Who Breaks First Chapter 2

I hurried over to Audrey, my feet carrying me before my mind caught up. By the time I reached her, the reason for her presence was painfully obvious.

Grayson explained with a wide, charming smile. "Today's the family dinner, isn't it? I was worried I wouldn't make it in time from the airport, so I mentioned it to Audrey. Next thing I know, she's insisting on picking me up herself."

I heard a quiet snicker from the dinner table.

Before the meal, my father had asked why Audrey was absent again. I’d told them she was swamped with work.

Yet one word from Grayson had her racing across the city to the airport and then all the way out to the family estate.

The hierarchy was crystal clear.

I forced a smile, looking at Grayson. "Uncle, if you needed a ride, you could have called a car service. You didn't have to bother Audrey."

"We're old friends from school," Grayson said, draping an arm around Audrey's shoulders in a theatrically familiar gesture. "What's the big deal if she comes to get me? Right, Audrey?"

Audrey slipped off her scarf and coat with practiced ease and handed them to me. "Ethan, don't overthink it. Let's just sit down and eat. Your uncle is finally back. It's a reunion for everyone."

A sudden sting filled my eyes. She had already turned away from me, finding a seat next to Grayson. They sat shoulder to shoulder, their heads bent toward each other in conversation, looking for all the world like the high school sweethearts they once were. Anyone would say they were a perfect match.

After all these years, it was like no time had passed for them.

And me? After three years of marriage, was I just her convenient valet?

A bitter smile touched my lips. Leaving now would only cause a bigger scene. I retreated to my original seat, directly across from them.

Grayson's presence lit up the room. He handled the relatives' questions with the effortless grace he’d always possessed. For as long as I could remember, he was the center of attention, the golden child. I had once admired him, even tried to emulate him. Then, I grew to despise him.

And Audrey… she still watched him with that same unwavering focus.

My heart seized. I knew that look. It was the exact same way she used to watch him in high school. She was forever the salutatorian to his valedictorian. While Grayson worked on problem sets, Audrey would rest her chin on her desk and just stare at him, completely captivated.

It never surprised me that she fell for him. Grayson was perfection on the surface. Before we were married, I had even wished them well.

But now we were married. If she still held a flame for him, what did that make me, her husband?

I picked at my food, the taste of it lost on me. On the drive home, Audrey said she was tired and asked me to drive. She sat in the passenger seat, eyes closed.

I decided to test the waters. "Audrey, you do know that we're married, right?"

She frowned, her eyes still shut. "If you're ever unsure, you can always look at the certificate in the filing cabinet."

I let out a breath, laughing at my own paranoia. But her next sentence plunged me right back into the ice.

"By the way, Grayson's just getting resettled. There's a lot he's not up to speed on here. I'm going to spend the next few days showing him the ropes."