Chapter 3: The Secret Behind The Marriage
Daniel didn’t move.
He didn’t raise his voice.
He didn’t throw accusations.
That was what made Victoria more nervous.
She had seen Daniel angry before. She had seen him slam doors, argue over business deals, and walk away from conversations when he felt betrayed.
But this silence was different.
This was the silence of someone trying to understand how much of his life had been a lie.
“Answer me,” Daniel said.
Victoria looked at the phone in his hand.
Then at him.
“Daniel…”
“Why is my brother calling you?””
The kitchen suddenly felt smaller.
The expensive marble counters, the perfect decorations, the carefully designed home they had built together—all of it felt meaningless.
Because standing in front of him was the person who had shared his bed, raised his child, and promised to stand beside him.
And she was connected to the one person who had destroyed his trust years ago.
Victoria took a breath.
“You’re misunderstanding.””
Daniel gave a quiet laugh.
“Am I?””
“Yes.””
“Then explain it.””
She looked away.
“It’s complicated.””
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“No. Complicated is when someone forgets an anniversary. Complicated is when people disagree about money or family decisions.””
He held up the phone.
“This is my brother calling my wife in secret.””
Victoria said nothing.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Tell me why.””
Before she could answer, another voice interrupted.
“Dad?””
Both of them turned.
Noah stood halfway down the staircase.
His small hand rested on the wooden railing.
He looked scared.
Daniel immediately softened.
“Noah, go back to your room.””
The boy didn’t move.
“Are you mad?””
Daniel looked at his son.
“No.””
It was a lie.
Not because he wasn’t angry.
Because he didn’t want Noah to carry that anger.
“I just need to talk to Victoria.””
Noah looked between them.
“Is it because of me?””
The question stopped Daniel.
Victoria looked away.
Daniel walked toward him.
“No.””
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
Noah hesitated.
“Because every time something bad happens, people say it’s not my fault, but then everyone acts different after.””
Daniel felt his chest tighten.
He knelt down.
“Listen to me carefully. This is not because of you.””
Noah nodded slowly.
“Okay.””
“Go upstairs.””
This time, Noah obeyed.
Daniel waited until he heard the bedroom door close.
Then he turned back.
“Now tell me.””
Victoria sat down at the kitchen island.
For the first time that night, she looked tired.
Not guilty.
Not sorry.
Just tired.
“I met your brother before I met you.””
Daniel stared at her.
“What?””
“Years ago.””
“That’s impossible.””
“No, it isn’t.””
Daniel shook his head.
“My brother disappeared six years ago.””
“I know.””
The answer hit him.
“You knew?””
Victoria looked down.
“I knew where he was.””
Daniel felt his stomach drop.
His younger brother Ethan had vanished after a family argument.
At the time, everyone thought Ethan left because he was angry.
Daniel had searched.
He had called friends.
He had hired investigators.
Nothing.
Eventually, he accepted that Ethan didn’t want to be found.
But now Victoria was telling him she knew.
“You let me believe he was gone?””
“I didn’t know what to tell you.””
Daniel stared at her.
“You didn’t know?””
His voice became sharper.
“You knew I spent months looking for him.””
“I did.””
“You knew I thought something happened to him.””
“I did.””
“And you said nothing?””
Victoria closed her eyes.
“I had reasons.””
Daniel stepped back.
“Reasons?””
“Yes.””
“Are you serious?””
She stood up.
“Daniel, you don’t understand.””
“Then help me understand.””
Victoria looked at him.
“Your brother wasn’t the person you thought he was.””
Daniel froze.
“What does that mean?””
“It means Ethan had problems.””
“Everyone has problems.””
“Not like his.””
Daniel remembered the last conversation he had with his brother.
The anger.
The accusations.
The way Ethan had blamed him for everything.
But he also remembered the good moments.
The two of them riding bicycles as kids.
Building a treehouse behind their parents’ house.
Promising they would always protect each other.
“You’re lying,” Daniel said.
Victoria’s face hardened.
“You still defend him.””
“He’s my brother.””
“And I’m your wife.””
Daniel looked at her.
“That’s exactly why I’m asking why you hid this from me.””
The silence returned.
Then Victoria spoke quietly.
“Because Ethan asked me to.””
Daniel felt something cold run through him.
“He asked you?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She didn’t answer.
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“Victoria.””
“He needed help.””
“With what?””
She looked toward the stairs.
Then lowered her voice.
“With getting what he believed he deserved.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria walked toward the living room.
“You and Ethan grew up with everything divided equally.””
“Yes.””
“Money. Attention. Opportunities.””
“Yes.””
“But Ethan always believed you got more.””
Daniel shook his head.
“That’s not true.””
“That’s what he believed.””
“He was my brother. If he needed something, he could have asked.””
Victoria smiled sadly.
“He did ask.””
Daniel frowned.
“When?””
“Before your wedding.””
The room went still.
Daniel’s wedding.
The time when everything changed.
The time when Ethan suddenly disappeared.
Daniel remembered.
His brother had been invited.
He never showed up.
Everyone assumed he was angry about the marriage.
Daniel thought it was jealousy.
But now…
“What did he ask for?””
Victoria hesitated.
Daniel’s voice lowered.
“What did my brother ask you for?””
She looked at him.
“Your company.””
Daniel stared.
“What?””
“Ethan believed your father promised him a position in the family business.””
“He didn’t.””
“He thought he deserved it.””
“So he contacted you?””
“Yes.””
“And you helped him?””
Victoria didn’t respond.
That was enough.
Daniel looked away.
He felt betrayed in a way he couldn’t explain.
Not only because of Ethan.
Because Victoria had known the truth and built a life with him while keeping secrets.
“How long?””
“What?””
“How long have you been talking to him?””
Victoria remained silent.
Daniel’s heart sank.
“Victoria.””
“Two years.””
The answer hit harder than anything else.
Two years.
His brother had been communicating with his wife for two years.
While Daniel was sitting at family dinners.
While Noah was growing up.
While everyone pretended everything was normal.
“Why did you marry me?”” Daniel asked.
Victoria looked hurt.
“Because I loved you.””
“Do you?””
“Yes.””
“Then why does it feel like I was part of someone else’s plan?””
She didn’t answer.
And that silence told him more than words could.
Upstairs, Noah sat on his bed.
He couldn’t hear every word.
But he heard enough.
His father’s voice.
Victoria’s voice.
The tension.
He hugged his pillow.
He hated fighting.
He hated secrets.
He hated the feeling that the people around him knew things he didn’t.
A few minutes later, his door opened.
Daniel walked in.
Noah immediately looked up.
“Are you okay?””
Daniel forced a smile.
“I should ask you that.””
Noah looked down.
“Is Victoria leaving?””
The question surprised him.
“Why would you ask that?””
“Because people leave.””
Daniel sat beside him.
“Noah…”
“When Mom died, she left.””
His voice became quiet.
“Then you married Victoria. I thought she was going to stay.””
Daniel pulled him close.
“I’m here.””
Noah nodded.
“But what if everyone leaves?””
Daniel held him tighter.
“Some people make choices that hurt others.””
Noah looked up.
“But you won’t?””
Daniel looked into his son’s eyes.
“I will always choose you.””
Noah believed him.
At least he wanted to.
But downstairs, Daniel’s phone suddenly rang.
He looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
He almost ignored it.
Then a message appeared.
One sentence.
His blood turned cold.
*Daniel, if Victoria told you about me, she didn’t tell you the whole truth.*
A second message arrived.
A photo was attached.
Daniel opened it.
And when he saw the picture, he stopped breathing.
Because it showed Victoria standing beside Ethan.
Not years ago.
Not before their marriage.
The photo was taken last week.
May you like
And behind them was the one place Daniel thought no one could ever enter.
His private office.
