Court Secrets

The glass walls of the padel club reflected Elena's hollow expression as she gripped her racket, sweat stinging her eyes. Across the net, Marcus played with the careless ease of a man who didn't know his wife had spent the past six months as a corporate spy, feeding his company's proprietary algorithms to his biggest competitor.

"You're distracted," Marcus called out, smashing the ball against the back wall. "Same as last week. And the week before."

Elena forced a smile. "Just tired, love. The merger has everyone working late."

The pyramid-shaped pendant on his neck caught the light—a gift she'd given him on their fifth anniversary, back when she still believed in loyalty. Now it was just another prop in the charade. The merger he mentioned? That was her doing. She'd orchestrated the entire hostile takeover from inside their bedroom, sending encrypted files while he slept beside her, their cat curled between his legs, their dog dreaming at the foot of their bed.

At home, the animals waited. The cat, a cynical Siamese named Gatsby, regarded her with judgment eyes whenever she returned from her "business trips." The dog, foolishly loyal golden retriever Archie, greeted her with tail wags regardless of how many times she'd betrayed his master's trust.

"Your company's stock is plummeting," Elena said casually as they changed ends. "Heard it on the news."

Marcus shrugged. "Temporary setback. These things happen."

"But why now? Just before the merger?"

"Inside leak, probably. Corporate espionage." He laughed, shaking his head. "Imagine trusting someone enough to destroy everything they built."

The irony tasted metallic in her mouth. She'd sold her soul for thirty pieces of silver, and now she couldn't even remember why. The money sat in offshore accounts she'd never touch. The satisfaction of seeing his company crumble felt increasingly like ash on her tongue.

"Marcus, I—" Her racket slipped from sweaty fingers, clattering on the court. "There's something I need to tell you."

He looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time in months. "I know, El. I've known for weeks."

The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating. Outside, the city carried on, oblivious to the implosion of two lives.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I wanted to see if you'd choose us." His voice cracked. "And because I needed to know if the woman I married was still in there somewhere."

Elena sank to her knees, the game abandoned, the pyramid burning against her chest. At home, Gatsby and Archie waited. But tonight, there would be no home to return to.