Chapter 1: Introduction
Cassandra let out a soft sigh as she adjusted her silk robe, the cool fabric sliding against her warm skin. The party was in full swing downstairs, but up here, in their private sanctuary, it was quiet—a sanctuary that felt more like a prison lately. She ran her fingers through her long, curly red hair, the soft curls catching the light from the bedside lamp. Green eyes reflected in the mirror, a mix of insecurity and determination staring back at her.
Ten years. A decade of marriage, of love, of laughter, and good times. But recently, something had shifted.
Ethan had been distant, his mind elsewhere, even when they were in the same room. They made love less frequently, and when they did, it felt perfunctory, like they were going through the motions. Cassandra missed the spark, the passion, the raw desire that had once defined them. She wanted it back, needed it back.
The distant sounds of laughter and clinking glasses from downstairs brought her back to the present. Tonight was their annual dinner party, a tradition they'd kept since they first bought this grand old house. The dining room downstairs would be filled with friends and acquaintances, all laughing and chatting over fine wine and even finer food.