Free A Fragile Wife: Billionaire Romance by Cynthia Dane

at Lana as if she had grown a second head. I know, I’m not very personable. Although Lana tried to keep emotional distance between her and the help she hired, Roberta was the house’s longest standing employee at seven years. She lived in a sizable apartment above the kitchen where the Andrews let her host guests and even a live-in boyfriend for three out of those seven years – the boyfriend had worked as a lawn keeper for a neighboring property, meaning hardly any commute. These were perks Lana wouldn’t dream of offering her other employees.
    So even though Roberta and her were far from friends, she was the closest thing Lana had to one in that house outside of her husband. If there was anyone she was going to talk to, it was this sullen woman who often looked like she was about to rip the chicken in half with her bare hands.
    “Do you think my husband is cheating on me?”
    Lana went ahead and laid that out on the island counter, now didn’t she?
    Roberta spared her another glance before dumping a pile of diced carrots into a bowl. “It’s too close to Christmas for a question like that,” she mumbled.
    “I’m serious. I think there might be something going on between him and Chloe.”
    Roberta shrugged. “What evidence do you have of this?”
    Classic Roberta. She had no other reaction than, “Evidence? Where’s your evidence?” This was why Lana liked her. That and she cooked a mean lasagna.
    “I have my reasons for thinking this.”
    “That means you have no evidence.”
    Lana huffed. “I caught the girl reading something on my husband’s stationery. She was being secretive about it. And giggling over it.”
    “Okay, but have you seen them together like that? Has either of them said anything?”
    “Well, no…”
    Roberta shrugged again. “If you’re that worried, fire the girl.”
    “That doesn’t solve my problems.” Ken would find someone else to fool around with. Probably in the city where Lana would never find out. “Besides, it’s such a pain in the ass hiring live-in maids around here. I have to take applications, interview them, give them trial runs… Chloe’s only been here a few months. I don’t want to go through that again if I don’t have to.” Obviously, if Chloe were screwing the boss’s husband, then she would have to go.
    “Your problems sound like they’re in your head.”
    Lana could have responded in any number of ways. She could have yelled at Roberta. Could have fired her on the spot for saying such a thing. Could have sent a warning shot with her sharp, biting tongue.
    Instead, Lana said, “You’re right. They are. Except my instincts have brought me this far in my life, and my instincts say that there’s something going on. Something is being kept from me in this house.”
    “Well, I know nothing about it, ma’am.” Roberta waved her knife around for emphasis. “But if you do find out that the bastard is cheating on you, know that I can slip any ol’ thing into his chicken soup. Like a shitton of laxatives, if you know what I mean.”
    “I think I get your point.” As amusing as it would be to destroy the man’s colon for a day or two, Lana wasn’t sure what that would accomplish. “I appreciate your candor, as always.”
    “That’s why you come to me.”
    “Indeed.” Lana turned, shoulders square and ponytail pulling tight against her scalp. “Let me know if you notice anything, though.”
    Before she could step out of the kitchen, Roberta called out, “There was one thing, ma’am.”
    Lana stopped. “Oh? Do tell.”
    “This is conjecture on my part, but maybe it will mean something to you.”
    “Please, go on.”
    Roberta looked around the kitchen, as if anyone but her, Lana, and the deliveryman who brought the food three times a week ever came in there. “The other day when I was serving Mr. Andrews breakfast, I saw him pull the maid aside and whisper something into her ear. It was not work related, ma’am. The girl was blushing