Chapter 4: The Truth Nobody Wanted
The photo was taken three years earlier.
Before Ethan mentioned Andre.
Before the late nights.
Before the secrets.
I stared at it until my eyes hurt.
Tasha and Andre stood outside a courthouse.
Not smiling.
Not touching.
Just standing there.
But the date destroyed me.
Three years earlier.
Why would my wife be at a courthouse with another man?
I called the number.
No answer.
I called again.
Still nothing.
Then a text arrived.
*Ask Tasha about the custody case.*
Custody case.
My hands went cold.
I drove back to our house.
Tasha was sitting at the kitchen table when I walked in.
She looked surprised.
“You’re back.””
I placed my phone in front of her.
“Explain.””
She saw the photo.
Her face changed.
Not fear.
Pain.
“Who sent this?””
“That’s not important.””
“It is.””
“No. What’s important is why my wife was at a courthouse with another man.””
She closed her eyes.
“Marcus…”
“Three years ago.””
She was quiet.
“Three years ago, what happened?””
She finally spoke.
“My sister was fighting for custody of her daughter.””
I blinked.
“What?””
“My sister’s ex was dangerous. Andre helped her find a lawyer.””
I stared at the picture again.
“That’s it?””
“Yes.””
“Then why hide it?””
“Because you hated Andre from the beginning.””
“I didn’t know him.””
“You didn’t trust him.””
I almost laughed.
“I trusted you.””
The words hurt both of us.
She looked down.
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
“But there’s something else.””
Of course there was.
There was always something else.
“What?””
She stood and walked to the hallway.
From a drawer, she pulled out an envelope.
She handed it to me.
“I received this two weeks ago.””
I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
A legal notice.
My name was on it.
My eyes moved down the page.
Then I saw the reason.
The house.
The debt.
The ownership.
Someone had filed a claim against our home.
“What is this?””
Tasha whispered:
“My father’s trust was being investigated.””
“And?””
“And if the investigation goes badly, we lose the house.””
I looked at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I was trying to fix it.””
“With Andre?””
She nodded.
“He knows the people involved.””
“So you spent time with another man because he could save us?””
“Yes.””
The answer should have made me feel better.
It didn’t.
Because there was still one question.
“Why did Ethan say he slept in our room?””
Her face changed.
Finally.
The real fear returned.
“Marcus…”
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“I need the truth.””
She whispered:
“He didn’t sleep with me.””
I stared at her.
“Then why did Ethan say that?””
She looked toward the stairs.
“Because Ethan saw something.””
“What?””
She took a breath.
“He saw Andre sleeping.””
“Where?””
Her voice broke.
“In Ethan’s room.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Ethan had a nightmare that night. Andre stayed because he was helping with paperwork and fell asleep on the couch. Ethan saw him from the hallway.””
I stared at her.
“So my son misunderstood.””
“Yes.””
“And you let me believe the worst?””
Tasha cried.
“I was scared you wouldn’t believe me.””
The anger inside me shifted.
Not gone.
Just different.
Then my phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time from Andre.
*Your wife is telling you half the truth. She always does.*
I looked at Tasha.
She looked at my phone.
And then she whispered:
“Marcus… don’t listen to him.””
I looked at the message.
Then at my wife.
May you like
Because suddenly I didn’t know who was protecting me.
And who was protecting themselves.