Chapter 1: Je Comprends Tout (I Understand Everything)

Evelyn's POV

The marble steps of the Met gleam under the spotlights. I smooth down the deep red fabric of my dress, the silk cool against my palms. Marcus's hand finds the small of my back, warm and possessive.

"Hold still, darling. Your tie is crooked."

I reach up, fingers working the silk of his bow tie. Three years of marriage teaches you these things. How to fix a tie. How to smile at strangers. How to pretend everything is fine.

"You look breathtaking tonight, Evelyn."

He catches my hand, presses a kiss to my knuckles. The couple passing by us smiles. I see it in their eyes. What a beautiful couple.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Mr. Kane."

The diamonds at my throat catch the light. Three carats. He bought them after the miscarriage. After I spent three months in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if my body would ever feel like mine again.

Tonight is supposed to be my return. My grand re-entrance into Manhattan society. Mrs. Marcus Kane, back from her recovery.

His colleagues are already inside. I can hear the string quartet, the murmur of expensive conversations. Marcus guides me through the doors, his hand never leaving my waist.

"Gentlemen, you know my brilliant wife. Evelyn was a VP at Goldman before we decided to focus on starting a family."

Before. The word hangs in the air like smoke. Before I gave it all up for you. Before I lost the baby. Before I became just Mrs. Kane.

"Mrs. Kane, you're glowing tonight. Good to see you're feeling better."

"Thank you. It's good to be back."

The lie comes out smooth as the champagne they're serving. I've gotten good at this. The grateful smile. The modest nod. The wife who knows when to speak and when to let her husband shine.

Marcus's hand tightens on my waist. A reminder. A claim. This is mine. Look what I have.

I remember Columbia. Seven years ago. He waited outside the library every day for a whole semester. He said, "Evelyn Hart, I'll love you for the rest of my life."

Do you even remember saying that?

The evening blurs into a parade of faces. Business partners. Other wives. Everyone asking the same questions. How are you feeling? Are you excited to try again?

"Thank you." "That's very kind." "Yes, much better now."

I say the words so many times they stop meaning anything.

By eight forty-five, I need to escape. Just for a moment. Just to breathe.

"Be right back," I tell Marcus. He nods, already deep in conversation about hedge funds and quarterly returns.

The bathroom is mercifully empty. I stand at the sink, staring at my reflection. Flawless makeup. Not a hair out of place.

She looks like a stranger.

I take my time. Fix my lipstick. Smooth my hair. Delay the moment I have to go back out there and perform.

When I step back into the hallway, I realize I've left my clutch at the table. I turn back, retracing my steps through the corridor.

That's when I hear it.

Laughter. Familiar laughter. Marcus's voice, rich and warm, speaking words I shouldn't understand.

French. He's speaking French.

I freeze behind a marble column, my hand pressing against the cold stone. Marcus speaks French? Since when?

My heart starts to race. Something tells me to stay hidden. Something tells me to listen.

"Ta femme est magnifique ce soir." (Your wife looks stunning tonight.)

"Elle était un défi intéressant au début. Maintenant c'est juste... ennuyeux." (She was an interesting challenge at first. Now she's just... boring.)

The word hits me like a physical blow. Boring.

My fingers find the clasp of my necklace. I'm pulling at it without realizing. The diamonds feel suddenly too tight around my throat.

"Tu as quelqu'un d'autre?" (You have someone else?)

"Ma nouvelle petite amie a vingt-deux ans. Tellement plus... excitante au lit." (My new girlfriend is twenty-two. So much more exciting in bed.)

The clasp breaks. Diamonds scatter across the marble floor, each one making a sharp, bright sound in the quiet hallway.

"Ta femme ne sait pas?" (Your wife doesn't know?)

"Elle ne comprend même pas 'bonjour'. Comment pourrait-elle savoir?" (She doesn't even understand 'bonjour'. How could she know?)

Two years. I spent two fucking years in Paris. Two years at the Sorbonne. My thesis was on French Impressionism. I can recite Baudelaire in my sleep.

And he doesn't know. He never asked. He never cared.

The sound of the falling diamonds makes him turn. I see his face change, morphing from casual cruelty to instant concern.

"Darling! What happened?"

He rushes over, immediately kneeling down to pick up the diamonds. His face is all worry, all tenderness. His friends have already melted away, as if that conversation never happened.

"You okay? You look pale."

I force my face into a smile. It feels like my skin might crack.

"I'm fine. Just clumsy. The clasp must've been loose."

He gathers the diamonds one by one, his movements careful. When he stands, his hand cups my face.

"Your hands are shaking. Sure you're alright? We can leave if you're not feeling well."

Look at him. Look at this performance. The concerned husband. The devoted partner. The man who would never hurt me.

Seven years of acting. Seven years of "I love you." Seven years of lies.

"No, I'm fine. Really. Just need a minute."

He studies my face, and for a second, I wonder if he can see it. The rage building behind my eyes. The way my smile doesn't quite reach my face anymore.

But he doesn't. He never does.

I take a deep breath, reset my expression.

"I think I just need some air. Can we go home?"

In the car, he holds my hand. His thumb traces circles on my palm. The Manhattan skyline blurs past the window.

"You're so quiet tonight. Sure you're feeling okay?"

"Just tired. It's been a long day."

He kisses my knuckles, his lips warm against my skin.

"Let's get you home. I'll take care of you."

The words should be comforting. They should make me feel safe. Instead, they make my stomach turn.

Mrs. Thompson is waiting when we arrive home. She asks if we need anything. I shake my head. All I want is to be alone.

In our bedroom, Marcus pulls me into his arms. He kisses my forehead, my cheeks, my lips.

"Come here."

His body is warm against mine in the dark. Solid. Real. The same body that's been with someone else. Someone younger. Someone more exciting.

"I love you so much, Evelyn. You know that, right?"

"I know."

His breathing slows. Within minutes, he's asleep. Just like that. No guilt. No hesitation. Just peaceful sleep.

I lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling. My hand unconsciously touches my stomach, where the baby had been three months ago. Where his child had been.

Three months ago, you held me while I cried. You said we'd try again. You said you loved me.

Three months ago, you were already fucking a twenty-two-year-old.

Alright, Je comprends tout, Marcus. I understand everything. And you're about to understand what it means to underestimate Evelyn Hart.