Chapter 2

The next few weeks were a masterclass in deception. I moved through our opulent home like a ghost, a perfect wife in a perfect facade. Each morning, I would kiss Hamilton goodbye, watch him leave for another day of campaigning, another day of lies. Each night I would greet him with a smile, listen to his inflated stories of public service, and pretend not to see the guilt flickering in his eyes, or the lingering scent of another woman on his expensive cologne.

Today, my charade felt particularly potent. Hamilton was supposedly speaking at a community outreach event across town, a photo opportunity with local youth groups. He had messaged me earlier, a saccharine text: "Thinking of you, love. Wish you were here. Just another day saving the world!"

I stared at the message, a bitter laugh dying in my throat. Thinking of me? He was thinking of Kalie. He was probably with her right now, in the luxurious penthouse suite above his campaign office, a place he often used for "private consultations." I knew, because DeepStateDiaries had told me. My anonymous ally had quickly become my silent commander, guiding me through the murky waters of digital espionage.

From the window of a nondescript sedan, parked a block away from the gleaming high-rise, I watched. The building, Hamilton's campaign headquarters, was a hive of activity. Donors, volunteers, media-all buzzing around the man they believed in. The man I had built.

Hamilton's black SUV pulled up to the curb, not at the main entrance, but at a discreet side door. He emerged, radiating charisma, waving at a few passersby, a practiced, almost involuntary gesture. He wasn't alone. Kalie Villarreal, looking far too young and far too pleased with herself, was by his side, carrying a stack of "urgent" campaign reports. She was wearing a dress that clung to her slender figure, a little too revealing for a professional setting, a little too similar to the type of dress Hamilton bought me for formal events.

He leaned in, whispering something to her, and Kalie giggled, a sound that grated on my nerves. Then, Hamilton' s phone buzzed. I saw him glance at it, his smile faltering for a split second before he plastered it back on. He was talking to someone, his voice low, urgent. I watched his face. It shifted, a flash of annoyance, then a practiced concern. He gave Kalie a quick, almost dismissive nod, then ducked into the side entrance. Kalie followed, her hips swaying a little too confidently.

DeepStateDiaries had equipped me with a directional microphone, disguised as a pair of innocuous sunglasses. I put them on, adjusting the tiny earpiece. Hamilton's voice, distorted but clear, filled my ear.

"Yes, of course, darling," he said, his tone dripping with false sweetness. "Emergency? What kind of emergency? You know I'm in the middle of... very important meetings." There was a pause, a muffled murmur from the other end. "Oh, the headache again? My poor sweetheart. I'm so sorry. I'll... I'll try to get away as soon as I can. Just finish up this event. Yes, I promise. Love you too."

My stomach clenched. He was talking to me. The headache was my pre-arranged signal, a fabricated excuse to test his loyalty, to drag him away from his mistress. He was a master of performance.

I watched as Kalie, now inside, pointed towards a private elevator, the one that went directly to the penthouse. Hamilton gave a quick, almost furtive glance around, then followed her. The doors slid shut, sealing their secret world.

The sight of them, so brazen, so confident in their deception, burned a hole in my chest. My hands gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles white. A cold, hard knot formed in my stomach, not of sadness, but of pure, distilled rage. He was not just cheating; he was mocking me, using my own home, my own daughter, as a shield for his sordid affairs.

I had to be careful. I knew the building's layout. Years of campaign events, of scouting locations, had given me an intimate knowledge of this city's underbelly. There was a service entrance, a back alley that led to a maintenance staircase. It was not pretty, but it was discreet.

I parked the car, my movements precise, mechanical. The sunglasses still on, recording every sound. I walked with purpose, my heart a dull drum against my ribs. The alley reeked of stale garbage and exhaust fumes. Not the glamorous backdrop for a mayoral candidate's affair. I found the unmarked door, a heavy steel slab. It was kept unlocked for deliveries, a detail I remembered from a charity gala Hamilton had hosted here years ago. I pushed it open, the screech echoing in the narrow space.

The staircase was dimly lit, reeking of disinfectant and dust. I climbed, my heels clacking against the concrete, each step a deliberate act of defiance. My mind was a whirlwind of memories: Hamilton's promises, his charm, the life we had built. All of it, a lie. A carefully constructed illusion for his own advancement. He had married me for my mind, my strategic brilliance, my ability to polish his image. My heart, my love – they were just collateral damage.

The climb felt endless, each floor a testament to the years I had wasted on this man. I reached the penthouse level, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Not from exertion, but from the raw, unadulterated pain that had finally broken through my carefully constructed composure. I stood outside the heavy oak door, listening. Muffled voices, laughter. His laughter.

My hand still clutched the burner phone. I dialed Hamilton's number. It rang twice.

"Hello, darling," he answered, his voice breathless, slightly strained. I could hear a faint, high-pitched giggle in the background, quickly stifled. "Everything alright? You sound... out of breath."

"Hamilton," I said, forcing a tremor into my voice, "my head... it's gotten much worse. I feel dizzy. I think I need you to come home. Now."

There was a beat of silence, a pregnant pause that spoke volumes. Then, a sigh, heavy with feigned concern. "Oh, Caroline. My poor love. I'm so sorry. But you know I'm in the middle of a very important meeting with the Mayor's office. It's crucial for the campaign."

"Hamilton," I insisted, my voice cracking, "I'm not asking. I need you. I feel faint. I might... I might need to go to the hospital." That did it. The word "hospital" was a red flag, a potential public relations nightmare.

"The hospital?" he repeated, his tone sharper now, laced with genuine anxiety, not for me, but for his image. "No, no, darling, don't do anything drastic. I'll... I'll be right there. I'll wrap things up here. Give me fifteen minutes. Max. Just... stay calm. Don't call anyone." The last part was a clear order, not a request. He didn't want anyone else involved, anyone else to see the cracks in his perfect facade.

"Okay," I whispered, barely audible. "Just... please hurry."

He hung up. I stood there, listening. A muffled exclamation, then Kalie's voice, raised in an angry protest. "What? No! You can't just leave! We're not done, Hamilton!"

Hamilton's voice, low and placating. "Kalie, darling, it's an emergency. Caroline, you know. She can be... fragile. I'll be back. Soon." The lie was so smooth, so practiced. He didn't even try to hide the contempt in his voice when he spoke about me.

Then, the sound of movement, a door opening and closing. Within minutes, the elevator chimed, and I heard his hurried footsteps fade down the hallway. He was gone. Fleeing back to our illusion of a home, leaving his mistress in his wake.

The penthouse door opened again, a furious Kalie storming out. She was even prettier up close, youthful and vibrant. Her red dress, now slightly disheveled, clung to her curves. She looked like a woman who had just been abruptly interrupted in the throes of passion. She leaned against the doorframe, her face flushed, her carefully applied makeup smudged. She checked her phone, then let out a frustrated groan.

"That old hag," she muttered, not to anyone in particular, but loud enough for me to hear through the mic. "Always pulling some stunt. What a drama queen. As if he actually cares." She ran a hand through her hair, then looked up, her eyes narrowing. She caught her reflection in the polished steel of the elevator doors and quickly composed herself, forcing a smile. But the anger still simmered beneath the surface.

Then, she noticed something. A small, delicate gold bracelet on her wrist. It was a replica. An exact replica of the vintage Tiffany bracelet Hamilton had given me on our tenth wedding anniversary, claiming it was a family heirloom. My stomach churned. He had bought her one too. Or perhaps, he had simply taken mine, and given it to her.

A slow, dawning realization hit me, a punch to the gut that stole my breath away. Kalie. Kalie Villarreal. Bryanna' s high school guidance counselor. The "mentor" Bryanna had been raving about, the "coolest adult ever." The woman who, Bryanna had enthusiastically reported, had "helped Dad with his campaign strategy, Mom, she's so smart!"

Bryanna. My daughter. The pieces clicked into place with sickening clarity. Kalie wasn't just his mistress. She was Bryanna's confidante, her role model. Bryanna had admired her, idolized her, and been complicit in this monstrous lie. She hadn't just covered for Hamilton; she had actively embraced the woman who was systematically destroying our family.

My mind replayed scenes: Bryanna's glowing descriptions of Kalie, the way she would defend Hamilton's late nights, her sudden coolness towards me, the subtle eye rolls when I offered advice. She wasn' t just naive. She was involved. She had chosen his side. My own daughter.

The betrayal was a physical weight, crushing me, squeezing all the air from my lungs. My chest burned, my head throbbed, my vision blurred. I sank against the cold wall of the stairwell, my legs unable to support me. The pain was unbearable, a thousand tiny shards of glass piercing my heart. My daughter. My own flesh and blood. Idolizing the woman who was tearing our family apart, and actively participating in my humiliation.

The grief, sharp and raw, threatened to consume me. But then, a flicker. A spark. Deep within the ashes of my broken heart, something hard and cold began to glow. This wasn't just about betrayal anymore. This was about absolute, unforgiving annihilation. They had broken me, but they had also unleashed something far more dangerous.

I pushed myself up, my muscles screaming in protest. My hands were steady now. My eyes, which had been filled with tears, were dry and sharp. The world outside the penthouse door, the world of Hamilton' s ambition and Kalie' s youthful arrogance, was about to learn a very painful lesson.

I pulled out my phone, ignoring the burning hot tears that finally tracked paths down my cheeks. My first call was to DeepStateDiaries. "I know everything," I said, my voice eerily calm, emotionless. "And I have a plan. I need every piece of information you have on Kalie Villarreal. Social media, financial records, everything. And I need it now."

My second call was to my lawyer, a woman I had trusted implicitly for years. "Prepare the divorce papers," I told her, my voice steel. "And I need a forensic accountant. I want to strip him bare."

My third call was to my assistant, a loyal young woman who had been with me since I started my own, now dormant, political consulting firm. "I need you to clear my schedule," I instructed, "and then I need you to start compiling a multimedia presentation. Everything on Hamilton. His campaign promises, his public statements. And leave space for a... very special surprise."

"Where will this be presented, Caroline?" she asked, her voice cautious.

I looked back at the closed penthouse door, at the symbol of his betrayal. A cruel smile touched my lips. "At the election-eve rally, of course. Live. On the jumbotrons. I want the world to see the man I married, in all his glory."

The line went silent. My assistant, a seasoned professional, understood. This wasn't just about revenge. It was about total, public immolation.

"Consider it done," she said, her voice grim, but with an undercurrent of something that sounded like awe.

I hung up. The game had changed. They had chosen to play dirty. And now, I would show them what a real strategist could do.

And I would start with their precious Bryanna.