Chapter 7: The Man Behind the Lies
I spent the entire night awake.
Not crying.
Not screaming.
Just staring at the ceiling.
There is a special kind of pain that comes when everything you believed about your life changes at once.
You don’t just lose trust.
You lose your memories.
Every birthday.
Every holiday.
Every family photo.
Every story you were told.
Suddenly you wonder:
Was that real?
Was that real?
Was any of it real?
The next morning, Cole came to Lily’s house.
I almost didn’t open the door.
But I did.
Because I needed answers.
He looked exhausted.
Like he hadn’t slept either.
“Emma.””
“Come in.””
He entered slowly.
Lily was in the kitchen, making coffee.
She looked at him with pure hatred.
Good.
At least someone was still reacting normally.
I sat across from him.
“Tell me about your father.””
Cole looked down.
“His name is Richard.””
“Your father was the man my mother had an affair with.””
“Yes.””
“And you knew.””
“Yes.””
“When?””
He rubbed his hands together.
“I found out when I was nineteen.””
“How?””
“My father told me.””
I stared.
“He told you?””
“He wanted to hurt me.””
“Why?””
Cole looked away.
“Because he hated me.””
That surprised me.
“Why?””
“Because my mother left him.””
I waited.
“She left after discovering he was involved with your family’s business.””
“What does that mean?””
Cole sighed.
“My father wasn’t just your mother’s affair.””
My stomach tightened.
“He was also your father’s enemy.””
I leaned forward.
“Explain.””
“My father was stealing from your grandfather’s company.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He was exposed. Your father helped reveal what he did.””
“And then?””
“Then my father blamed your family.””
The pieces were becoming clearer.
Too clear.
“So he used my mother.””
Cole nodded.
“Yes.””
“And you?””
His eyes filled.
“He used me too.””
I didn’t expect that answer.
“What do you mean?””
“He told me my entire life that your family destroyed ours.””
I watched him.
“The moment I met you, I thought you were just another person connected to them.””
My chest tightened.
“But?””
“But you weren’t.””
His voice cracked.
“You were Emma.””
I looked away.
Because I wanted to believe him.
That was the worst part.
I wanted to believe him.
“What happened after you found out?””
“I tried to distance myself.””
“But you didn’t.””
“No.””
“Why?””
He looked at me.
“Because I fell in love with you.””
I hated that those words still affected me.
Even after everything.
Even after the lies.
I looked at my wedding ring.
“Did you marry me to get revenge?””
“No.””
“Did your father know about us?””
“Yes.””
My heart sank.
“When?””
“Before our wedding.””
I stood up.
“Stop.””
Cole looked at me.
“Emma—”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You keep saying you loved me while admitting you hid things.””
“I was scared.””
“Everyone is scared.””
My voice rose.
“But fear doesn’t give you permission to steal someone’s choice.””
He lowered his head.
That was the first time I saw him truly ashamed.
Not caught.
Not afraid.
Ashamed.
A knock interrupted us.
Lily opened the door.
My mother stood there.
She looked like she hadn’t slept.
“I need to talk to both of you.””
I stared.
“Why?””
She held a folder.
“Because I found out Richard wasn’t just hiding the past.””
She looked at Cole.
“He’s been watching you.””
Cole went pale.
“What?””
My mother handed him the folder.
Inside were photographs.
Of me.
Of Cole.
Of my pregnancy.
Taken from a distance.
My blood ran cold.
“How long?””
My mother whispered:
“Months.””
I picked up one photo.
It showed me leaving the doctor’s office.
Another showed Cole putting his hand on my stomach.
Another showed my baby shower decorations being delivered.
Someone had been watching us.
The room felt smaller.
“Why?””
Nobody answered.
Then Cole looked at the final photograph.
And his face changed.
“What?””
I looked closer.
The photo showed Richard standing outside the hospital.
The day I found out I was pregnant.
On the back was a handwritten note.
Cole read it silently.
Then his face went completely white.
“What does it say?””
He handed me the picture.
Three words were written on the back.
May you like
Words that made my entire body freeze.
*“The child returns.””*
