Daphne offered a polite smile that never reached her eyes. “I have been paying attention for a while now. To expenses. To patterns. To inconsistencies that stopped being accidental months ago.”
Peter swallowed, his mind racing. “This is not what it looks like.”
“That is interesting,” Daphne replied calmly. “Because it looks exactly like what it is. You brought someone you are involved with to a hotel using a card linked to an account we share, in a city you told me you would not be in this week.”
The receptionist stood frozen, suddenly very aware of her presence in a moment she wanted no part of. A woman in a navy blazer stood a few feet away, watching quietly, her posture composed, her gaze sharp.
“I should go,” Kira said, stepping back. “I did not know he was married. I swear.”
“I believe you,” Daphne said, her tone softening just slightly. “You were not the one who made vows to me.”
She gestured toward the elevators. “The room is already paid for. Please enjoy your stay. You deserve honesty, even if you did not receive it.”
Kira hesitated, then took the key card from Peter’s hand and walked away without looking back.