, Lainey retreated to the bedroom.

After a while, she stood by the bedroom door, stealing a glance at him before ducking back inside.

The phone on the coffee table lit up and rang. Aries picked it up. "Hello?"

"Sir, you haven't had dinner yet. Shall I prepare something?" Mr. Lee's voice came through.

"Yes, we'll be right down," Aries replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he set the phone down. He stood and walked into the bedroom. Lainey was perched on the sofa, chin in her hands, staring out at the moonlit sky.

She saw his shadow fall over her in the soft glow of moonlight and looked up. "Uh, Aries..."

"We're going downstairs for dinner," he announced, then headed into the bathroom to change into casual white clothes.

When Lainey snapped out of her thoughts, Aries was already dressed and ready. "What? Aren't you hungry?"

"Oh." She rose to follow him.

The moment the door opened, Aries pulled Lainey into his arms again. Mr. Lee stood at the entrance, bowing courteously. "Sir, ma'am, this way."

Lainey stiffened, but Mr. Lee's knowing gaze stopped her from pulling away.

In the elegant first-floor dining room, a line of waitstaff stood at attention by the door. As Aries and Lainey approached, they bowed in unison. "Sir, ma'am."

Lainey swallowed her discomfort, accepting this new reality as the future Mrs. Wilson, though a trace of melancholy lingered as she glanced at Aries, his face as unreadable as ever.

The opulent gold-themed restaurant was clearly reserved just for them—no other guests in sight. The long table was laden with the hotel's signature dishes.

Aries pulled out a chair for Lainey, waiting until she sat before taking his place across from her.

The waitstaff and Mr. Lee stationed themselves nearby.

Lainey shifted awkwardly, holding her utensils but hesitating to eat.

Aries narrowed his eyes slightly, watching her with amusement before placing a serving on her plate. "Eat. What's got you daydreaming?"

"Oh." She nodded, picking up her knife and fork. "But can they leave? It's hard to eat with so many people watching."

Aries chuckled. "Let them watch if they want. We can just enjoy our meal." He kept adding food to her plate.

Lainey stole glances at him, completely confused. Minutes ago, he seemed indifferent. Now he was being thoughtful. This man made no sense. She took a deep breath and started eating.

Aries ate with his usual elegance and ease.

After the meal, the staff cleared the dishes and brought coffee for Aries and juice for Lainey before stepping back, leaving only Aries, Lainey, and Mr. Lee.

Lainey glanced at Aries as he sipped his coffee, his face emotionless. She took a sip of her juice and stayed silent. "Aries..." she began.

A sudden knock on the door cut her off. Lainey shifted, feeling weak and drained. She grabbed a robe from the floor and wrapped it around herself just as Aries walked out of the bathroom, giving her a casual look before heading to the door. He opened it to find AlBraydenna Barnes standing there.

"AlBraydenna, what brings you here?" Aries sounded surprised.

"Did you forget? You said you'd be back yesterday and I've been waiting. I brought the suit you were supposed to wear tonight," AlBraydenna said, her eyes taking in his damp hair and the towel wrapped around his waist. She could guess what had happened.

But she kept her mouth shut, burying her displeasure and anger deep down.

Aries nodded. "Come in." Maybe the shower had cleared his mind; his voice lacked its usual edge.

It was AlBraydenna's first time in this particular apartment, the one Aries shared with Lainey. She'd always wanted to come but feared seeing something she couldn't handle. In the past, Aries would visit her place after business trips, telling her he'd missed her. But now that he had a wife, his trips ended here instead of at her apartment.

Lainey dragged her exhausted body into the bathroom, catching snatches of their conversation as she sank to the floor, curling into a tiny ball. Her hand clutched her chest, testing for pain. Could it possibly hurt worse than it did a year ago?

A bitter laugh escaped her, tears sliding down her cheeks. She'd lost everything—completely and utterly.

"Aries, I picked this outfit up yesterday for Mr. Lin's birthday party tonight. Do you want to try it on? We still have time for alterations," AlBraydenna offered, gesturing to the suit on the coffee table.

Aries chuckled. "No need. Your choices have always been perfect." He looked at her—the one who seemed to know him best. Or did she? A flicker of doubt crossed his mind.

AlBraydenna nodded. "Alright then, I'll head back. You've been working nonstop for days. Rest well tonight." She hadn't seen Lainey, which was probably for the best. Did she really want to witness them being close, Lainey all sweet in Aries's arms? No. She couldn't bear it.

AlBraydenna stood to leave, but Aries stopped her. "Wait here while I change. We can go to the office together."

"Don't you need time to adjust? After that long flight, you must be exhausted," AlBraydenna said, secretly hoping he'd stay.

"No, I'm fine." He shook his head. "I won't be long. Wait for me."

A small smile finally reached AlBraydenna's eyes. To Aries, work always came first—even over spending time with Lainey in their apartment. A marriage on paper didn't give Lainey the most important part of him—his heart.

Did Lainey think she could steal the place AlBraydenna had held in Aries's heart for over twenty years, in just a few months? Impossible.

Aries returned to the bedroom and noticed Lainey was gone. His gaze landed on the shut bathroom door. Still hiding. She was never proactive, never faced him head-on.

Fine. If hiding was what she wanted, let her. She couldn't hide forever.

AlBraydenna studied the living room decor, knowing it wasn't Aries's taste—which meant it was probably Lainey's influence. That thought brought her a surprising amount of satisfaction. Aries had always been particular about his spaces, preferring dark tones, but here everything was soft and pale. It meant something, didn't it? He didn't care about this place. He was just going through the motions.

A delicate box on the glass coffee table caught her eye. A gift, perhaps. Something from Aries to Lainey, or the other way around?

She reached for it just as Aries appeared—dressed in a sharp black suit, his presence as commanding as ever.

AlBraydenna stood and straightened his tie. "Ready. Let's go." She smiled, linking her arm with his as they left.

The door clicked shut, plunging the apartment into suffocating silence—broken only by Lainey's quiet sobs drifting from the bathroom.

The insistent ringtone from the bedroom finally pulled her from the darkness. She wrapped the robe around herself and checked the caller ID: Mya Aguilar. Wiping her tear-streaked face, she took a deep breath before answering. "Mya."

"Lainey! Finally! I was so worried—I thought something had happened to you!" Mya's relief poured through the phone.

"What could possibly happen to me? I just took the rare chance to sleep in," Lainey said with a smile, the bitterness hidden behind her voice visible only to herself.

Mya nodded. "Oh, I get it!"

"Yeah, I'm not a kid anymore. Why worry over nothing?" Lainey's inner turmoil deepened, Mya's words digging into something raw and bringing fresh tears to her eyes.

"Lainey, make sure you come early!" Mya reminded her, knowing how much Lainey hated these gatherings and might bail at the last minute.

Lainey knew exactly what Mya was afraid of. "Don't worry, I'll be there early," she promised.

Only after Mya had repeated herself and gotten multiple confirmations did she finally hang up.

In a luxurious bar, Aries sat in a private room with Eduardo Fernandez and another man. A selection of expensive whiskeys was spread out before them. "Boss, I arranged full coverage for Mr. Fisher's surgery, as you instructed. Are you sure you don't want to tell Lainey?" Eduardo had tipped Aries off immediately about Michael Fisher's operation and the burden the family had placed on Lainey.

"No need," Aries said flatly. He intended to cut ties cleanly, no looking back. That night, he'd waited at the apartment, expecting her to come to him for help. But she'd said nothing. The Fishers, not a word either. What was she trying to prove?

"Boss, you're colder than I thought. I figured your wife might mean a little more to you than the others," Eduardo remarked, swirling his glass.

Aries paused, his glass halfway to his lips. Did she mean more? Women were interchangeable, satisfying nothing beyond a physical need.

"Stone, I ran into her at the hospital. She looked pale and wrecked with worry," Eduardo added, though his words were clearly directed at Aries.

"Yeah, seemed genuinely concerned. Surprising she didn't mention any of it to you," Stone agreed, well aware of Aries's hardened heart.

"You two talk too much." Aries shot them a glare. Eduardo and Stone were deliberately bringing Lainey up.

"Too interested in my wife, are you?" he asked coolly.

Eduardo grinned. "Boss, don't get mad. It's out of concern for you. Besides, if you don't care, why does it matter what we say?"

"Got too much free time these days, huh?" Aries downed his drink, the burn a welcome distraction.

"Busy? Boss, you've seen how I haven't had time for women lately, right?" Eduardo chuckled.

Aries raised an eyebrow. "Really? How about my private island, then? With a few beauties."

"Just jokes," Eduardo chuckled, taking a sip of his whiskey.