Ten years. That’s how long you and Stefan—no, let’s call him “Seth”—had been married. Ten years of love, fights over dishes, late-night talks, and falling asleep with your feet tangled together. But lately, something was missing. Not love—no, that was still there—but the spark. The kind of spark that makes you feel alive, reckless, and a little dangerous.

You’d both felt it, though neither of you said it aloud until one Friday night after another quiet dinner. You were picking at your pasta when Stefan put down his fork, a little smirk creeping onto his face.

“What if we tried something different?” he asked, leaning forward.

“Different how?”

“Roleplaying,” he said, his voice teasing. “Let’s be strangers. New names, new lives, meeting for the first time. But here’s the twist: we’re both cheating on our spouses—with each other.”

You blinked at him. "Stefan, that’s—”

“Genius?” he offered with a grin.

“Ridiculous,” you finished, but you were already smiling, the idea sparking something deep inside.

That’s how you ended up here, sitting at the bar of a ritzy, dimly lit lounge that smelled like whiskey and leather. You were someone else tonight. You weren’t the spouse who reminded him to take out the trash or scolded him for leaving socks on the floor. No, tonight, you were under new identity.

And Stefan? He wasn’t your husband. Not tonight. Tonight, he was Seth, a rich tech consultant who traveled the world, cutting deals and making bank. He’d dressed the part, too, in a tailored navy suit that hugged his broad shoulders, his wedding ring conspicuously absent.

You swirled your martini, letting the gin warm your insides as you waited.

And then there he was, walking in like he owned the place. His dark hair was slightly mussed, his jaw freshly shaved, and his eyes… well, those were the same. They were always the same, even when he was pretending to be someone else.

“Excuse me,” he said, sliding into the seat beside you. His voice was lower, smoother, with just a hint of charm. “Is this seat taken?”