Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Affair
The ride home was silent.
Not peaceful.
Not calm.
Silent like the moment before a storm.
I sat in the back seat of Marcus's car, staring out the window at the city lights.
Eight years of memories played in my mind.
Our first apartment.
Our first Christmas.
The night Adrian held me while I cried after losing my job.
The promises.
The laughter.
The future I thought we were building.
All of it felt like a house built on broken glass.
Marcus drove.
Julian sat beside him.
Caleb sat next to me.
Nobody forced me to talk.
That was what I loved about my brothers.
They never treated me like I was fragile.
They treated me like I was strong enough to choose my own path.
Finally, Caleb spoke.
"Elena.""
I looked at him.
"Are you okay?""
I almost said yes.
The old me would have.
The old me would have smiled.
Would have protected everyone else's feelings.
But tonight changed something.
"No," I whispered.
Caleb nodded.
"Good.""
I frowned.
"Good?""
"Yes.""
He looked back at me.
"Because you don't have to pretend with us.""
The tears I had held back finally came.
Not because of Adrian.
Because after years of pretending I was alone, I was finally home.
The next morning, Marcus arrived at my apartment with a folder.
Adrian's apartment.
Not mine.
That thought hurt.
Somewhere along the way, I had stopped calling anything mine.
"What is this?"" I asked.
Marcus placed it on the table.
"Evidence.""
I opened it.
Bank records.
Messages.
Photos.
Contracts.
"What am I looking at?""
Julian answered.
"Adrian has been moving money.""
My stomach tightened.
"How much?""
"Millions.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
Julian's expression became serious.
"Because he wasn't just having an affair.""
Marcus pointed at the documents.
"He was preparing.""
"For what?""
Caleb looked at me.
"For leaving you.""
The words were colder than I expected.
I sat down.
Adrian wasn't simply replacing me.
He was erasing me.
Marcus continued.
"He transferred assets. Created accounts. Made plans with Vanessa.""
I looked at my wedding ring.
The small diamond that once represented forever.
Now it felt like evidence.
A memory of a promise someone else broke.
My phone suddenly rang.
Adrian.
I stared at the screen.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, I answered.
"Hello?""
His voice came immediately.
"Elena, we need to fix this.""
Fix this.
As if the problem was a broken vase.
Not a broken marriage.
"You slapped me.""
"I lost control.""
"No.""
I closed my eyes.
"You chose.""
Silence.
Then his voice became colder.
"You don't understand what you're doing.""
"I understand perfectly.""
"You are destroying your own marriage.""
I looked at my brothers.
At the evidence.
At the truth.
"No, Adrian.""
My voice steadied.
"You destroyed it when you thought I was powerless.""
His breathing changed.
"You think your brothers can protect you forever?""
I smiled sadly.
"No.""
I looked at Marcus.
"They don't need to.""
A long silence followed.
Then Adrian said something that made my blood freeze.
"Ask them why they never told you the truth about your parents.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"What?""
Adrian laughed quietly.
"Did you really think I didn't investigate your family?""
Nobody spoke.
Even my brothers looked surprised.
"What are you talking about?"" I asked.
Adrian lowered his voice.
"Your brothers know exactly why your parents died.""
The room went still.
Marcus's face changed.
Just slightly.
But I noticed.
Because I knew my brother.
May you like
And for the first time in my life...
Marcus looked afraid.
