Miami Conference Confirmation

I was just logging into our shared inbox to find a digital receipt, but a subject line

stopped me cold: "Miami Conference Confirmation." Alex had told me he was spending

the weekend at his parents' house two states away. I clicked it, my hands shaking,

and saw a reservation for a king-sized room. Booked for two guests. I called the hotel,

pretending to be his assistant. "I just need to confirm the second guest's name for

the check-in," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. The receptionist

didn't hesitate. "Of course, it’s listed under Alex Mitchell and Jessica Thorne."

My heart didn't just skip a beat; it stopped. Jessica was his "work friend" who