Chapter 21: The Web of Deceit

As Rachel packed her bags for Mayfair, her mind was a tangled mess of thoughts and emotions. Her relationship with Mike had been on shaky ground for months, filled with frequent arguments over the smallest things. The once warm and loving connection they shared now felt cold and distant, each day a struggle to maintain even a semblance of harmony. Mike's behavior had changed. He was distant and preoccupied, often lost in his thoughts. His phone buzzed with mysterious calls and texts that he quickly dismissed or stepped out of the room to answer. Rachel's heart sank every time she noticed these signs, her mind racing with suspicions. One evening, while cleaning Mike's apartment, Rachel found a strand of hair on the couch. It was long and black—completely unlike her own blonde and curly. She stared at it for a moment, her stomach twisting with dread. Confronting Mike seemed futile, but the evidence was mounting, and she couldn't ignore it any longer. "Hey, Mike, what's going on? You s