Chapter 3: The Date That Destroyed His Entire Story
I didn't drive home immediately.
I sat in my car outside Vanessa's house, staring at the steering wheel while Rebecca's words repeated inside my head.
The truth would reveal exactly when he started sleeping with me.
I looked at the phone in my hand.
"Rebecca, what does that mean?""
She exhaled.
"It means Marcus has been lying to you about when our relationship started.""
"How old is the baby?""
"Ten months.""
I blinked.
"What?""
"He's ten months old, Emily.""
I looked at the dashboard clock.
It felt as if the numbers were moving without meaning.
Ten months.
Marcus had told me seven.
Three months were missing.
Three months that could change everything.
"Why would he lie about his own child's age?""
"Because he knows when I became pregnant.""
I swallowed.
"When?""
"December.""
My hands went cold.
December.
That was the month Marcus and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary.
We'd spent three nights at a beautiful hotel overlooking the ocean.
He'd surprised me with a silver bracelet and a handwritten card.
He'd told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life making me happy.
I remembered the photograph we took on the balcony.
His arms around my waist.
His lips against my forehead.
His wedding ring shining in the sunlight.
"Rebecca," I whispered.
"Are you saying he was sleeping with you while he was with me?""
"Yes.""
The word landed like a stone.
I couldn't speak.
Rebecca continued.
"He told me you two were separated.""
My stomach twisted.
"What?""
"He said your marriage had been over for months. He told me you were only living together because of financial arrangements.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible.""
"I believed him.""
"We were never separated.""
"I know that now.""
I pressed my hand against my forehead.
"We celebrated our anniversary together.""
Rebecca went quiet.
Then she said, "He told me he was traveling for work that weekend.""
My eyes filled with tears.
I remembered that weekend perfectly.
Marcus had booked the hotel.
He'd chosen the restaurant.
He'd ordered champagne.
He'd held my hand across the table and told me that I was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
While I was falling asleep beside him, another woman apparently believed she was building a future with him.
"Why are you telling me this now?"" I asked.
"Because I found something.""
"What?""
"A photograph.""
I closed my eyes.
"Another photograph?""
"This one is from last December. Marcus gave it to me after our son was born.""
"Why would he give you a photograph?""
"Because he told me it was proof that he was ready to choose us.""
I felt a strange pressure in my chest.
"Choose you?""
"He said he was going to leave you.""
I laughed weakly.
"He said that?""
"Yes.""
"Well, he didn't.""
"I know.""
Rebecca's voice broke.
"That's why I called you.""
I stared through the windshield.
A couple walked past my car, laughing as they carried grocery bags.
Their ordinary afternoon seemed impossibly distant from mine.
"Rebecca, what exactly do you want from me?""
"I don't want your husband.""
I said nothing.
"I wanted to believe him when he said he was going to build a family with me. But I recently discovered that he was telling both of us different stories.""
"How?""
"Because he sent me a message last night.""
"What did it say?""
Rebecca hesitated.
"He said he was going to bring you into our son's life.""
I frowned.
"That's not what he told me.""
"What did he tell you?""
I repeated Marcus's explanation about wanting us to raise the child together.
Rebecca let out a bitter laugh.
"Of course he did.""
"What does that mean?""
"It means he told me something completely different.""
I felt my heartbeat quicken.
"Tell me.""
"He said you couldn't have children.""
I froze.
For a moment, I thought I'd misheard her.
"What?""
"He said you'd been trying for years and that doctors had told you it was unlikely you'd ever get pregnant.""
I stared at my reflection in the windshield.
That was a lie.
A horrible, deliberate lie.
Marcus and I had discussed having children, but we'd never received such a diagnosis.
I'd never even undergone fertility testing.
"Why would he tell you that?""
"Because he said he wanted me to help him give you a child.""
I gripped the phone.
"That doesn't make sense.""
"He said he wanted our son to be raised by both of us. He said you would eventually accept the arrangement if he explained it carefully.""
I felt nauseated.
He hadn't simply betrayed me.
He had been discussing my future with another woman as if I were a problem to be managed.
"Did you agree to this?""
"No.""
Rebecca paused.
"Emily, I have something I need to show you. Something I think you should see before you speak to Marcus again.""
"What?""
"Messages.""
"Between you and him?""
"Yes. And one message he sent to Vanessa.""
My eyes widened.
"Vanessa?""
"Yes.""
I looked toward my best friend's house.
Through the window, I could see two figures moving around the living room.
Marcus and Vanessa.
Still together.
Still talking.
"Why was he messaging Vanessa?""
"I don't know everything. But I know she helped him arrange something.""
My mouth went dry.
"Arrange what?""
Rebecca took a deep breath.
"Meet me tomorrow. I'll show you.""
I wanted to refuse.
I wanted to throw my phone onto the passenger seat, drive home, and pretend the last hour had never happened.
But I couldn't.
"Where?""
"There's a coffee shop on Willow Street. Ten in the morning.""
"Fine.""
"And Emily?""
"Yes?""
"Don't tell Marcus we're meeting.""
The call ended.
I sat in silence for several minutes.
Then I started the engine.
When I arrived home, Marcus's car wasn't there.
The house was painfully familiar.
The framed wedding photographs on the hallway wall.
The shoes beside the entrance.
The small ceramic bowl where Marcus dropped his keys every evening.
I walked into the kitchen and saw the coffee mug he'd used that morning.
A little dried coffee remained at the bottom.
I picked it up.
Then I put it down.
I didn't know why that tiny ordinary detail hurt so much.
Maybe because it reminded me that my husband had been living two lives while I was worrying about groceries, mortgage payments, and whether we should repaint the bedroom.
I went upstairs and opened our bedroom closet.
His clothes hung neatly beside mine.
I pulled out a navy-blue jacket.
Then another.
I checked the pockets.
Receipts.
Old business cards.
A parking ticket.
And a folded piece of paper.
I opened it.
It was a receipt from a jewelry store.
The purchase date was December 12.
The item was a diamond necklace.
The amount made my stomach tighten.
$8,400.
I had never received an $8,400 necklace.
I checked the recipient information.
The purchase was registered under a name.
Rebecca Miller.
I sat on the edge of the bed.
Marcus had bought another woman an expensive necklace during the same month he'd taken me to celebrate our anniversary.
I looked at the date again.
December 12.
Then I remembered something.
That was the day he'd told me he had to cancel our dinner plans because an important client had arrived unexpectedly.
I'd stayed home.
I'd made pasta.
I'd watched television alone.
He came home close to midnight and kissed my forehead.
He said he was exhausted.
I folded the receipt and slipped it into my handbag.
Then I noticed something else.
A small blue gift box was hidden behind his winter shoes.
I pulled it out.
Inside was a gold key attached to a small metal tag.
The tag had an address engraved on it.
Not Vanessa's address.
Not our home.
An apartment building across town.
I took a photograph of the tag.
Then I heard the front door open.
"Emily?""
Marcus's voice.
I quickly put the box back.
"I'm upstairs.""
His footsteps moved along the hallway.
He appeared in the bedroom doorway, loosening his tie.
"Why didn't you answer my calls?""
I looked at him.
"You called?""
"Five times.""
I picked up my phone.
There were indeed five missed calls.
"I was busy.""
He looked at my handbag.
"Where did you go?""
"Nowhere.""
"Emily.""
I hated the way he said my name.
Like he was speaking to a child who had broken something.
"What's that supposed to mean?""
He stepped into the room.
"Rebecca called me.""
My stomach tightened.
I kept my expression neutral.
"Did she?""
"Yes.""
"What did she want?""
"She's upset. She's making everything complicated.""
I looked at him.
"Is that what you call it?""
He sighed.
"She wants things to happen her way.""
"What things?""
"The baby. The arrangements. Everything.""
I stared at him.
"What's your son's name?""
He blinked.
"What?""
"Your son. What's his name?""
He hesitated.
"Daniel.""
I nodded slowly.
"Daniel.""
The name sounded strange coming from my mouth.
"How often do you see him?""
"Emily, we don't have to do this tonight.""
"How often?""
"Once or twice a week.""
I looked at the floor.
"And you come home afterward and pretend nothing happened?""
He sat down beside me.
"I never wanted to hurt you.""
I moved away.
"Stop saying that.""
He looked exhausted.
"Can we please get through one conversation without fighting?""
I turned toward him.
"Do you know what I found today?""
His expression changed.
"What?""
"The photograph of you holding your son.""
He looked down.
"And I found something else.""
I reached into my handbag and pulled out the jewelry receipt.
His eyes widened.
For the first time since I'd confronted him, he looked genuinely caught off guard.
"Where did you get that?""
"Your jacket.""
He reached for the paper.
I pulled it away.
"Who was the necklace for?""
"Rebecca.""
"Why?""
"It was a gift.""
I laughed.
"Of course it was.""
"Emily, don't start.""
"Don't start? You spent eight thousand dollars on another woman while telling me we couldn't afford to take a vacation!""
He rubbed his face.
"That money came from my personal account.""
"We have a joint mortgage! We have shared expenses! You don't get to pretend your decisions don't affect me!""
He stood.
"You're making this about money when there's a child involved.""
"No, Marcus. You're the one who made this about a child. I'm asking about the lies.""
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Rebecca isn't the only person you should be angry with.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
He looked toward the bedroom door.
"Vanessa has been involved in things you don't understand.""
My heart began pounding.
"What things?""
Marcus swallowed.
Then he said something that changed the direction of the entire conversation.
"Ask her why she was the one who introduced Rebecca and me again.""
I stared at him.
"Introduced you?""
He nodded.
"She knew Rebecca before I did.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible.""
"Ask her.""
He walked toward the door.
I followed him with my eyes.
"Marcus, wait.""
He stopped.
"Why would Vanessa introduce you to another woman?""
He turned around.
For a moment, he looked almost ashamed.
May you like
Then he said:
"Because Vanessa promised Rebecca that I would leave you.""
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