Free Secret Obsession by Kimberla Lawson Roby Page A

message. “Baby, this is Camille. Where are you? I’m so sorry about all of this, but as God is my witness, I don’t know any William, and I never sent anyone those emails. Please call me, and please come home. Baby, I’m freaking out here, and I don’t want to lose you. I love you so much, so please, please come home, Pierce.”
    Camille pressed the end button. “Mom and Dad should be bringing the children home pretty soon. They took them out to dinner, and I’m so glad they weren’t here a little while ago.”
    “I’m glad they weren’t either. But what are you going to say to them if Pierce doesn’t come back tonight?”
    “He’ll be back.”
    Paige wasn’t so sure about that, and to be honest, she was hoping he wouldn’t. She was praying he’d checked in to a hotel and would only return tomorrow for the rest of his things. If she was lucky, he’d already decided to move out for good.
    “Maybe I should have given up all of my outside activities. Remember, I was just telling you about all that a couple of weeks ago.”
    “I know, but why should you have to give up doing things you love? Things that give you fulfillment. You’re well-educated, outgoing, and you should be able to do whatever you want.”
    “Maybe. But my husband should have come first. I should have been a lot more mindful of that.”
    “I agree with you, but only to a certain extent.”
    “And why is that?”
    “Because every husband should want his wife to be happy. He should want her to be just as happy as he is. Both inside of their home and outside of it.”
    “Still. If I could do things over, I wouldn’t get involved in nearly as many activities or attend so many meetings. And I’m going to do everything I can to make things up to him. I can’t and won’t lose my husband over something this silly.”
    Paige knew it was time she raised the bar and placed a bit of doubt and suspicion in her sister’s mind, too. “Yeah, but if you think about it, Camille, Pierce never should have accused you of messing around just because you weren’t at home the way he wanted you to be. It’s almost like he became paranoid for no reason. And as much as I hate saying this, when people accuse you for no reason, it’s normally because they’re the ones who are guilty of something.”
    Camille looked at Paige, her forehead wrinkled. “You don’t really think that, do you?”
    “I’m just sayin’. Because it’s not like he’s ever accused you of having an affair before now, has he?”
    “No.”
    “Then why would he all of a sudden start accusing you last month, and now he’s gone as far as thinking he has proof of it. For all we know, he could have been the one who sent those email messages.”
    “But why would he do that?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe so he could justify messing around himself.”
    Camille stood up, clearly defensive. “I don’t think so, Paige, and I wish you wouldn’t say things like that about my husband.”
    Paige hurried to soften her accusation. “Camille, I didn’t mean any disrespect, and you know I love Pierce. But at the same time, you’re my sister, and I’m always going to look out for you more than I will for him.”
    “I know, and I appreciate that. But Pierce would never play games like this. He would never have sent those emails.”
    “I’m sorry,” Paige said quickly. “I guess my imagination sort of got the best of me, and I never should have said those things. Please forgive me.”
    “It’s fine,” Camille said, walking out of her office. “It’s been an upsetting evening for both of us.”
    “If you want, I can go downstairs and wait for PJ and Crystal to get home, and you can go lie down.”
    “You don’t mind?”
    “No, not at all.”
    “If Mom and Dad come in, just tell them I wasn’t feeling well and I’ll call them tomorrow.”
    “I will. And Camille, I really am sorry. There’s no doubt that Pierce loves you, and you love him. And when he gets back, the two of