After the Affair, I Rose to the Top

I was in the middle of a sheet mask when my son came running in, crying, and shoved my husband's phone in my face.
Mom, Dad's texting another woman! He called her 'baby'! he sobbed. Are you and Dad getting a divorce? Am I going to lose my dad?
I quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. Hearing the shower running in the bathroom, I snatched the phone from his little hands and put it back exactly where it was.
"Shh, not so loud," I whispered urgently. "Listen to me. That lady... she's a good person. The prestigious international school you go to? She arranged it. The new car we have, this big apartment? She bought them. Mom and Dad's promotions at work? She made them happen. You cannot let your father know that we know. Do you understand?"
My son looked up at me, his eyes wide and shimmering with tears.
"Mom, are you speaking English? I know all those words, but when you put them together, they don't make any sense."

1
I led my son out to the balcony and gently wiped his tears away.
"Honey, all you need to do is focus on your studies. Your dad and I are not getting a divorce, and you are not going to lose your father," I reassured him. "That lady is a very kind person. She's not here to wreck our family. In fact, everything we have right now, she's the one who gave it to us. Do you get it now?"
"So just put your worries away and be a good boy. Do your homework."
He was only ten, and he still looked confused. But my calm demeanor seemed to soothe him. He wiped his eyes and stopped crying.
"Okay, Mom. I get it. I'll pretend I don't know anything."
I ruffled his hair. "Good boy. Finish up your homework and get to bed. Mommy has to work tomorrow, too."
He turned to go, then paused. "Mom? You said that lady arranged your promotions. Is she really that powerful?"
I smiled. "Of course, she is, sweetie."
"She's my boss. And your dad's."
A look of surprise, then worry, flashed across his face. "Will she... bully you?"
Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Why would you ever think that?"
He bit his lip. "I just thought... you're supposed to be enemies. And since she's your boss, I figured she'd probably be mean to you."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, son. She won't. Now, go on. Homework."
He didn't ask any more questions and scampered back to his room. I stood alone on the balcony, a cool breeze washing over me, my mind a complete blank.
I never thought the day I discovered my husband was cheating would turn out to be the biggest windfall of my life.

2
Discovering Mark's affair was a complete accident.
We both worked at the same company, started at the same time, and had comparable skills. Yet, he was climbing the corporate ladder at lightning speed while I was stuck. At first, I blamed it on my pregnancy and maternity leave.
Then I realized the real reason.
Mark had climbed his way into our boss Isabella Hopper's bed.
It all clicked at the annual company gala. Isabella didn't just shower Mark with awards; she handed him a fifty-thousand-dollar bonus check. Even for the group photo, she insisted Mark stand center stage, while she subtly positioned herself right next to him.
That alone wasn't definitive. But then, during dinner, Isabella came and sat at our table. In the middle of a toast, she casually picked up Mark's glass and took a sip of his wine.
Then she handed it back to him. Without missing a beat, Mark lifted it to his lips, right where her red lipstick stained the rim, and took a drink.
Everyone else was caught up in the festivities and didn't notice the little exchange.
But I did.
I felt a tremor run through my entire body.
A few minutes later, Isabella, supposedly drunk, was being helped to her feet by Mark, who announced he was taking her home. No one objected, and neither did I.
But as soon as they left, I slipped out and followed them, determined to find out the truth.
I thought it would be a covert mission, but they made it laughably easy.
Thinking no one was watching, the moment they were out of the main banquet hall, Mark pinned Isabella against a corridor wall.
"Ms. Hopper," he murmured, his voice low. "You were trying to seduce me tonight, weren't you? Drinking from my glass in front of everyone, leaving your lipstick on it like a promise."
Isabella, flushed from either the wine or the proximity to Mark, looked thrilled. "You caught me."
Mark pecked her hard on the cheek. "Aren't you afraid someone would see? What if your husband found out? Luna was right there, for God's sake."
Oh, that's me. I'm Luna.
Isabella just giggled. "I know. Doesn't that make it more exciting?"

3
My hands and feet started to tremble, a hot surge of fury rising from the soles of my feet.
I was about to storm out and confront them when Mark spoke again.
"You're a reckless little minx, but I love it. I know I'm playing with fire, that your husband would destroy me if he found out. But I can't stay away from you." He sighed dramatically. "Even though I know I'm betraying Luna and my son."
Isabella cupped his face, pouting. "Then just compensate them. If there's no love, give them money. And lucky for you, I have plenty of that."
She ticked off the points on her fingers. "You can't divorce her yet, and I can't divorce him, so we have to keep them happy. That bonus tonight? That was from a project I landed and gave you the credit for. Give the whole fifty grand to Luna."
"I'll wire you another fifty thousand and raise your salary to fifteen thousand a month. Just make sure you give Luna a bigger allowance. And that car and apartment of yours need an upgrade. I felt so cramped the last time I was over."
"The Vice President of the Projects Division is about to retire. I'm thinking of Luna for the position. Consider it another form of compensation. And I've already arranged for your son to be enrolled in that bilingual international school. All fees paid. Just come up with an excuse to send him."
My foot, which had been ready to charge out, froze in place. I swallowed the hurricane of emotions swirling in my gut and kept listening.
Mark was visibly stunned. "Ms. Hopper... you're doing so much for me. I... I don't know what to say. I'm overwhelmed."
Isabella pinched his cheek. "Don't be silly. As long as you're good to me, I'll take care of your wife and child. We need your home front to be stable so we can be together in peace. The last thing I need is a messy public divorce. If my husband cuts me off without a penny, we're all screwed. Victor would never let me go that easily."
Mark nodded. "It's so hard, having to sneak around like this, always afraid of being caught. Ms. Hopper, when can we finally be together openly? I hate this."
Isabella's eyes narrowed, a flash of steel in them. "Victor may be paralyzed, but he's not dead yet. And he's paranoid about me cheating. He has people watching me, you know. He even sent his stepsister, Jessica Thorne, to work in Luna's department. She's not blood, but she's completely loyal to him. So, yes, I was being reckless tonight. If any of them found out, we'd both be finished."

4
Mark's face fell. "It's a shame we can't just quit our jobs. Then we could be together."
Isabella laughed. "Are you kidding? Quitting is not an option. Victor is still the majority shareholder. If I quit, how would I get his money? And if you quit, how would you earn it? This is actually the perfect setup. We get to bleed him dry together. It's the only thing that makes me feel better."
Mark's expression brightened. "You're right. I'd never have this position at any other company. And Luna would certainly never get to benefit from my success."
Isabella smiled softly. "Well, what can I say? I fell for you. That means accepting your family, right? I've thought about it, you know. I wish you weren't married. But then again, if you were single, I probably wouldn't have even noticed you. I've seen plenty of single, ambitious young guys trying to use me to get ahead. You were different. I had to drop all the hints, do all the chasing."
That line clearly stroked Mark's ego. He lifted her chin and kissed her deeply.
"I never imagined you'd be interested in me," he murmured between kisses. "I thought I was reading the signals all wrong."
They were lost in each other. I quickly backed away and scurried off.
Standing on the hotel balcony, I finally took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I never, ever thought Mark would cheat on me. And certainly not like this.
Thinking of the fifty-thousand-dollar bonus, my son's new school, Mark's raise, and my own upcoming promotion, my initial rage began to morph into a strange, giddy excitement. These were things I'd never dared to dream of, and now they were all falling into my lap in the most bizarre way possible.
It was utterly mind-boggling. Suddenly, the fact that my husband was having an affair didn't feel devastating. It felt... profitable. Even if he divorced me later, I'd be set for life.

5
But Isabella's words about her husband, Victor, sent a chill down my spine. He wasn't just her husband; he was the big boss, and he had spies in the company watching her every move. His stepsister was in my department, practically breathing down my neck.
How was I going to play this without raising her suspicion? If she found out, it wouldn't just be Mark who was finished. My beautiful, newly acquired cake would be snatched away.
That was absolutely not an option.
Now that I knew about the cake, I couldn't let it go. To lose it would be a regret I'd carry for the rest of my life.
To protect my cake, I knew what I had to do.
I had to protect their affair.
Just as Isabella had promised, after they left the hotel, a notification popped up on my phone. A transfer of fifty thousand dollars from Mark.
The note read: All my bonus money for my amazing wife. I love you.
If I hadn't just witnessed him declaring his undying love for Isabella, I might have actually believed him. But that was fine. His love was gone, but the money was here.
Isabella moved fast. Soon enough, we were living in a spacious new apartment and driving a new Mercedes. My son was enrolled in the international school without me spending a dime.
Mark's excuse was that he had "connections" and had pulled some strings. Of course, I nodded and played along with whatever story he spun. I knew it was all a lie. That's why I'd told my son not to blow his cover.
But you can't keep a secret forever. If I could figure it out, so could someone else.
Someone like Isabella's stepsister, Jessica Thorne.
Lately, she'd been dropping by my desk with pointed questions.
"Luna," she'd say, feigning concern. "Has your husband been acting strange lately? Coming home late? Suddenly flush with cash? A little distant? I've noticed he barely comes to see you anymore. If you didn't tell people you were married, no one would ever know."

6
Victor must have been paying her extra, because for someone with such a junior position, she certainly had a lot of time to meddle. If Isabella hadn't warned me, I'd never have known she was the big boss's sister.
Her questions sent a jolt of panic through me, and a cold sweat broke out on my back. But I kept my expression calm.
"Jessica, since when are you so interested in my private life?" I asked with a light laugh. "Mark's been great lately, nothing strange at all. Are you asking because of the new car and apartment? Oh, I can tell you a little secret. His parents' old property back home was bought out by the city for eight million dollars. He's their only son, so they gave it all to him. He's just been really busy with work, that's all. It's perfectly normal."
Jessica's face was a mask of suspicion. "Eight million? I find that hard to believe."
My smile faded. "Jessica, why would I lie about something like that? I was keeping it quiet, but since we're friends, I thought I'd let you in on it. Please don't spread it around. If you don't believe me, you can always ask Mark yourself."
That shut her up. She returned to her desk without another word.
Watching her go, I immediately shot Mark a text to get our stories straight.
Hubby, that Jessica Thorne is being weird again. She keeps dropping by and asking strange questions.
Today she asked how we suddenly got so rich. I got annoyed and told her your parents' property sold for 8 million and they gave it all to you LOL. You should have seen her face.
A few minutes later, he replied.
Wife, you're brilliant. That's exactly how you handle people like her.
Don't worry. If anyone else tries to poke around, just brush them off and let me know. I've got your back.
A transfer notification followed. Payoff: 1,000.00
For my wife, to buy something nice.
I know I've been busy lately. As soon as things calm down, I'll take you and Leo on a vacation.
Seeing the money, I couldn't help but smile. I hit 'accept' immediately.
Thanks, hubby! Love you! Mwah!
It seemed my little performance had averted a crisis. I thought that would be the end of the rewards for the day, but then my office phone rang. It was Isabella.
"Luna, darling. Meet me after work. We're going shopping at the Galleria."

7
At the Galleria, she ignored all my protests and proceeded to drape me in Chanel from head to toe.
Clothes, shoes, a handbag, even a bottle of perfume.
I was floored.
"Ms. Hopper, this is too much," I stammered. "Why are you buying me all this? I'm getting scared."
She looked me up and down, a satisfied smile on her face. "Don't you dare say it doesn't suit you. It's perfect. And don't be scared. You've earned it. The deal with the Apex Group that your department just landed? This is your reward. The bonuses for your manager and the others will be paid out later."
My mind reeled. The Apex project was handled almost entirely by my manager. I was just a gofer, running errands in the background. If anyone deserved a reward, it was him, not a small fry like me.
Then, in a flash, it all made sense. This wasn't about the Apex project. This was about me handling Jessica. This was her way of saying thank you.
A huge, genuine smile spread across my face. "Thank you, Ms. Hopper! I love it!"
She adjusted the silk scarf around my neck, her tone casual but deliberate. "From now on, if Jessica tries anything funny, you come straight to me. I'll deal with her. Don't confront her yourself. I don't want her holding a grudge against you."
Her words were a wake-up call. In my haste to cover for Mark, I had forgotten who I was dealing with. Jessica was still Victor's sister. If I really got on her bad side, and Victor decided to target me, I'd be in serious trouble. Isabella knew her husband's cruelty better than anyone.
Over the next few weeks, to completely throw Jessica off the scent, Mark started making a point of visiting me at the office. He'd bring desserts for the team or a bouquet of flowers just for me. Suddenly, I was the most envied woman in the office.
I would blush and lower my head, hiding the triumphant gleam in my eyes from their congratulatory gazes. I knew that behind all this performative affection was a much, much bigger cake waiting for me.
And the strategy worked.
Jessica finally stopped snooping around.

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