Chapter 5: The Woman Behind The Lies
I arrived home twenty minutes later.
Damon was standing in the living room.
Waiting.
That alone told me everything.
People who have nothing to hide don’t look like they are preparing for a confession.
They look confused.
Angry.
Surprised.
Damon looked terrified.
I placed my purse on the table.
“Start talking.””
He swallowed.
“Camille…”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I don’t want another apology before the truth.””
He nodded slowly.
“You’re right.””
That almost made me angry.
Because suddenly he could admit things.
Now.
After everything was already broken.
“Were you still seeing Vanessa?””
He looked down.
“Yes.””
The room became silent.
I had expected the answer.
But hearing it still felt like being hit.
“When?””
He sat down.
“After we got married.””
I closed my eyes.
For a moment, I couldn’t speak.
Four years.
Four years of anniversaries.
Four years of birthdays.
Four years of believing I had a partner.
“You cheated on me.””
His voice was barely audible.
“Yes.””
“While knowing you could expose me.””
“Yes.””
I turned away.
I didn’t want him to see my face.
Because I hated that tears came before anger.
I hated that my body still reacted to him like he was someone I loved.
“Why?””
His answer came quickly.
“I don’t know.””
I looked back.
“That’s not good enough.””
He wiped his face.
“I was weak.””
“No.””
My voice was firm.
“You were selfish.””
He nodded.
“I was.””
At least he finally said it.
I walked toward the window.
“Tell me everything.””
Damon hesitated.
“Everything?””
“Yes.””
He took a deep breath.
“Vanessa and I had history before you.””
“I know.””
“We reconnected when she started working at my company.””
I felt my stomach turn.
“After we were married?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He stared at the floor.
“She made me feel like I wasn’t broken.””
I turned around.
“What did you just say?””
He looked ashamed.
“When I got diagnosed, I felt like nobody would accept me.””
“So you decided the solution was to lie to the person who loved you?””
“No.””
“Yes.””
My voice cracked.
“Yes, Damon.””
“You didn’t just betray my trust. You decided my love wasn’t enough.””
He looked like he wanted to argue.
He didn’t.
Because he knew.
“I ended it,” he said.
“When?””
“Two months ago.””
I laughed softly.
“Two months ago?””
He nodded.
“Why?””
“Because I realized what I was losing.””
I stared at him.
“You realized after four years?””
He had no answer.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Vanessa.
I froze.
Damon noticed.
“What is it?””
I turned the screen toward him.
A message request.
Unknown number.
“I think you deserve to know the truth about Damon.””
My heartbeat increased.
Damon stood.
“Don’t answer.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because she’s trying to hurt us.””
I almost smiled.
“Us?””
The word sounded strange coming from him.
“You don’t get to decide what information I can handle anymore.””
I opened the message.
Vanessa had attached a photo.
My fingers went cold.
It was Damon.
Sitting in a restaurant.
With her.
The date on the picture was from three months ago.
Not two months.
Three.
I looked at him.
“You said you ended it two months ago.””
His face changed.
“Camille…”
“She has proof.””
“I can explain.””
I shook my head.
“Everyone always has an explanation.””
I scrolled.
Another message appeared.
“He told you I was the problem because it was easier than admitting the truth.””
Then another.
“He never told you the full reason he came back to me.””
I looked up.
“What does that mean?””
Damon went silent.
And this time, he looked scared.
Not guilty.
Scared.
“What did you not tell me?””
He sat down slowly.
“Vanessa found out something about me.””
“What?””
“She knew about my diagnosis before I told you.””
I stared.
“You already said that.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
His voice lowered.
“She knew before I was diagnosed.””
A chill moved through me.
“What are you saying?””
Damon looked at the floor.
“I think Vanessa was the person who exposed me.””
The room went silent.
“You think?””
He nodded.
“I was tested after she told me she had symptoms.””
I stared at him.
“And you still went back to her?””
“I thought I could fix it.””
I felt sick.
“You didn’t fix anything.””
“No.””
His eyes filled.
“I made everything worse.””
Before I could answer, my phone rang.
Vanessa.
I looked at Damon.
He whispered:
“Don’t.””
But I answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then a woman’s voice came through.
“Camille?””
“Yes.””
A shaky breath.
“I know you hate me.””
I said nothing.
“But there’s something Damon never told you.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What?””
Her voice dropped.
“The reason he was so desperate to hide his diagnosis…”
A pause.
“Wasn’t because he was afraid you would leave.””
I looked at Damon.
He was watching me.
Terrified.
May you like
Vanessa continued:
“He was afraid you would find out what happened the night he got diagnosed.””