“Mommy, that’s the lady who sleeps in your bed when you’re at the hospital.”

My six-year-old son said it while his hand was resting on my seven-month pregnant belly.

Around us, nearly fifty people were drinking lemonade and champagne beside our backyard pool in Scottsdale. Pink and blue pennant flags hung between the palm trees. Someone had just started cutting the baby shower cake.

I bent toward Leo.

“What did you say?”

He pointed toward the outdoor bar.

A blonde woman in a pale summer dress was talking to two men from Julian’s company.

“Her. She comes over when you’re working.”

I looked at my son.

“You’ve seen her here?”

Leo nodded.

“Daddy tells me not to bother them.”

I straightened slowly.

My husband, Julian, stood perhaps twenty feet away laughing with one of his executives.

I started toward the blonde woman.

Then sunlight hit something blue at her throat.

I stopped.

A sapphire surrounded by a narrow circle of diamonds.

My necklace.

The one Julian had given me on our fifth anniversary.

The one that should have been inside a locked velvet box upstairs.

I Smiled Because Julian Was Watching Me

I had been married to Julian Sterling for ten years.

I was a pediatrician. Julian worked in investment management. We had Leo, another baby due in nine weeks, and a home we’d spent years making ours.

The woman turned slightly.

I recognized her then.

Victoria Hayes.

I’d seen her once in a company photograph on Julian’s phone. She worked in his office.

She touched the sapphire casually while she laughed.

My first instinct was to walk over and ask her where she’d gotten it.

Then Julian appeared beside me.

His hand settled on my belly.

“Everything okay?”

There were people all around us.

My sister was arranging gifts under an umbrella. Julian’s boss was ten feet away. Leo was still holding my hand.

I looked at Julian.

“Perfect.”

He smiled and kissed my temple.

I picked up my glass of sparkling water.

For the next two hours, I watched.

Victoria never stood too close to Julian.

Julian never looked at her for too long.

That was almost more convincing than if I’d caught them whispering behind the cabana.

They knew how to behave around other people.

That evening, after the last guest left, Julian carried unopened gifts into the living room while I went upstairs.

I locked our bedroom door.

Then I opened my dresser.

The velvet box was exactly where I’d left it.

I unlocked it.

Empty.

I sat on the edge of the bed with the box in my palm.

A few minutes later, Julian knocked.

“Genevieve?”

I put the box back.

“Coming.”

At dinner, Leo was eating leftover cake when I finally mentioned it.

“Leo said something strange today.”

Julian glanced up.

“About what?”

“Victoria.”

His fork kept moving.

“Victoria Hayes?”

“He says she comes here when I’m at the hospital.”

Julian gave a short laugh.

“Seriously?”

I didn’t answer.

“Gen, there were event people in and out of this house all week.”

“He said she goes into our bedroom.”

Julian leaned back.

“He’s six.”

Leo looked up from his cake.

“It was her, Daddy.”

Julian’s smile disappeared for half a second.

Then he reached over and wiped frosting from Leo’s cheek.

“Buddy, remember the blonde lady who helped set up the decorations?”

Leo frowned.

“No.”

“That’s probably who you’re thinking of.”

Then Julian looked at me.

“Kids mix people up.”

“Probably.”

That answer seemed to satisfy him.

It didn’t satisfy me.

Three Days Later, I Left for a Shift I Never Worked

The next morning, I ordered several small security cameras.

I installed them while Julian was at work.

I wasn’t interested in catching enough footage to punish anyone.

I wanted one answer.

Was Victoria coming into my home?

Three days later, I put on my hospital scrubs at 6:15 a.m.

Julian was making coffee.

“Long one?”

“Twelve hours.”

He handed me a travel mug.

“Don’t overdo it. You’re seven months pregnant.”

I looked at him.

“I’ll be careful.”

He kissed me.

I took Leo to my sister Rachel’s house.

Then instead of driving to the hospital, I parked at a café several miles from home.

At 9:42, my phone vibrated.

Movement detected.

I opened the feed.

Julian entered through the kitchen.

Victoria came in behind him.

No hesitation.

No looking around.

She put her handbag on my counter and opened the refrigerator herself.

Twenty minutes later, they walked outside.

Victoria was wearing my white pool robe.

She sat in my chair beside the water while Julian brought her a drink.

Then they went upstairs.

I watched them enter my bedroom.

Victoria walked directly to my dresser.

Julian opened the drawer.

He had the key.

Victoria lifted out the velvet box.

Then she fastened my sapphire around her neck.

“I still can’t believe she hasn’t noticed.”

Julian loosened his tie.

“Genevieve barely wears it.”

“I wore it to her baby shower.”

“That was reckless.”

Victoria smiled at him.

“You didn’t complain.”

I saved the recording.

But I kept watching.

Victoria sat on the edge of my bed.

“How much longer are we supposed to keep pretending?”

Julian looked toward the bedroom door.

“Until after the baby comes.”

“You’ve been saying that for months.”

“Because I can’t just walk away tomorrow.”

“Why not?”

Julian lowered his voice.

“Most of Genevieve’s family assets are protected by a trust. I can’t touch those.”

Victoria folded her arms.

“What about the money you said you were moving?”

My hand froze above the laptop.

Julian answered quietly.

“That’s different.”

“Different how?”

“There are joint investments I can reposition without raising questions immediately.”

Victoria stared at him.

“And that’s supposed to pay for the house?”

“Eventually.”

“In Aspen?”

Julian nodded.

I saved another copy.

Then Victoria asked:

“What about Leo?”