The Mistress Took My Husband, So I Took Her Son

Six years of dating. Five years of marriage. The husband who had taken up my entire youth was cheating on me. I had no time to grieve. I decided to find myself a younger lover—and make his mistress’s son mine. Everyone envied me for marrying such a wonderful man. Gentle, considerate, and willing to do anything I asked. But only I knew that my marriage was in trouble. Something was very wrong with Daniel Carter, the husband I adored. During the time we set aside to talk each day, he would zone out. Even after I called him on it repeatedly, he would only give an awkward explanation about being exhausted from work. He used to remember exactly when my period was due. Now he forgot, only realizing his mistake when he found me curled up on the couch in pain. And when he came home drunk late at night, I would loosen his tie and smell a perfume that wasn’t mine. There were too many signs to ignore. Eventually, I hired a private investigator, who confirmed that Daniel was having an affair. I was thirty-two. Daniel was thirty-seven. His mistress was Vivian Blake, a former award-winning actress who had stepped out of the spotlight. Vivian was thirty-nine, but time had only added to her appeal, giving her an even more captivating presence. She was like a fine red wine. Age didn’t diminish her—it gave her depth and richness. Daniel’s company handled behind-the-scenes production. After so many years in entertainment, Vivian already had the skills and experience for the job. Once she joined his company, she thrived. She rose until she answered to no one but Daniel. It took me all of two minutes to accept that my husband was cheating with a woman older than both of us. The allure of a mature woman, I supposed. Then I remembered something he had once said as a joke. “Emma, I’ve always liked older women. You’re my only exception.” Apparently, some men really never changed. He was still loyal to his original type. Of course, I had feelings. Daniel and I had been together for over a decade. So after accepting the news of his affair, I spent an excruciating day or so grieving. One day later, I pulled myself together and started planning my revenge. People never understood how much something hurt until it happened to them. I decided to give Daniel a taste of his own medicine. As luck would have it, my deeper investigation turned up something useful. Vivian had secretly given birth to a son at nineteen. That made him twenty now. Twenty. Such a beautiful, tempting age. I decided that Vivian’s son would be my new lover. Was it immoral? Absolutely. But it was nothing compared to what she and Daniel had done to me.“Honey, what made you decide to give a concert at a university?” Daniel drove with one hand and held a cigar in the other, asking casually. “Since when do you smoke around me? You know I can’t stand the smell.” My voice was playfully reproachful, but my smile never reached my eyes. He immediately stubbed out the cigar and tossed it into a paper bag. His movements were quick and decisive. But I still caught the flash of guilt and panic in his eyes. “My fault, honey. Things have been so busy at work. I’ve been under so much pressure, I forgot I shouldn’t smoke around you.” He forced a smile. My hands slowly curled into fists beneath my sleeves. There it was again. The same excuse. Every careless mistake, every moment of indifference, left a mark on my heart that wouldn’t fade. “Busy at work” covered everything. “You work so hard, honey. I’ll give you a massage when we get home.” I accepted his excuse instead of embarrassing him. Seeing me so understanding rather than angry only seemed to deepen his guilt. Halfway there, he pulled over and said he was going to buy water. I propped my chin on my hand by the window and watched him walk away. The man who supposedly wanted water was on the phone moments later. He kept glancing toward the car, afraid I might see him. I didn’t need to guess who was on the other end. With a cold smile, I looked away and played on my phone. By accident, I bumped the compartment in front of my seat. It fell open, revealing a pair of black stockings stuffed inside. I stared at them. My smile slowly vanished. Then I slammed the compartment shut. What a blatant little challenge. She was only a mistress, yet she dared shove it in his wife’s face. She had no idea who she was dealing with. Daniel returned a little later. As he handed me the water, I turned and looked at him intently. “Honey, I was looking for nail clippers in the car, and I found something else…” I held his gaze, putting him under silent interrogation. It was barely forty degrees outside, but I could clearly see nervous sweat gathering on his forehead. “Honey, let me—” Before he could finish his hoarse explanation, I smiled. “When did you start chewing gum? I found so much in that little box under the seat.” He let out a huge sigh of relief. He gave me another casual excuse, and I pretended to believe it. We exchanged a few words here and there for the rest of the drive. Soon, we reached our destination. St. Clare University, the most prestigious university in the city. And the school Vivian’s son attended.“Have a great concert, honey. I’ll pick you up later.” Daniel hugged me and kissed my forehead before finally tearing himself away. Once he was gone, I entered the campus with anticipation. Vivian’s son was named Noah Bennett. He was a sophomore majoring in piano performance. He was obsessed with the piano and already known in music circles as a gifted young talent. And I happened to be a well-known pianist myself. I rarely performed at universities. Naturally, I had only one reason for making an exception. To seduce Noah. At the concert, my gown pooled around my feet as my fingers moved over the keys, shifting between delicate and powerful. When the piece ended, thunderous applause filled the hall. I stood beneath the spotlight, radiant. Across the sea of faces, my eyes met Noah’s. Everything around us seemed to stop and disappear, leaving only him and me in the concert hall. Eyes revealed everything. They were where the souls beneath our bodies confronted each other, where a silent battle unfolded. I narrowed mine slightly and held his gaze, waiting for curiosity to deepen in his. Then I curved my lips, looked away, and thanked the audience. Just enough. A perfectly measured tease. As expected, a figure blocked my path backstage after I had packed up to leave. A young man in his prime had a glow all his own. Noah had broad, straight shoulders and a lean waist. Even a simple T-shirt and pants looked incredible on him. Every inch of him radiated youthful energy. Sunlight filtered through his tousled hair, catching in his bright, almost fawnlike eyes. “Ms. Hayes, I’ve admired you for so long. I’m a huge fan. Could I please have your autograph?” His low, mellow voice filled the quiet room. His heart seemed to be racing, his breathing uneven. I turned, took out a sheet of paper, and signed my name in a graceful sweep. “I never give private autographs. You’re an exception.” I smiled and handed him the paper. He looked overwhelmed. His hand trembled as he reached for it, and our fingers briefly overlapped. At the touch of our skin, he tried to remain composed. His bright red ears betrayed him. “You’re very handsome.” I smiled directly at him, my gaze unflinching. Like a hunter studying her prey. His blush deepened. When he finally spoke, his voice was rough. “Thank you.” An undercurrent stirred through the quiet room, two souls brushing against each other.Just as Noah was about to leave with his autograph, I pretended to twist my ankle and gave him a helpless, pleading look. Most men couldn’t resist a woman looking at them like that. As expected, he immediately dropped to one knee and anxiously massaged my ankle. After several pained cries from me, he couldn’t bear it anymore. He lifted me into his arms and strode toward the campus clinic. I nestled against his broad chest, listening to his strong heartbeat and breathing in his fresh mint scent. It felt like a tired, withered tree had come back to life and begun to bud again. I brushed against him, making each touch seem accidental, then peeked up at him. His jaw was tight, his face flushed. He stared straight ahead, refusing to look down, as though fighting to control himself. I deliberately touched his hot cheek and asked innocently, “Are you feeling warm, Noah? Your face is burning.” As I spoke, I kept brushing my hand over his face, stroking his sensitive skin. His arms tightened around me. His posture grew even stiffer before he finally answered hoarsely, “Must be the weather.” Having conquered every defense, I brought my little campaign to a satisfied close. At the clinic, the nurse examined me and said it was nothing serious. A little muscle rub would do. After thanking her, it was time to leave. “To thank you, feel free to come to me if you ever want to discuss anything about the piano.” The implication was obvious. We should exchange contact information. Noah clearly hadn’t expected me to make the offer. Given my standing in the music world, opportunities to receive my personal guidance were rare. He couldn’t stop smiling. Delight and shyness filled his eyes as he quickly took out his phone and added me. “Call me Noah, Emma.” We shared the same field, and he had always idolized pianists like me. So once we started messaging, conversation flowed easily. He went from calling me “Ms. Hayes” to “Emma.” “Good morning, Emma.” “Good night, Emma.” “Does your ankle still hurt? Should you have it checked again?” “I dreamed about you last night, Emma.” … There was so much more. Noah would spend hours on the phone with me and share every detail of his day. Whenever I messaged, he answered instantly. Compared with my sparse chat history with Daniel, the contrast was almost laughable. Vivian probably never imagined that while she was seducing my husband, I was seducing her son. Soon, my thirty-third birthday arrived. Every year before this, Daniel had spent the day with me, taking me on little trips and preparing romantic surprises. This year should have been the same. Unfortunately, the leading man had had a change of heart. One moment, he agreed to celebrate my birthday in a nearby historic town. The next, his phone rang.