Once I was sure they had left the house, I stepped out of my hiding spot and slipped into Caden’s study.
As expected, his desk was piled high with documents, but something else caught my attention—a business card sitting right on top of the stack. It was from a realtor.
Mira’s words from earlier echoed in my head. Could this be connected?
I quickly snapped a photo of the card with my phone and left the study before anyone could catch me snooping.
Later that evening, I decided to confront them during dinner.
Caden froze the moment he saw me at the table. His eyes widened in surprise. “Um, Aria, uh-when did you get back?”
“This afternoon,” I replied coolly, spearing a piece of food with my fork. “You weren’t here.”
He scratched the back of his head and forced a laugh as he sat down. “Yeah, well, I was out for work. Doing, uh, some surveys—”
“With her?” I cut him off, pointing at Mira as she entered the room.
“Yeah,” he mumbled, fumbling with his spoon. “I needed her help with something.”
Mira, ever the actress, gave me one of her sugary-sweet smiles. “Oh, Aria, he asked for my help, and I just happened to know someone who could assist. If I’d known you were coming back today, I would’ve picked you up myself!”
Her tone was dripping with fake innocence, the kind that made me wonder how I had been so blind for so long.
I sighed and took another bite, pretending to let it go. The table fell silent, the air thick with unspoken tension. But just when they thought I had dropped it, I looked at Mira and said casually, “So, Mira, this ‘friend’ of yours—would they happen to be a realtor?”
Both of them froze mid-bite, their anxious eyes darting to each other. Mira opened her mouth to speak, but Caden cut her off. “What are you trying to do here, Aria? Can’t we just have a peaceful dinner?”
“What?” I scoffed, keeping my tone light. “I was just asking a question. Why are you so defensive?”
“Did you follow us today?” His voice rose, frustration bubbling to the surface. “So what if we met a realtor? I told you, it’s business.”
“I didn’t follow anyone.” I leaned back in my chair, keeping my composure. “And besides, don’t you have a lot of realtor friends too?”
I wasn’t about to back down—not this time.
Caden put his spoon down with a loud clink, his jaw tightening as he glared at me.
Before he could say anything, Mira jumped in. “Aria, you must be misunderstanding. There’s really nothing going on. You don’t need to worry so much—or follow us around.” She even managed to look aggrieved, like she was the victim here.
I couldn’t help but laugh, a short, bitter sound. “Follow you? Please.” I leaned back and sighed. “But here’s a tip, if you’re going to sneak around, maybe don’t make it so obvious.”
Their stunned silence was almost satisfying, but my appetite had vanished. I placed my utensils down deliberately and stood up. “Enjoy the rest of your dinner,” I said, walking away without a backward glance.
In truth, I had already called the realtor whose card I’d found earlier. Turned out, Caden was making an appointment.
After some careful negotiation—and an offer of a generous sum—I had convinced the realtor to show me the property they were planning to visit. Tomorrow, I would see for myself what my fiancé was up to.
The thought made my chest ache, a bitter mix of anger and betrayal tightening my ribs. Caden wasn’t just buying a house for just another woman, he was doing it for the very person I’d bent over backward to help for years.
Stepping into the bathroom, I ran a hot bath, letting the steam and heat dull my frustration. But as I sank into the water, one thought solidified: Mira didn’t deserve another ounce of my kindness.
Once I felt a little more composed, I grabbed my phone and called Marven Duskbane, my assistant and one of the few people I trusted completely. “I need you to cut Mira off from the trust fund,” I said firmly.
Marven, efficient as always, didn’t ask why or pry into the details. “Understood,” she replied. “I’ll handle it discreetly.”
Mira had lived like royalty, flaunting designer bags, first-class trips, and luxury everything; all paid for with my money. But that was over. She was an adult. It was time she learned to fend for herself.
And honestly, I couldn’t wait to see her reaction when reality hit.
