Betrayal

New York City buzzed around Kate Gilmore as she sat in the back seat of her sleek, black car, fingers absently scrolling through her tablet. News headlines bore her name, a mixture of reverence and awe. "Kate Gilmore: The Business Titan." "Self-Made Billionaire, Philanthropist, Visionary."

Her lips curved into a faint smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Despite the empire she had built from the ground up, a hollow emptiness lingered beneath the surface. She pushed the thought away as the car pulled into the driveway of her sprawling estate.

"Mrs. Gilmore," the head maid said, handing her a manila envelope. "This was delivered to the office this morning. They sent it here afterwards. It's marked urgent."

Kate nodded, taking the envelope as the door shut behind her. She walked through the marble-floored halls of her home, heels clicking in the silence.

Inside her study, she opened the envelope. Her sharp eyes scanned the documents, and the color drained from her face.

Her husband, Peter.

He had willed everything—her properties, her shares, even the company—to himself. Her name had been wiped clean. To make it worse, there was a significant life insurance policy attached to her name, with Peter as the sole beneficiary.

Her hands shook as she gripped the edge of her mahogany desk. No consent. No discussion. He had done it behind her back. The betrayal hit her like a blow.

"What's the meaning of this?" she whispered to the empty room.

But she already knew. The signs had been there: Peter's late nights, his dismissive tone, the way he avoided her questions. The truth had been staring her in the face, but she'd been too distracted to notice.

Her chest burned with a mix of anger and humiliation. Her own husband, the man she had trusted and loved, had betrayed her in the worst possible way.

Without thinking, she grabbed her car keys and stormed out of the house.

---

The engine roared as she sped through the city streets, headlights illuminating the road ahead. Kate's mind raced. She knew exactly where Peter would be. He had a habit of hiding at their hotel whenever he wanted to avoid her.

As she pulled into the valet, she barely waited for the attendant to open her door before striding into the grand lobby. The opulence of the place mocked her—the gold chandeliers, the polished marble, the plush red carpets. This was her hotel, her creation, but it felt like a stage for someone else's betrayal.

"Peter Gilmore," she said sharply to the receptionist. "Where is he?"

The young woman quickly caught her breath in shock as she saw her employer standing right in the front of her… and she looked quite mad!

Afraid that she might lose her well-paying job, she didn't hesitate one bit, her eyes darting nervously. "Room 502, ma'am."

Kate didn't thank her. She moved swiftly to the elevators, her heels clicking like gunshots against the tiled floor.

---

Room 502 was empty when she burst in, the door slamming against the wall. The faint scent of Peter's cologne lingered in the air, but there was no sign of him. Her eyes scanned the room—a rumpled bed, half-empty wine glasses on the nightstand, and a trail of clothes leading to the balcony.

A sound caught her attention.

Laughter.

It was faint but unmistakable, coming from outside.

She stepped onto the balcony, her breath catching in her throat as she looked toward the pool area below. There, on a lower corridor that faced the shimmering blue water, she saw them.

Peter.

And her secretary, Lisa.

They were half-dressed, Peter in nothing but his boxers, Lisa draped in a silk slip. They were laughing, their bodies intertwined as they leaned against the railing.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Kate's trusted secretary. The woman she had mentored, confided in, trusted with her deepest secrets.

Her chest tightened, a fiery rage coursing through her veins.

"Peter!" she screamed. Her voice echoed across the pool, silencing the laughter.

They turned to look at her, their expressions cold and mocking. Lisa smirked, her lips curling with disdain. Peter's eyes gleamed with something worse than indifference: triumph.

"Well, well," he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The queen herself has graced us with her presence."

"Don't look so surprised, Kate," Lisa added, her tone biting. "Did you really think we didn't know you'd figure it out eventually?"

Kate's nails dug into the railing as she fought to keep her composure.

"How dare you!" she hissed, her voice trembling. "After everything I've done for you—both of you!"

Peter laughed, the sound sharp and cruel. "Oh, spare us the theatrics, Kate. You were too busy playing CEO to notice. You handed everything to me on a silver platter. It's not my fault you were too blind to see it."

"You think you can get away with this?" she spat, blinking back her tears. "You think I'll just let you steal everything from me?"

Lisa stepped closer to Peter, draping an arm around his shoulders. "Face it, Kate. You've already lost."

Kate's vision blurred with rage and unshed tears. She stepped forward, her hand raised in a silent vow. "I will make you pay! Both of you!"

But before she could say more, Peter moved.

It happened so fast. He lunged toward her, his hand gripping her arm with bruising force.

"Revenge?" he sneered, his voice low and venomous. "You won't live to see it."

And then he pushed.

Kate felt the world fall away as she toppled over the edge of the balcony. The wind roared in her ears, and the shimmering surface of the pool rushed up to meet her.

The impact was jarring, water enveloping her like a cold, merciless shroud. Her limbs flailed, panic surging as she sank deeper. The muffled sounds of laughter echoed above, growing fainter with each passing second.

Her chest burned, her lungs screaming for air. As her vision darkened, a single thought consumed her.

This can't be the end.

Tears mingled with the pool water as she closed her eyes, her final plea escaping in a silent whisper.

"Please... Give me a second chance…"

Darkness claimed her.