Candlelight, music, and..?

Ray Parker undid his loosened tie, anything to postpone the inevitable confrontation with his wife. As the forty-year-old CEO stepped towards the open doorway to the split-level's master bedroom, he peeked a little at a time into the well-appointed abode, like an errant schoolboy expecting the worst at any moment. "Marlene?" he near-choked as he called his wife's name.

The frazzled company president was surprised to see a warm glow in the room near their shared king-sized bed's headboard. The nightstand's round-bellied lamp had a gauzy pink cloth thrown over the shade, the material causing a much softer light to be cast across the room than usual. A couple of large, thick white candles were lit on the endtables on each side of the bed, shooting odd shadows around the room as the small flames flickered.

Now more intrigued than worried by this turn of events, the emboldened father of four stepped to the wood-framed doorway with considerably less trepidation and saw the blue and red diodes dancing on the bookshelf stereo at the other end of the room. At the same time he heard the sounds of soft jazz swirl through their bedroom. He realized there were no worries about the utilities tonight.

Stepping inside his bedroom, he looked around. More of the same type of candles sat atop his dresser and his wife's makeup table, helping to brighten the shadows at the far end of the room.

Ray Parker started when he saw a blonde sitting on the vanity's small chair, facing the mirror, brushing through her thick tumble of golden locks.The dressing table's angle prevented him from seeing her reflection. She looked to be wearing a short, silky, champagne-colored robe. The formally-devoted husband shook, afraid he would have a heart attack right there when he saw this woman push the gilt chair back as she readied to stand up.

A cold trickle of sweat ran down the center of his back as he tried in vain to get a better look in the ever-changing shadows. 'Has one of my smitten employees cracked?' he asked himself. 'Who was this woman and what has she done with my wife?' He tried to back out of the room as quietly as he had entered, but found himself with his back against one of the bedroom's walls.