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Back The Other Husband
Chapters (67)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. PROLOGUE
  4. PART ONE
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. PART TWO
  23. EIGHTEEN
  24. NINETEEN
  25. TWENTY
  26. TWENTY-ONE
  27. TWENTY-TWO
  28. TWENTY-THREE
  29. TWENTY-FOUR
  30. TWENTY-FIVE
  31. TWENTY-SIX
  32. TWENTY-SEVEN
  33. TWENTY-EIGHT
  34. TWENTY-NINE
  35. PART THREE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. PART FOUR
  47. FORTY
  48. FORTY-ONE
  49. FORTY-TWO
  50. FORTY-THREE
  51. FORTY-FOUR
  52. FORTY-FIVE
  53. FORTY-SIX
  54. FORTY-SEVEN
  55. FORTY-EIGHT
  56. FORTY-NINE
  57. FIFTY
  58. FIFTY-ONE
  59. FIFTY-TWO
  60. FIFTY-THREE
  61. FIFTY-FOUR
  62. EPILOGUE
  63. Mailing list
  64. A Letter from Kathryn
  65. Acknowledgements
  66. About the Author
  67. Also by Kathryn Croft

It’s Monday and they’re sitting down to a rare weekday breakfast together, which normally she would appreciate. Rob usually grabs something at work, and she can’t recall the last time he’s sat down to eat before leaving. But this morning she needs to be alone.

‘It’s weird that Greg just left like that, isn’t it?’ Rob says, biting into his toast.

Sienna messaged Abby the second she woke up to update her. Still no Greg. No message even. Nothing. ‘I guess you just never know what’s going on in a marriage, do you?’ Abby says.

Rob shakes his head. ‘It doesn’t make sense, though. Why wouldn’t he just tell her he’s leaving her? Why disappear like that? It just doesn’t seem like him.’

‘You’re acting as though we knew him really well,’ she snaps. ‘We didn’t, not really.’ This feels like an interrogation, and she’s sure her cheeks are flushing. There’s no way Rob could know her connection to Greg – it’s impossible.

Rob ignores her snipe. ‘I like to think I’m a pretty good judge of character. He just always seems genuine and, well, decent.’

This is exactly how Abby thought of Greg before she knew better. Sienna’s never said anything to the contrary, at least not until she’d mentioned his feelings for his ex-wife. Abby knows this can’t be true, that it’s not Greg’s ex-wife Sienna should be worried about.

‘I don’t know,’ she tells Rob. ‘Maybe he can’t face telling Sienna their marriage is over. Maybe he’s a coward.’ It’s hard to keep animosity from her voice.

‘I get it. You’re protecting your friend. And that’s what Sienna needs.’ Rob always tries to see the best in her.

She stands up, begins clearing away the plates. Rob doesn’t mention the untouched toast on hers.

‘Still, he doesn’t strike me as a coward,’ Rob says. He won’t let this go. ‘Did he take things with him? Pack a suitcase or anything?’

With her back to Rob, she loads the dishwasher, explaining that according to Sienna he hasn’t. There was nothing missing, not even his toothbrush.

‘I don’t know, Abby. Greg just upping and leaving without taking a thing seems a bit weird. What about work? Surely he’s still going in? He’s a surgeon: he wouldn’t let his patients down.’

‘That’s the thing. He’s on leave, so Sienna’s worried the police won’t take this seriously until he doesn’t show up for work. That’s a whole week away.’

‘The police? So she thinks—’