Chapter 9: The Truth Ethan Hid From Me
I stared at the photograph until my eyes started burning.
It was impossible.
That was the only thought my mind could form.
Impossible.
Because the two people in that picture were not supposed to exist in the same story.
Daniel belonged to a past I had buried.
Ethan belonged to the future I had built.
They were two separate chapters of my life.
Two separate worlds.
But there they were.
Standing next to each other.
Smiling.
Like they had known each other all along.
I looked up at Linda.
“When was this taken?””
She didn’t answer immediately.
That bothered me.
Because Linda always had an answer.
She always had something prepared.
But this time, she looked almost uncertain.
“Before you married Ethan.””
My fingers tightened around the photograph.
“That’s not possible.””
“It is.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“Ethan told me he never met Daniel.””
Linda gave a small, bitter smile.
“There are many things Ethan has told you.””
The words cut deeper than they should have.
Because she was right.
Ethan had not told me everything.
But I didn’t know if that meant he was guilty.
Or if Linda had spent years making sure nobody knew the truth.
“Why would he lie about this?””
Linda looked away.
“That’s what you should ask him.””
I hated that answer.
Because it was the kind of answer designed to create doubt.
Not give clarity.
I picked up the photo.
“Where did you get this?””
“Daniel gave it to me.””
I froze.
“Why would Daniel have this?””
“Because he wanted you to know the truth.””
I almost laughed.
“Daniel has lied to me too.””
“Yes.””
Linda looked directly at me.
“But unlike Ethan, Daniel knows he lied.””
The way she said it made my skin crawl.
Because it sounded rehearsed.
Like she had spent a long time building this argument.
“You’re trying to make me distrust everyone.””
“No.””
She stepped closer.
“I’m trying to make you see that the person you trusted most may not deserve it.””
I stared at her.
“And you do?””
Her expression hardened.
“I’m not asking you to trust me.””
“Then what are you asking?””
“For you to stop protecting Ethan.””
My heart pounded.
Because that was the exact opposite of what I expected.
Linda had spent years defending Ethan.
Now she was trying to destroy him.
“Why?””
She looked toward the window.
“Because I know what he did.””
The room became quiet.
I held the photo.
“Tell me.””
She didn’t respond.
“Tell me what Ethan did.””
Her eyes moved back to mine.
“Ask him.””
I stepped closer.
“No.””
My voice was calm.
“For once, you don’t get to decide when I learn the truth.””
Something flashed across her face.
Annoyance.
Good.
I continued.
“You contacted Daniel. You filed a claim against the house. You interfered with my pregnancy. You pushed my husband to remove me from my home.””
I held up the photo.
“And now you’re standing here telling me Ethan is the problem.””
I shook my head.
“You don’t get to be the victim.””
Linda’s jaw tightened.
“You have no idea what you’re dealing with.””
“Then explain.””
She looked at me for a long moment.
Then finally said:
“Ethan knew Daniel before you met him.””
I already knew that.
But hearing it still hurt.
“How?””
“Because he came to me.””
I frowned.
“What?””
Linda sat down.
“He came to my house years ago.””
“When?””
“Before you and Ethan started dating.””
My heart slowed.
“Why?””
Her answer was quiet.
“Because he wanted information about you.””
The room seemed to tilt.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“That’s not true.””
Linda watched me.
“You really believe you and Ethan met by accident?””
I wanted to.
I wanted to laugh.
I wanted to tell her she was insane.
But then I remembered something.
Something small.
Something I had forgotten.
The way Ethan knew exactly where I liked coffee the first week we dated.
The way he seemed to understand my fears before I told him.
The way he always knew which topics hurt me.
At the time, I thought it was because we connected.
Now…
A horrible thought entered my mind.
“What did he want to know?””
Linda looked down.
“Everything.””
I swallowed.
“About Daniel?””
“About your life.””
“Why?””
She didn’t answer.
That was when I knew.
Because the answer was worse than I imagined.
I left her house without saying goodbye.
Not because I believed everything she said.
I didn’t.
Linda was still Linda.
A woman who manipulated people.
A woman who used information like a weapon.
But she had given me one thing I couldn’t ignore.
A question.
Why did Ethan know Daniel?
When I got back to my parents’ house, Ethan was waiting outside.
The moment he saw my face, he knew something had happened.
“What happened?””
I didn’t answer.
I walked past him.
“Emily.””
I stopped.
Slowly, I turned around.
“Did you know Daniel before you met me?””
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
That was enough.
My chest tightened.
“Answer me.””
He looked down.
And in that moment, I knew.
I knew before he spoke.
“Yes.””
The word broke something inside me.
Not because he knew Daniel.
Because he had hidden it.
“How long?””
“Emily—”
“How long did you know?””
He swallowed.
“About a month before we met.””
I stared at him.
“A month?””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me?””
“I wanted to.””
“But you didn’t.””
“No.””
“Why?””
He looked away.
“Because I was afraid.””
I laughed softly.
“Afraid of what?””
“Losing you.””
The answer should have comforted me.
It didn’t.
“Tell me everything.””
He sat down.
I remained standing.
“When I first saw you, I knew who you were.””
My heart sank.
“What does that mean?””
“I had seen you before.””
“Where?””
“Through Daniel.””
I felt sick.
“Explain.””
Ethan took a breath.
“Daniel and I worked at the same company.””
I froze.
“Daniel never mentioned you.””
“I know.””
“Why?””
“Because we weren’t friends.””
“Then how did you know about me?””
He looked ashamed.
“Because Daniel talked about you.””
My hands shook.
“He talked about me?””
“Yes.””
“What did he say?””
Ethan looked down.
“Not good things.””
The room went silent.
“What?””
“He was angry after you left him.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Daniel had been hurt.
But that didn’t explain everything.
“What did you do with that information?””
Ethan didn’t answer.
“Ethan.””
“I looked you up.””
My stomach dropped.
“You researched me?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He looked at me.
“Because I was interested.””
I stared.
“That’s not normal.””
“I know.””
The honesty hurt.
“I thought you were someone special.””
“Someone special?””
“Yes.””
“Someone you investigated first?””
He looked away.
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
“I know.””
I felt tears forming.
Not because I missed him.
Because I missed the person I thought he was.
“Did you talk to Daniel?””
Ethan hesitated.
“Yes.””
My heart broke again.
“How many times?””
“Twice.””
“About me?””
“Yes.””
“What did you ask?””
He rubbed his face.
“I asked why you left.””
“And?””
“He told me things.””
“What things?””
Ethan was quiet.
Then:
“He told me he hurt you.””
I looked at him.
“So you knew.””
“I knew he wasn’t good for you.””
“And you still hid that you knew him.””
“I was afraid you would think I was like him.””
The silence afterward was unbearable.
Because that was the truth.
Ethan wasn’t Daniel.
But he had hidden something important because he feared my reaction.
And that was exactly what had destroyed us.
Secrets.
Silence.
Decisions made without me.
I looked at him.
“What about the DNA test?””
His expression changed.
“I don’t know anything about that.””
“What about the picture?””
“What picture?””
I pulled out my phone.
Showed him the photo.
The color drained from his face.
“Where did you get this?””
“Linda.””
He stared at it.
“I haven’t seen this before.””
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
I watched him carefully.
Then he said something that made me realize this was bigger than I thought.
“Emily…”
“What?””
“That picture was taken before I met you.””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“That’s not what I mean.””
“What then?””
He pointed at the photo.
“Look at Daniel.””
I looked.
“Look at the date.””
I checked the corner.
My breath caught.
Because the date was printed.
A date I recognized.
A date that changed everything.
It was taken three days after Daniel supposedly disappeared from my life.
Three days after he stopped answering my calls.
Three days after he left without explanation.
I looked at Ethan.
“He was with you.””
Ethan shook his head.
“No.””
“Then why is he standing beside you?””
“I don’t know.””
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Rachel.
I opened it.
And felt my entire body go cold.
*Emily, I found the original hospital records Linda requested. The DNA test she showed Daniel was not between you and Ethan.*
I stared.
Another message appeared.
*It was between Linda and the baby.*
I stopped breathing.
Because suddenly, the question changed.
May you like
It wasn’t whether Ethan was my daughter’s father.
It was why Linda had secretly tested herself against my unborn child.
