The Piano Mistress Broke Our Whole Family

I stared at the digital clock on the wall. 8:15 PM.

I dialed his number. It went straight to voicemail.

"Ethan, it's me again. Dinner was supposed to start at seven. Call me back."

I ended the call and tossed the phone onto the empty seat beside me.

The private room at *Le Petit* was lavish. Crystal chandeliers hung above, casting a warm glow over heavy velvet curtains. I had paid extra for the balloon arrangement. A giant silver '35' floated above the table.

The waiter, a kid named Toby according to his nametag, popped his head in.

"Can I get you another glass of wine, Mrs. Miller?"

"No, thank you, Toby. Just water."

"Are we still holding the appetizers?"

"Yes. Give them another twenty minutes."

"Sure thing."

At 8:45 PM, I called again. Voicemail.

"Ethan, this isn't funny. Leo has school tomorrow. Where are you?"

At 9:15 PM, the phone finally rang.

"Are you even close?" I pressed the phone hard against my ear, staring at the untouched chocolate cake in the center of the table.

"Lynn, I can't do this right now," Ethan's voice crackled through the speaker.

"It's past nine. You promised you'd bring Leo."

"We hit a snag with the merger. I'm literally drowning in paperwork here."

"On my birthday."

"Don't start with the guilt trip. I'll make it up to you this weekend."

"You said that last year. And the year before."

"I provide for this family. Do you think I want to be stuck in a boardroom?"

"I think you could have made time for one dinner. I booked the VIP room for us. I spent two hours decorating it."

"I didn't ask you to do that. You always go overboard, Lynn."

I gripped the edge of the table. "I want my family. Where is Leo? Let me talk to him."

"He's at my mother's. She fed him hours ago. He's probably asleep."

"You didn't even bring him by to say happy birthday."

"Lynn, stop. The board is waiting. Buy yourself something nice on the way home."

"Ethan—"

*Click.*

The line went dead.

I stared at the screen. The wallpaper was a picture of the three of us from last Christmas. Ethan smiling, Leo making a goofy face.

A soft knock interrupted the silence. Toby stepped into the private room, holding a silver tray.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Miller? Will your guests be arriving soon? The kitchen closes in twenty minutes."

"They aren't coming."

He glanced at the two empty chairs, then at the wrapped gifts on the table. "I'm sorry to hear that. Shall I box up the entrees?"

"Throw them away."

"And the cake?"

"Pack it."

"Of course. I'll bring the check."

I gathered the gifts. A limited-edition console for Leo. I had spent weeks tracking it down. I wanted to see his face light up. I wanted to hear him say, *You're the best mom ever.*

And for Ethan, a pair of vintage silver cufflinks. He had an important gala coming up. I wanted him to look perfect.

Instead, they were just heavy weights in my hands. I shoved them into my leather tote bag.

Toby returned, handing me a pristine white box tied with a gold ribbon. I paid the bill, leaving a large tip, and walked out of the restaurant.

The night air hit my face, sharp and cold.

I walked down 5th Avenue. My shoes slapped against the damp pavement. A couple brushed past me, laughing. The man had his arm around the woman's shoulders. She held a bouquet of roses.

I looked away.

I stopped at the corner of Elm and Maple. The red hand of the crosswalk sign glared at me.

I pulled out my phone. I needed to hear Leo's voice. Even if it was just to say goodnight.

I dialed Ethan's mother.

"Hello?" Nancy answered on the third ring.

"Nancy, it's Lynn. I know it's late. Is Leo asleep?"

"Leo? He isn't here, sweetie."

"What do you mean? Ethan said he dropped him off."

"No, Ethan picked him up from soccer practice at five. Said he was taking him to your birthday dinner."

A cold knot formed in my stomach. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. He rushed out of here. Did they get lost?"

"Oh. Right. I must have misunderstood. Thanks, Nancy."

I hung up.

Where was my son? If Ethan was at the office, where did he take Leo?

I scanned the street.

Across the intersection stood *Lumiere*, an exclusive, reservation-only bistro. The kind of place that required booking months in advance.

The heavy oak doors swung open.

A familiar laugh cut through the ambient street noise.

Leo.

I stepped forward, hiding half my body behind a heavy iron streetlamp.

Leo bounded out of the restaurant, clutching a large paper bag.

Right behind him walked Ethan.

He didn't look tired. He didn't look like a man drowning in paperwork. He wore a tailored navy suit, his posture relaxed, a wide smile on his face.

Then, she walked out.

She was young. Early twenties, maybe. Long blonde hair, a fitted silk dress that hugged her curves.

Mia.

I knew her face. I had seen her in the background of Ethan's company retreat photos. His "new junior assistant."

"Dad, did you see how much sushi I ate?" Leo yelled, spinning around.

"I saw, buddy. You're a bottomless pit," Ethan laughed, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Mia stepped up beside them. She didn't keep a professional distance. She leaned in, her shoulder brushing Ethan's arm.

"You promised me dessert, Leo," Mia said. Her voice was light, teasing.

"Ice cream!" Leo cheered.

"You just had three rolls of sushi," Ethan pointed out.

"But Mia promised!" Leo tugged on Ethan's sleeve. "Please, Dad?"

"Alright, alright. Only if you promise not to tell your mother how late you stayed up," Ethan said, winking at the boy.

"Mom ruins all the fun anyway," Leo muttered.

My chest tightened. The air left my lungs.

Did he really just say that?

Ethan didn't correct him. He didn't defend me. He just chuckled.

"Hey, don't be mean," Mia said, though she was smiling. She reached out and adjusted the collar of Leo's jacket. "You'll freeze, little man. Zip it up."

Leo didn't pull away. My son, who hated when anyone fussed over his clothes, let this stranger zip his coat.

"Thanks, Mia," Leo chirped.

Ethan turned to her. The look he gave her wasn't professional. It was soft. Intimate. He reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"You didn't have to spoil him tonight," Ethan murmured.

"I wanted to," Mia replied, looking up at him through her lashes. "Besides, we have a lot to celebrate."

"Do we?" Ethan asked, his voice dropping an octave.

"A year since you hired me. A year since everything changed."

Ethan smiled, his eyes locked on hers. "Best decision I ever made."

I couldn't move. My feet felt glued to the concrete.

I pulled out my phone. My fingers shook as I opened the camera app.

I zoomed in.

The screen framed the three of them perfectly. A happy family.

*Snap.*

I took another.

*Snap.*

In the second photo, Ethan wrapped his arm around Mia's waist. He pulled her flush against his side. Mia rested her head on his shoulder.

The cake box slipped from my grip. It hit the pavement with a dull thud.

The red velvet cake I had ordered three weeks ago. The cake I sat alone with for three hours.

Ethan's head snapped toward the sound.

I ducked behind the corner of a nearby newsstand, my heart hammering against my ribs. I pressed my back against the cold metal, squeezing my eyes shut.

"What was that?" Mia asked.

"Just some trash falling," Ethan said. "Come on. The car is parked around the corner."

"Can I ride in the front?" Leo asked.

"Not today, buddy. Mia gets the front seat," Ethan replied.

I waited until their footsteps faded into the distance.

When I stepped back out, the street was empty.

I looked down at the photo on my screen. The crack in my marriage wasn't just a suspicion anymore. It was staring right back at me. My husband and my son, playing house with another woman on my birthday.

And then, my phone buzzed in my hand.

A text message popped up on the screen from an unknown number.

*Did you enjoy the view, Lynn?*