Sidney Sheldon's After the Darkness by Sidney Sheldon

like two peas in a pod. Whenever he talks to me about Quorum and business, I haveno idea what he’s going on about. But you? You know everything! It’s like you’re really interested. ”
    And Connie would always wonder, How on earth did those two get married?
    Lenny Brookstein was brilliant and engaging, tough and ambitious and alive, the most alive person Connie had ever met. Grace was…sweet. It made no sense to Connie. But she didn’t dwell on it too much. Back then she and Michael were happy and rich, albeit in a modest way.
    Back then…
    The first time it happened was in Lenny’s office, late at night. Connie had gone to see her brother-in-law privately, to talk to him about a bridge loan, and the possibility of his helping Michael find another position. The Lehman MDs had become Wall Street’s lepers, tainted by failure, untouchable. Michael was a good banker, but no one was prepared to give him a second chance.
    Connie had started to cry. Lenny put his arm around her. Before they knew it, they were on the floor, tangled in each other’s arms, and Lenny was making passionate love to her.
    Afterward, Connie whispered, “We’re so alike, you and I. We both have the hunger. Michael and Grace aren’t like that.”
    â€œI know,” said Lenny. “That’s why we have to protect them. You and I can protect ourselves.”
    It was not the response Connie had hoped for. But she did not leave Quorum’s offices that night disheartened. On the contrary, a new and interesting door had just been opened. Slipping into bed beside Michael an hour later, she wondered excitedly where it might lead.
    Â 
    I T LED NOWHERE.
    Two weeks later, Connie slept with Lenny again, this time at a cheap hotel in New Jersey. Lenny was crippled with guilt.
    â€œI can’t believe we’ve done this. I’ve done this,” he corrected himself. “It’s not your fault, Connie. You and Michael are under terrible stress. But I have no excuse.”
    Connie whispered huskily, “You don’t need an excuse, Lenny. You’re not happy with Grace. I understand that. She was never right for you.”
    Lenny’s eyes widened. He looked at Connie with genuine incredulity. “Not right for me? Grace? My God. She’s everything to me. I love her so much, I…” The sentence trailed off. He was too choked to finish it. Eventually he said, “She must never know about this. Never. And it must never happen again. Let’s put it down to a moment of madness and move on, okay?”
    â€œSure,” said Connie. “If that’s what you want.”
    Driving home to Michael, she could barely contain her rage. Move on? MOVE ON? To what? What have I got to move on to? A life of middle-aged penury with my formerly successful husband, living off scraps from my little sister’s table? Fuck you, Lenny Brookstein. You owe me. And now you can pay me. You think I’m going to let you walk back into Grace’s arms scot-free?
    Â 
    â€œM OMMY, WATCH ME !”
    Cade was on the swing. He rocked his skinny legs back and forth to gain momentum, then leaped into the air, landing with a satisfied thud on the sand.
    â€œDid you see how high I went? Did you see?”
    â€œI saw, honey. That was awesome.” Connie drew her finely woven summer shawl more tightly around her shoulders. Cashmere, from Scotland, it had been a birthday present from Grace. Soon everything we own will be a present from Grace. The food on our table, the shirts on our backs .
    The thought of spending next week with Lenny and Grace at their magnificent beachfront estate was enough to make Connie feel nauseous. Especially after her little tête-à-tête with Lenny on the dance floor at the Quorum Ball last night. The bastard had actually had the temerity to get angry with her. With her ! As if she were the one who’d pursued him . Lenny had led her on, then dropped