Aurora was really good at getting to the point. Claudia thought that if they continued to chat Like this, she would end up sharing the juicy details. "We bumped into someone at the race course," she quickly changed the subject.

Aurora wrote back, "Who? Tell me in detail."

Claudia said, "The woman with whom Bennett had been rumored to have an affair."

Remembering said rumor, Aurora replied, "Kayla?"

Claudia couldn't help admiring her best friend's pristine memory and said, "Yes, Kayla. She was at the race course earlier. Bennett was teaching me how to ride when she rode over on a white horse and greeted us."

Claudia continued, “I think she was up to something because she called Bennett by a pet name in front of me. He later told me it was his middle name that his grandfather gave him."

Claudia, Bennett's own wife, didn't even know his middle name.

Aurora said, “Actually, I want to know how Mr. Dreskin taught you to ride a horse." Then, she sent Claudia a meme of a curious cat.

Claudia wrote back, "That's not the key point!"

Aurora replied, “I know, I know. The point is, you're upset because you don't even know Bennett's middle name, yet this other girl shows up out of nowhere and uses it to address him right in front of you, the real Mrs. Dreskin."

Aurora added, "What a scheming bitch that Kayla is. I'm sure she has more tricks up her sleeve. You have to be careful, honey."

Claudia obsessed over Kayla's possible intentions all afternoon and came up empty. Meanwhile, Aurora had the whole thing figured out after getting just a few details about the encounter.

Then, Claudia told Aurora about Kayla attempting to elbow her way into joining her, Bennett, and Bennett's friends for dinner, and Aurora sent her three exclamation marks.

“Damn! That crafty woman is definitely after your man! You better watch out!"

Aurora was obviously angry.

ALL Claudia could think about was Aurora's words. She was so distracted that she didn't notice that they had arrived home.

Bennett called her twice, but she didn't answer. So he leaned in and helped her unfasten her seat belt.

It was Bennett's familiar woodsy scent that made Claudia snap back to her senses.

She looked at Bennett as he undid her seat belt for her, and Aurora's words echoed in her head again.

Then, sheer, debilitating panic started shaking her to her very core, and she didn't know why.

“What are you thinking about? Why do you look so serious?"

Claudia's mind was in shambles. Hearing what Bennett said, she murmured, "She wants to steal him away."

What did she say just now?

Realizing what she just said out loud, Claudia froze.