Chapter 6: The Person Who Knew Everything
I stared at the photo until my eyes hurt.
The image was blurry.
Taken from a distance.
But there was no mistaking it.
Lily was standing outside a restaurant.
Beside her was Mark.
My daughter.
The man my wife had secretly been talking to.
I felt a cold wave move through my entire body.
I didn’t even realize I had stopped breathing until Emily said my name.
“Daniel?””
I looked up.
“What is this?””
Her face changed when she saw the photo.
“What?””
I handed her the phone.
She stared.
Then immediately shook her head.
“No.””
“No?””
“No, Daniel. I swear.””
“You swear?””
She looked terrified.
“I didn’t know about this.””
“Then explain it.””
“I can’t.””
That answer wasn’t good enough.
I grabbed my keys.
“Where are you going?””
“To find out who has been around my daughter.””
Emily followed me.
“Daniel, wait.””
“No.””
“Please.””
I turned around.
For the first time, I saw real fear on her face.
Not fear of losing me.
Fear of losing control.
“Tell me everything.””
She stood there silently.
“Now.””
She sat down.
“I met Mark at work.””
“I know.””
“But it wasn’t what you think.””
I almost smiled.
“Everyone says that.””
She looked down.
“We became friends.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
Six months.
Half a year.
“You hid a friendship with another man for six months.””
“I knew how it looked.””
“How it looked?””
“You were already stressed.””
I stared at her.
“So your solution was hiding it?””
She didn’t answer.
I walked to the window.
Outside, our neighbors were decorating their homes for the upcoming holidays.
Normal lives.
Normal problems.
Our life had become something else.
“What does Mark know about us?””
Emily hesitated.
“Almost everything.””
That sentence made my stomach twist.
“Why?””
“Because I talked to him.””
“About me?””
“Yes.””
“What did you say?””
She looked ashamed.
“That we were struggling.””
“Anything else?””
Silence.
“Emily.””
“I told him I wasn’t sure I wanted to stay.””
The honesty hurt.
But at least it was finally honesty.
I sat down.
“Did you tell him about Lily?””
“Yes.””
“Did you tell him about the money?””
“No.””
“Did you tell him you were taking money from my mother?””
“No.””
I studied her.
For the first time, I wondered if she was telling the truth.
Then my phone buzzed again.
Same unknown number.
Another message.
Ask your wife why Mark was with Lily alone.
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Emily.
“Where was this taken?””
She looked at the photo again.
“I don’t know.””
“You don’t know?””
“No.””
“Then call Mark.””
Her face went pale.
“Daniel…”
“Call him.””
She didn’t move.
“Call him.””
Slowly, she pulled out her phone.
Her hands shook.
She pressed his name.
It rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then voicemail.
She looked relieved.
That made me even more suspicious.
“Again.””
She called again.
This time, someone answered.
A man’s voice.
“Emily?””
I grabbed the phone.
“Mark.””
Silence.
Then:
“Daniel?””
He knew my voice.
That told me more than I wanted to know.
“Where were you with my daughter?””
A pause.
A long one.
Then Mark said:
“Emily didn’t tell you?””
My jaw tightened.
“Tell me what?””
I heard him breathe.
Then he said:
“Your daughter asked me to keep a secret.””
My entire body went still.
I looked at Emily.
She looked just as shocked.
“What secret?”” I asked.
Mark didn’t answer immediately.
Then:
“Daniel, you need to talk to Lily.””
My grip tightened.
“Why?””
Another pause.
“Because she knows why your wife was really hiding the money.””
The call ended.
I stood there.
Frozen.
Emily whispered:
“What did he say?””
I looked at her.
“He said Lily knows the truth.””
Her face went pale.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“No, she doesn’t.””
“Then why did he say it?””
Emily shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
But I did.
I knew one thing.
For weeks, everyone had been keeping secrets.
My wife.
Mark.
Maybe even my daughter.
And the person I trusted most to tell me the truth…
was the only person I hadn’t asked.
That night, I waited until Lily woke up.
She came downstairs rubbing her eyes.
“Daddy?””
I knelt down.
“Hey, sweetheart.””
She looked between me and Emily.
She could feel the tension.
Children always can.
“Can I ask you something?””
She nodded.
“Why did Mark ask you to keep a secret?””
Lily’s face changed.
Instantly.
Her eyes filled with fear.
She looked at her mother.
Then at me.
And in a tiny voice, she whispered:
“Because he said Mommy didn’t want you to know what happened the night she left the house.””
I froze.
“Left the house?””
Lily nodded.
“And Daddy…”
She grabbed my hand.
“There was someone else with Mommy that night.””
I felt the room disappear around me.
Because I thought I knew the biggest betrayal.
I was wrong.
May you like
The truth was much bigger.
And Lily was about to tell me everything.
