Chapter 4 - Smile for Your Husband
Khloe walked toward him.
Every instinct screamed not to.
Richard reached out and touched her face.
“You okay?”
“Heartburn.”
“You look nervous.”
“I’m pregnant, Richard. I always look nervous.”
He watched her.
Then laughed.
“Fair.”
His phone was behind his leg.
Khloe noticed the screen.
A message preview.
VANESSA: Did she hear you?
Khloe pretended not to see it.
Richard kissed her forehead.
“Go back to bed.”
“You coming?”
“Soon.”
She turned.
At the staircase, he called her name.
“Khloe.”
She looked back.
“If you ever thought something was wrong between us, you’d tell me, right?”
Her pulse hammered.
“Of course.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
Upstairs, Khloe locked the bathroom door and texted Harrison.
He suspects something.
Harrison called instantly.
“Leave.”
“I can’t.”
“You absolutely can.”
“If I leave now, he’ll move everything.”
“I care more about you than evidence.”
Khloe lowered her voice.
“If we don’t stop him, he hurts more people.”
“That is not your responsibility.”
“It became my responsibility when he used my name.”
Harrison went quiet.
“You sound like Mom.”
“Good.”
“She drove me insane too.”
Khloe almost smiled.
“Harry.”
“Yes?”
“I’m scared.”
His voice softened.
“I know.”
The next morning, Richard left early.
Khloe searched his office.
Nothing.
Desk.
Cabinets.
Bookshelves.
Then she noticed a framed photograph sitting slightly crooked.
Behind it was a keypad.
She stared.
A safe.
She tried Richard’s birthday.
Wrong.
Their anniversary.
Wrong.
Then Vanessa’s birthday.
The safe opened.
Khloe nearly laughed from disbelief.
Inside were two phones, a passport, cash, contracts, and a black flash drive.
She grabbed the drive.
Then heard the front door.
Richard.
He was supposed to be gone until noon.
Khloe shoved everything back.
Footsteps entered the hallway.
“Khloe?”
Her breathing stopped.
She closed the safe.
Straightened the photograph.
The office door handle moved.
Locked.
“Khloe?”
She looked around.
No exit.
The window was sealed.
“Why is my office locked?”
She grabbed a stack of folders and walked to the door.
Opened it.
Richard stood there.
“What are you doing?”
Khloe held up the files.
“Looking for the nursery contractor invoices.”
“In my private office?”
“You said the renovation documents were here.”
He stared past her.
At the photograph.
Khloe followed his eyes.
The frame was crooked.
Richard walked toward it.
Touched it.
Then turned.
May you like
His voice was quiet.
“Did you open my safe?”
