My Dreams His Reality Trilogy by Shanika Rana

Hazel Ware. That was my name. Not Hazel Harrell. It was the only thing I hadn't changed for Emmett, and now, watching him on stage, his hand brushing Keeley Osborn's as the applause thundered, I felt like a stranger to my own life.

For five years, I was the perfect wife to my successful architect husband, Emmett. I happily put my own ambitions aside for his, believing our life was a shared dream.

Then, one night, I discovered the truth. He was living a secret life, caught in a five-year emotional affair with his old flame, the filmmaker Keeley Osborn, a woman he depended on more than me.

He abandoned me on our anniversary to celebrate her success and left my bed at 3 AM to soothe her 'creative block.' When I found out I was pregnant, I was utterly alone.

During a desperate confrontation, I told him about the baby. His first instinct was to defend her. The shock sent me to the hospital, where I miscarried our child.

The ultimate betrayal was learning he was in the same hospital that day, comforting Keeley while I was losing our baby down the hall.

Lying in that cold hospital bed, I looked at the man I no longer recognized.

"It's over, Emmett," I said. "I want a divorce."

Chapter 1

The air in the theater thickened with anticipation. Keeley Osborn, all sharp angles and bohemian chic in a velvet jumpsuit, was already on stage, a nervous energy buzzing around her. Her latest indie film, "Echoes of Summer," had just concluded, and the credits were still rolling across the screen. The Q&A session was about to begin, but a frantic whisper snaked through the wings. Keeley' s lead actor, it seemed, had a family emergency. He wouldn' t be making it.

A ripple of panic went through the audience. Keeley' s face, usually so composed, showed a flicker of distress. Then, a figure emerged from the side, stepping into the spotlight with an effortless grace that could only belong to Emmett. My husband.

A collective sigh of relief, then a murmur of surprise, swept through the crowd. Emmett, the successful architect, stood beside Keeley, looking utterly at home. He didn't just stand there, either. He took the mic, his voice a calm, reassuring balm. His smile, usually reserved for board meetings and our anniversaries, was wide and genuine as he turned to Keeley.

He began to field questions, not just about the technical aspects, but about the film's deeper themes, its philosophical underpinnings. He spoke with such passion, such intimate knowledge, it was as if he had lived and breathed every frame. The words flowed from him, articulate and profound, painting a picture of a man utterly consumed by the art. The audience was mesmerized. I watched, my heart doing a strange, unfamiliar dance in my chest. He was brilliant. He was captivating. And he was standing next to Keeley, their eyes locking with an intensity that burned even from the back row.