Chapter 2: The Secret My Husband Kept
Robert knew something was wrong before I said a word.
That was one of the things I loved about him.
He paid attention.
Not because he was trying to control me.
Because he cared.
When I walked into our house that afternoon, the smell of rosemary and roasted meat filled the air. Robert was standing in the kitchen wearing an old blue sweater, stirring gravy in a pan.
“How was Wade?”” he asked.
I forced a smile.
“Fine.””
He looked over his shoulder.
Then he looked back.
“No.””
I blinked.
“No?””
“That wasn’t a fine face.””
Despite everything, I almost smiled.
“You’ve been married to me eight months and you already know my faces?””
Robert turned off the stove.
“Edna, I knew your face before I knew your name.””
I looked down.
Because if I looked at him too long, I knew I would cry.
That night, I said nothing.
I helped set the table.
I ate dinner.
I watched television.
I pretended.
But at three in the morning, I was sitting on the couch with Wade’s childhood photo album open on my lap.
There was a picture of him at five years old wearing a baseball uniform three sizes too big.
There was another of him holding a science project.
Another of him smiling beside the car I bought him for his sixteenth birthday.
I touched the photograph.
“Where did I go wrong?”” I whispered.
“Maybe you didn’t.””
I looked up.
Robert stood in the doorway.
He was holding two cups of coffee.
“I thought you were asleep.””
“I could say the same thing.””
He sat beside me.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then he asked quietly:
“What happened?””
And I finally broke.
I told him everything.
The bathroom.
The dinner.
The words.
The way Wade looked at me.
The way he didn’t defend me.
Robert listened.
He didn’t interrupt.
But when I repeated Wade’s sentence, his expression changed.
“He said I would embarrass his boss.””
Robert’s hand froze around his coffee cup.
“What boss?””
“Mr. Peterson.””
The color slowly disappeared from his face.
I noticed.
“Robert?””
He looked away.
“Thomas Peterson?””
“Yes.””
He stood and walked toward the window.
For a moment, I thought he was angry.
But then I realized he looked afraid.
“Edna,” he said softly.
I had never heard that tone from him before.
“What?””
He turned around.
“Tell me exactly what Wade knows about my career.””
I frowned.
“What do you mean?””
“Just answer me.””
I felt confused.
“You worked in medical technology. You helped develop hospital equipment. You retired five years ago.””
Robert nodded.
“That’s what I told you.””
A strange feeling moved through my chest.
“What does that mean?””
He came back to the table and sat down.
“Edna, there’s something about my work that I never told your son.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because I didn’t want anyone treating me differently.””
I almost laughed.
“Robert, you’re the kindest person I know. Nobody would treat you differently.””
He looked at me sadly.
“You’d be surprised.””
Then he opened the drawer beside him and pulled out an old folder.
The papers inside were yellowed from age.
He placed one document in front of me.
At first, I didn’t understand what I was seeing.
Then I saw the name.
Thomas Peterson.
My breath stopped.
“Your husband’s boss?””
Robert nodded.
“No.””
He tapped the paper.
“He’s not my boss.””
I looked up.
“Then who is he?””
Robert took a deep breath.
“He’s the CEO of the company I helped create.””
I stared at him.
The room felt suddenly too quiet.
“What?””
“I wasn’t just an employee, Edna.””
He looked down.
“I was one of the original founders.””
I picked up the paper again.
There was his name.
Robert Hayes.
Listed as co-founder.
My hands started shaking.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because when people hear words like founder, executive, money, they start seeing a person differently.””
He smiled sadly.
“I wanted you to love me because I was Robert. Not because of what I built.””
I thought about Wade.
I thought about Fallon.
I thought about the way they looked at me.
Suddenly, I understood why Robert had asked about Thomas Peterson.
He wasn’t just some important businessman.
He was connected to my husband.
Very closely.
“Does Wade know any of this?””
Robert shook his head.
“No.””
“Why not?””
“Because he never asked.””
That sentence hurt.
Because it sounded familiar.
Wade never asked about my sacrifices either.
He only noticed what I could give him.
Robert folded the papers.
“There’s something else you need to know.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He hesitated.
“The company is hosting a private dinner tomorrow night.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Mr. Peterson’s dinner?””
“Yes.””
I stared at him.
The same dinner where my son thought I didn’t belong.
Robert leaned forward.
“Edna, Thomas asked me to attend because he has something important to discuss.””
“What?””
“I don’t know yet.””
Then his phone rang.
Both of us looked at it.
The screen showed one name.
Thomas Peterson.
Robert answered.
“Thomas?””
A pause.
Then Robert’s expression changed.
“What?””
I watched his face carefully.
Because whatever Thomas said next changed everything.
Robert slowly looked at me.
Then he said:
“Are you sure?””
Another pause.
His eyes met mine.
May you like
“Edna’s son?””
My heart stopped.
