Chapter 1My husband Jake brought his work wife Madison home for dinner.
She walked straight up to our door and pressed her finger to the lock.
Click.
I froze. She smiled—smug.
"Oh yeah, Maddie's been here a few times," Jake said, shrugging. "Added her fingerprint. Way easier."
"Hey girl!" Madison chirped.
I stared at her finger. Still on my lock.
Then I grabbed my purse.
"Whoa, babe—where are you going?"
I yanked open the door.
"She's got a key, Jake. Clearly I don't live here anymore."
I walked out.
Slammed the door behind me.
---
Jake's jaw dropped. He stared at me like I'd grown a second head.
"What did you just say?"
I stepped closer, right in his face.
"I said, if she's the lady of the house now, I'm out."
Madison grabbed his arm, all innocent. "Oh my god, Jake, this is my fault. I shouldn't have... I'll delete it right now. I swear, I just thought it'd be easier..."
Her voice was so soft, eyes all apologetic. Total act.
Jake cut me off before I could even respond.
"It's not her fault. She drops off files all the time. I'm not making her wait outside every time." He glared at me. "Why are you being like this?"
"Being like this?"
I let out a cold laugh.
"Right. My bad. Should I clap? Roll out the red carpet for her?"
I didn't wait for an answer. Grabbed my purse and headed for the door.
He grabbed my wrist.
"Where the hell are you going?"
"Let. Go."
"Stop making a scene. Madison's still here."
I yanked my arm free and shoved the door open.
"Good. Let her watch. Let her see how the real wife gets kicked out of her own house."
I slammed the door so hard the frame rattled.
I sat in my car with the engine off, hands shaking.
Jake and I met on a blind date.
I was twenty-seven. He was twenty-nine.
Our parents pushed. We agreed.
The matchmaker said he was stable. Quiet. Good family. Safe.
My parents loved that.
I'd just ended a five-year relationship. I was tired. I didn't want drama.
I wanted easy.
On our wedding day, I asked him: "Do you have any expectations? For this marriage?"
He shrugged. "Just don't nag me. Let me do my thing."
I said, "Okay."
And I did.
For a year, I let him do his thing.
Late nights. Business trips. Drinks with friends.
I didn't ask. I thought that was respect.
I cleaned. Cooked. Ironed his shirts.
My parents said, "Marriage is like this. Simple. Steady."
I believed them.
Until today.
One fingerprint. That's all it took.
To realize that to him, our home wasn't ours.
It was just a place he could bring anyone he wanted.
I sat there breathing hard, then it hit me.
I'm done.
The thought didn't scare me. It felt like oxygen.
I started the car, drove to a restaurant, and ate alone. Took my time.
When I got home, the lights were on.
Jake and Madison were on the couch watching TV.
My snacks on the table. My fruit.
They both turned when I walked in.
Madison jumped up. "Oh! You're back. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean..."
Jake cut her off.
"You don't need to apologize. Sit down."
Chapter 2
Jake barely looked up from the TV.
"Oh. You're back."
"Yep."
I didn't even look at him. Went straight to the bedroom.
I needed to check something.
I opened my vanity drawer.
Empty spot where my lipstick should be.
My brand-new YSL. The one I'd stalked three different websites for. Sixty bucks. Used it once.
Gone.
I walked back out, hands already shaking.
"Jake. Where's my lipstick?"
He kept flipping channels.
"Mm? Oh yeah, Madison needed one. Told her to just take yours."
My throat tightened.
"You... you just told her to take it?"
"Yeah? I'll get you another one. What's the big deal?"
Madison jumped in from the couch, all sweet. "Oh my god, Em, I feel so bad. I seriously didn't know it was expensive or whatever. I'll get you a new one tomorrow, promise."
"You already used it."
Jake let out this long sigh, like I was testing his patience.
"Emma. Babe. It's lipstick. Can we not do this right now?"
Lipstick.
She's got a key to my house.
She's taking my stuff.
And I'm the crazy one?
"I want a divorce."
Dead silence.
Jake's head whipped around like I'd just set the couch on fire.
"Wait, what?"
"You heard me. I want a divorce."
He jumped up and walked over, staring at me like I'd grown horns.
"You're joking, right? Over lipstick? You've actually lost it."
"No." My voice stayed flat. "I'm just done."
His face went red. I could see his jaw working.
"Okay, you know what? Fine. You think I'm disgusting? Cool. That's great."
He grabbed his jacket.
"I'm going to Mike's. You can sit here and be pissed off all by yourself."
The door slammed. Picture frame rattled on the wall.
Madison stood there wringing her hands, looking like she might cry.
"Emma, listen, you don't need to be upset, okay? Jake's been really stressed at work and everything, and I'll buy you like ten lipsticks, whatever you need, I really didn't mean anything by it..."
"Leave."
Her face went white.
She grabbed her bag and practically ran out the door.
Finally.
Quiet.
I sat on the couch, pulled out my phone, called my mom.
"Mom. I'm getting a divorce."
Silence. Then:
"Emma Rose Mitchell, no you are not."
"Yeah, Mom. I am."
"Honey, listen. Couples fight, that's normal. You can't just say divorce every time you're upset."
"Mom, he gave another woman a key to our house."
"Well I'm sure he had a good reason..."
"And he gave her my lipstick."
"A lipstick? Emma, how much does a lipstick even cost? He said he'd buy you a new one. You're being dramatic. Jake's a good guy. Don't mess this up over something silly."
Chapter 3
I didn't say anything back.
So that's what this was.
To everyone else, I was the problem.
The drama queen. The nag. The crazy wife.
"Mom, I can't do this right now. Bye."
Jake didn't come home.
I didn't sleep.
Next morning, clattering from the kitchen woke me up.
I shuffled out and found Jake at the stove in an apron, flipping eggs like some kind of sitcom dad.
Sunlight streaming in. The whole domestic scene.
He turned around when he heard me.
"Morning. I made us breakfast."
He set down eggs and milk.
"Listen, I was a dick yesterday. Let's just drop it, yeah?"
My phone lit up.
Bank alert.
Fifty grand. Just like that.
"Go nuts. Buy whatever. New lipstick, new bag, I don't care. Just... we good?"
He pulled out my chair like a gentleman.
"Look, Madison's got it rough. Like, really rough."
I stared at him and stayed quiet.
"Her husband's a piece of shit. Beats her up. Takes her paychecks and blows it all at the casino. She's busting her ass just to save up enough to get out."
He rubbed his face.
"So yeah, I help her out. That's all it is. We're not doing anything."
I took a sip of milk and set it back down.
"Cool. So marry her then."
His face went blank.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You care so much? Make it official. Then you can play hero 24/7."
His jaw went tight.
"Oh my god, Emma, why do you gotta twist everything I say?"
"I'm just being helpful here."
He shot up so fast the chair scraped across the floor.
"You know what? I wasn't gonna bring this up yet. But since you wanna act like this—screw it."
He locked eyes with me.
"Madison's moving in."
I blinked.
"I'm sorry, she's what?"
"Madison. Is. Moving. In. She finally left that asshole. He kicked her out on the street. She's got nowhere to go."
"We've got that extra room just sitting there doing nothing. Problem solved."
Like he'd just suggested we get a houseplant.
"Are you out of your goddamn mind?"
"Nope. Just letting you know what's happening."
His voice went ice cold.
"My parents put down the down payment. I pay the mortgage every single month. I decide who stays in this house."
"You don't get a say."
"And what if I don't want her here?"
He smiled.
Not the nice kind.
"Then pack your bags and get out."
