The sound of laughter and clinking champagne glasses drifted up from the foyer.

Vanessa was standing near the towering stone fireplace, surrounded by a circle of guests.

She wore a silk emerald dress that caught the light of the massive crystal chandelier.

She laughed at something a man next to her said, sipping from a flute of champagne.

Benjamin paused at the top of the stairs, looking down at her.

His hand gripped the wooden banister so tightly his knuckles turned white.

He descended the stairs slowly, each step deliberate and heavy.

The guests began to notice him, their chatter dying down as they saw his expression.

Vanessa turned, her smile freezing when she saw her husband.

“Benjamin, darling,” she said, her voice smooth and welcoming for the crowd.

“Where have you been? Our guests were wondering where the host had gone.”

“I was upstairs, Vanessa,” Benjamin said, stopping a few feet away from her.

“In the nursery.”

A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a sigh.

“Oh, those poor girls,” she said, shaking her head.