The Lies He Told | PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ROMANCE |

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Daniel worked on Saturday, departing the townhouse before I even opened my eyes. He would stay at the towering skyscraper down the street until dusk shrouded the city.

Anticipating another lonely and monotonous day, I was surprised to hear a knock at the door in the afternoon.

A florist stood there, holding a fresh bouquet of long-stemmed roses, a bottle of wine, and a card. Inside the card, a note from my husband informed me that our friends would be arriving that evening for a couples night gathering.

My excitement surged, not because of Keith, Solomon, or even Jacqueline and Rochelle. Rather, I was eager to see Hannah. I could not believe Daniel had persuaded them to drive to the city to spend the evening with us.

For the first time since I had arrived in the city, I left the townhouse with an excited bounce in my step rather than my usual sluggish shuffle.

Normally, I just wandered aimlessly from place to place, store to store, browsing for items to buy to keep myself occupied. But today, I had a real purpose. I needed to buy ingredients for a three-course dinner and extra wine for our guests.

Even though I had a plethora of clothing options at the townhouse from previous staycations, I desired to purchase something new, something more alluring than my customary, quotidian wardrobe.

Therefore, while in the town centre, I visited Simone Rocha and browsed the aisles. I was unsure of what I was seeking until I spotted this exquisite, subversive, sheer black minidress with thin spaghetti straps, a boned bodice, and a tutu-inspired skirt adorned with bows. It was the antithesis of what I would typically wear.

In fact, I could envision Connie in something of a risqué nature, which is why I purchased two of the same dress, but I had to have one for date night. I even indulged myself in a new pair of shoes during the shopping spree, a simple pair of black D'Orsay pumps from Loewe with a large bow detail on the uppers and iconic Toy heels.

By the time I had finished getting ready in front of the vanity mirror, I looked and felt like a million bucks.

My lips were painted a daring plum, my hair was styled in beachy waves, and my ears sparkled with crystal-embellished clip-on earrings from Dolce & Gabbana.

All that was left to do was slip on my new shoes and wiggle into the dress, and I would be ready for the night of my life.

As I performed a final inspection of my appearance in the mirror, I caught sight of Daniel's reflection. He had arrived home early, uncharacteristically so, just after six in the evening. He was attired in a two-piece suit and wore an approving smile.

"Hello," I said cautiously as I lowered the makeup brush to the vanity table. "How did it go at the office?"

"It could have transpired more favourably." He entered the master bedroom whilst loosening the satin tie around his neck. "You look..." His appreciative gaze assessed me as he approached. His hands settled on my shoulders, fingers skillfully kneading the tension from my upper back. "Remarkable, Olivia. I consider myself exceedingly fortunate."

In that instant, I placed trust in his words, witnessing the genuine adoration in his eyes. "It's a dressing gown." I had yet to unveil the dress to him. "But thank you."

"Our guests will arrive shortly," he informed me, thanking me for choosing a three-piece suit for him to wear this evening. "They will stay the night, as it will be too late to drive home. I trust this is not an inconvenience?"

"Not at all," I said, a happy smile spreading across my face at the thought of our friends staying over. "I have been a busy bee lately, sprucing up the guest bedrooms with new bedding and other amenities."