Almost Lost

by Ophelia Night

  When the cast took their final bows and the curtain fell, Cassie was so emotional she was on the point of tears. She couldn’t have been prouder of Madison’s courage and the way she’d managed to defeat whatever demons had been tormenting her before the start.

  “She was brilliant. Dylan, too. I’m so proud.”

  She felt like kissing Ryan, but with everyone filing out of their seats, there wasn’t the chance.

  “They were stars. We’d better go and congratulate them personally, and make sure their overnight bags get put onto the bus,” Ryan said.

  When Madison saw Cassie she ran up to her and hugged her tight.

  “You were a hit,” Cassie reassured her. “The superstar of the show. You can do it again, can’t you? You’ll be fine tomorrow?”

  “I will,” Madison whispered to her. “You know, Cassie, I stood on stage and I looked at every single person in the audience. Then I knew it would be OK. I remembered what you told me, and I decided to be brave.”

  “You were very brave,” Cassie agreed.

  After Dylan had received his congratulations and back-slaps, it was time for the children to get changed before they boarded the bus, where Ryan had already stowed their overnight bags.

  The drama teacher remained behind.

  “A quick question, please, Mr. Ellis. We’re starting a drama club for the under-twelve students next year, and I’d like to invite Madison to be the club’s first president. She’s very talented and I think she’ll be a great role model for the younger juniors as she’s well liked. I wanted to ask your permission before we announce it. The club will probably meet twice a month and of course there’ll be rehearsals when they do a show.”

  Cassie felt a surge of excitement. What an achievement for Madison. This was a feather in her cap.

  She expected Ryan to agree instantly but to her surprise, he hesitated.

  “Let me give it some thought,” he said. “Can I confirm with you on Monday?”

  The teacher also looked surprised and rather perturbed.

  “Of course. We were hoping to announce it after tomorrow’s performance, but we can wait a couple more days.”

  “Thank you,” Ryan said.

  As they walked to the car, Cassie wondered why Ryan hadn’t said yes immediately. She was tempted to ask him, but it felt too much like questioning his authority, especially since their relationship was in the early days. There must be a good reason, perhaps something to do with Madison’s sports commitments.

  “You know what, Cassie?” he said as they climbed inside.

  Cassie felt a surge of relief. He was going to share the reason with her.

  “What?” she asked.

  I have an idea. Let’s go away for the night. The kids are out of town. That happens once in a blue moon. We’d be crazy not to make the most of it.”

  Cassie was blown away by his words. She couldn’t have imagined a more perfect suggestion. Only yesterday, while buying his travel kit, she’d dreamed of going away with Ryan and had wondered if they ever would.

  “It’s a brilliant idea. Where shall we go?” she asked.

  “There’s a beautiful hotel on the coast to the north of here. I was invited to its opening event last year. This morning, I received an email to say that they have a room available due to a last-minute cancellation, so I booked it. I hope that’s OK with you?”

  “It’s more than OK. It’s wonderful,” Cassie said. She was floating on her cloud of happiness again. A romantic overnight getaway was the next step in their relationship, and much sooner than she’d dared hope.

  “It’s the last word in luxury. Huge bathtubs, roaring log fires, sumptuous food. I can’t wait to go there with you.”

  As they headed home, Cassie wondered when she should tell her friends about her incredible new relationship.

  Even though she wasn’t ready to announce anything on social media, there were a few close friends who deserved to know what a fairytale her life had become.

  *

  When Cassie arrived home the next day, bubbling over with joy and excitement, she knew it was time to share the news.

  The night at the five-star lodge had been the most incredible experience of her life. She needed to tell somebody about it, and share the fact that she and Ryan were an item now.

  With a happy sigh, she collapsed onto her bed and took her phone out of her purse, smiling as she saw the thoughtful gift he’d given her on arrival at the hotel—a gorgeous silver and white leather wallet which she knew she would treasure forever.

  She was home alone, because Ryan had rushed off to check the progress at work as soon as they’d arrived back. That meant she had plenty of time to compose an email and start telling her friends how her life had changed.

  Cassie decided her first email should be to Jess. She owed Jess a huge debt of gratitude, because if they hadn’t met for lunch on that exact day, and if Jess hadn’t recommended Ryan and practically forced Cassie to give him a call, she would never have ended up here.

  She still couldn’t believe what a lucky coincidence it had been.

  “Hey, Jess,” she began, feeling warm inside as she chose the words. “I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip to London, and I wanted to say thanks a million for putting me in touch with Ryan. This job has turned out to be more than I ever thought it would—and by ‘more’ I mean much more! Long story short, Ryan is divorced—that’s why he was looking for help. He and the kids have had a tough time but they are coping well. The kids are great, just like you said they would be.

  “Now for the happy ending to all of this. Ryan and I are dating! Jess, the minute I arrived I felt there was a spark between us. You didn’t warn me he was so super cute! Anyway, it turned out that he feels the same way (lucky me) and we’ve just gotten back from an incredible overnight stay at a luxury hotel.

  “I’m obviously taking it slow and not letting myself fall for him too much, too soon, but I have to admit I’ve fallen for him quite a lot. He is so generous, so caring, and such a genuine person. Who would have thought that I would find someone so special in this small seaside village where I was just hoping to get on my feet and earn a bit of extra cash!

  “Anyway, I wanted you to know first.

  “Write soon, I can’t wait to hear your news!

  “Love, Cassie.”

  She checked the message quickly and then pressed Send. She was sure Jess would be thrilled to hear about her good fortune, although Cassie reminded herself that she must be careful about what she shared, as her life had become so magical that some people might be jealous.

  As Cassie started her next email, she heard the front door open.

  “Hey,” she called, getting up from off the bed. “That didn’t take long.”

  She hurried down the corridor.

  Cassie stopped in her tracks as she saw that a stranger had just walked in.

  A tall, slender, well-dressed woman with shiny brown hair was wheeling a suitcase inside.

  When she heard Cassie she spun around and stared at her, frowning.

  “Who are you?” she asked.

  “Wait a minute,” Cassie said, feeling completely unsettled and on the back foot. “I should be asking you that. Are you sure you’re in the right place?”

  She wondered if Ryan had locked the door when he left. There was a guesthouse a block away and she wondered if that was where this rather rude mystery woman had meant to go.

  “Oh, I’m very sure about that.”

  Folding her arms, the woman looked Cassie up and down in a way that made her feel awkward. It seemed as if this woman was entitled to be here. At any rate, she believed she was. Cassie wondered if Ryan might have a lawyer’s appointment, or some other business arrangement. She’d have to phone him and tell him that the person he was meeting had arrived here.

  “So, what are you doing here? Are you a cleaner?” the woman asked.

  Intimidated by her stare, and not wanting to offend her if she was Ryan’s friend or bu
siness associate, Cassie capitulated.

  “I’m not a cleaner. My name is Cassandra Vale, and I’m staying here and helping with the children.”

  The woman frowned.

  “Ryan never told me he was hiring anyone.”

  A dark suspicion was starting to form in Cassie’s mind.

  “I’m sorry, could I ask for your name?”

  “Trish Ellis,” the woman told her, sounding impatient. “I’m Ryan’s wife.”

  As Cassie stared at her, frozen in shock, the woman brushed past her and headed toward the master bedroom, her suitcase wheels whirring over the wooden floorboards.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Cassie stared after her, aghast at the bombshell the woman had dropped.

  This was Ryan’s ex-wife. Did Ryan know she was going to be here? Why had she just walked in and not called first? And why on earth was she disapproving about him hiring staff? It wasn’t as if she was around to look after the kids.

  Then another horrific thought struck Cassie.

  Trish had headed straight for the master bedroom, and in the craziness of the previous morning, Cassie couldn’t remember if she’d made the bed after sleeping there the other night. After the power had gone out, she probably hadn’t even thought of it. If Trish had come to pack up the rest of her clothes, she would notice that both sides of the bed had been slept in, and that the covers were rumpled.

  Cassie didn’t want to have to explain that she had been sleeping there. It could get awkward or even acrimonious and it might put Ryan in a difficult situation.

  She tiptoed along the hallway, treading as quietly as possible over the shiny wooden boards. From inside the master bedroom, she heard the bathroom door close. Quickly, Cassie opened the bedroom and peered inside to check.

  To her relief, the bed had been made. Very neatly; Ryan must have done it yesterday.

  Then a realization hit Cassie and she felt physically jolted as she saw it.

  She and Ryan had slept under pale blue bedding. She remembered it vividly. Now, there was a cream duvet and beige pillowcases on the bed. Ryan hadn’t just made up the bed, he’d changed the sheets completely. Why? There was no reason to have done that, unless he’d known Trish would be arriving, and if so why hadn’t he told her?

  With another shock, she realized Trish had put her suitcase on the ottoman and opened it. It wasn’t empty, as Cassie had expected. It was full of clothes. Packed full of shirts and folded blouses and a toiletry bag and a few pairs of shoes in clear plastic holders.

  From inside the bathroom she heard the toilet flush and she turned hastily away from the door and hurried back to her own room, not wanting to be caught peeking.

  She collapsed on her bed, her head spinning from confusion. What was happening? She felt as if someone had taken her familiar world and yanked it sideways so that nothing was as it seemed.

  Then another thought hit her, this one the most shocking yet.

  When she was introducing herself, Trish hadn’t said she was Ryan’s ex, or that they were separated.

  She had said she was Ryan’s wife.

  Cassie’s head shot up as she heard the heels click past her bedroom. Trish must be on her way to the kitchen. Much as Cassie didn’t want to have to face her again, and was worried she’d made a complete fool of herself, she had to find out more.

  Drawing a deep breath and summoning every fragment of courage she possessed, Cassie got up and followed Trish to the kitchen.

  She was pouring herself a glass of water, and the kettle was on.

  “Tea?” she asked in a not-very-friendly tone, seeing Cassie come in.

  Cassie stared at her. She couldn’t believe how long it had taken her to realize that this woman was Trish. Looking at her features, and her thick, perfectly bobbed hair, she could see the resemblance to both the children, particularly Madison.

  “I was rude earlier,” she said. “I haven’t been here very long and for some reason I thought that Ryan stayed here alone. I thought I’d better check with you. Do you live here?”

  Trish was regarding Cassie with puzzlement.

  “I do live here, most of the time anyway. I travel often. I’m an international events organizer, so I’m frequently abroad.”

  Cassie felt breathless with shock, as if Trish had punched her in the face. Somehow she got herself down onto a chair.

  “That must be a fun job,” she said.

  She was trying for a conversational tone, but she didn’t actually have a clue how she was coming across—whether she sounded normal or if Trish thought she was a raving lunatic, because she couldn’t get past the panicked confusion in her own head.

  Trish shook her head.

  “I wouldn’t describe my career that way. It’s extremely demanding. I’m a senior manager in a global communications company that specializes in large-scale events worldwide. I work with elite industry leaders across the board, who are top professionals in their field. Scientists, politicians, celebrities, you name it, they know my firm and they use us. I specialize in the hands-on running of these events, and have just coordinated an eight-day speaker tour across the USA. Five experts on the world economy, six cities, a total audience of thirty thousand. That was one of our smaller events.”

  She poured her tea and then glanced at the hardware bag on the counter.

  “What’s in there?”

  In her shock, Cassie found herself babbling.

  “It’s rodenticide. I bought it because they were out of traps and there’s a mouse in the house.”

  She was about to continue, and explain that Ryan had asked her to return it as poisons affected the food chain, but Trish interrupted.

  “Well, are you going to put some out? It won’t kill any mice standing on the counter. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m exhausted. I was supposed to return yesterday morning, but we had to stay on to organize additional press conferences. I’ll be resting now, until I have to fetch the children.”

  She walked out of the kitchen with her drinks.

  Cassie watched her go, feeling sick with doubt.

  She’d had a chance to look at Trish’s neatly manicured hands while she was carrying the tea, and on the third finger of her left hand there was an elegant gold ring.

  The evidence was indisputable.

  There was a valid reason for Trish’s extended absences. None of her actions since she’d arrived back had hinted that there was any conflict between herself and Ryan, never mind a divorce being in the cards.

  Cassie was starting to suspect that she had been misled in the worst, most terrible way. How was any of this possible?

  She’d slept with Ryan—slept with him—believing he was genuinely divorced when in fact he was married and had been spinning a sob story.

  What would happen if Trish found out?

  Cassie buried her face in her hands as the horror of her situation hit home.

  Here she was, living as part of the family, under the delusion that the man of the house was divorced and available. She’d kissed him; she’d slept with him and spent the night in his room. She hadn’t made a secret of it because she’d seen no need to.

  Had Ryan been lying to her all along?

  Cassie never wanted to open her eyes again.

  Eventually, she managed to pull herself together enough to stand up. She stared numbly at the hardware store bag on the counter.

  Trish had said she must use it, Ryan had said not to. Until she was told otherwise, she was going to go with what Ryan said. She put the bag in the broom cupboard.

  Then she walked back to her room, with fresh waves of horror hitting her every step of the way as she thought about her situation, how trusting she had been, how recklessly she’d behaved as a result.

  When she saw her phone lying on the bedside table, her heart nearly stopped as she remembered the cheerful email she’d sent to Jess. It was insane that an hour ago she’d believed herself to be in a completely different situation.

  At some stage, Jess wo
uld open that mail and read its outdated, incriminating content. Her tell-all, when she thought she’d had nothing to hide.

  No wonder the children had never shared with her about the divorce. It was because their family was still together, although their mother was away a lot. Which they were presumably used to, and why they hadn’t mentioned her much.

  Cassie stayed holed up in her room for the afternoon, hiding away from Trish in a state of utter shock. She’d never felt so miserable, or so alone, in her life. She thought of calling Ryan but didn’t know what she should say, and what if Trish overheard her speaking to him?

  When it was time for the children to be picked up, she heard Trish walk down the corridor and the click of the front door as she left. Cassie heard the sound of a car starting up, and she was gone.

  The front door opened again ten minutes later and she heard Ryan call out, “Hello!”

  At the sound of his voice, adrenaline surged inside her. She didn’t feel as if she was welcoming her lover home, but rather as if she was preparing to do battle with an enemy.

  She burst out of her room and marched down the hall to find Ryan taking off his coat.

  “Afternoon, gorgeous,” he greeted her.

  Cassie was having none of it.

  “Ryan, what the hell is going on? Your wife just arrived back from an overseas trip. Your wife. Not your ex. Your actual wife. She said she lives here. You didn’t tell me about any of this. I had no idea you were still married, or that she was coming back here. Do you know how much of a fool I felt when she explained?”

  Cassie could feel herself hyperventilating. She feared she would explode from the emotions boiling inside her.

  “It’s OK. It’s OK. Calm down, Cassie,” Ryan said.

  “Calm down? You want me to calm down after she walked into your bedroom and put her bag in there, and told me she travels overseas a lot, and the rest of the time she lives here? What the hell am I supposed to be calm about?”

  “She—” Ryan began, but Cassie was unstoppable.

  “And there is a wedding ring on her finger. A wedding ring! I saw it, right there on the third finger of her left hand. Ryan, you need to tell me the truth now. I am not accepting any more lies.”