Chapter 3: The Man Behind The Lie
I read the message five times.
Then ten.
Ask your wife why she paid me to pretend I was her lover.
My first emotion wasn't relief.
It was anger.
Because even if Daniel was telling the truth, Emma had still allowed me to believe the worst.
She had let me walk into that office.
She had let me see something designed to break my heart.
When Emma came home that night, I was sitting at the kitchen table.
The lights were off.
Only the lamp above the counter was on.
She stopped when she saw me.
"David.""
I placed my phone on the table.
Her eyes moved to the screen.
She saw the message.
Her face changed.
"You talked to him.""
"Who is Daniel?""
She slowly closed the door.
Then she sat across from me.
"He's someone who was helping me.""
"Helping you destroy our marriage?""
"No.""
"Then explain.""
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then she whispered:
"Someone has been trying to destroy us.""
I stared at her.
"Who?""
She looked afraid.
Actually afraid.
Not guilty.
Not caught.
Afraid.
"I found out three months ago.""
"Found out what?""
Emma opened her purse and pulled out a folder.
Her hands were shaking.
"I discovered someone had been transferring money from our joint account.""
I frowned.
"What?""
She placed papers on the table.
Bank records.
Transactions I had never seen.
My name.
Our account.
Thousands of dollars gone.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't know who was behind it.""
"So you hired Daniel?""
She nodded.
"He is a private investigator.""
I looked away.
Everything became more confusing.
"The man in your office?""
"Was part of a plan.""
"A plan to make me think you were cheating?""
She closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
I stood up.
"Are you serious?""
"I needed someone to react.""
"React?""
"I needed whoever was watching us to believe our marriage was falling apart.""
I stared at her.
"Someone was watching us?""
Emma reached for another document.
"This.""
I looked down.
It was a photograph.
My house.
Taken from across the street.
My chest tightened.
"When was this taken?""
"Two weeks ago.""
I looked at her.
"Emma, why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought you were involved.""
The words hit harder than anything else.
"What?""
She started crying.
"Money was disappearing. Someone had access to private information about us. And then I found out the divorce papers had been requested.""
"By who?""
She hesitated.
"Your brother.""
I went completely still.
My brother, Michael.
The man who had stood beside me at my wedding.
The man who called me every Sunday.
"No.""
Emma nodded.
"I didn't believe it either.""
"Michael wouldn't do that.""
"Then why did he know about my private conversations with my lawyer?""
I had no answer.
The kitchen became silent.
Eight years of marriage.
A family member I trusted.
A stranger pretending to betray me.
I didn't know what was real anymore.
Emma reached across the table.
"I wanted to protect you.""
I pulled my hand away.
"You lied to me.""
Her eyes filled.
"I know.""
"Do you understand what you did?""
"I know.""
"You made me feel like the person I loved most betrayed me.""
"I know.""
Her voice broke.
"But I needed Michael to believe we were fighting.""
I looked at her.
"And Daniel?""
"He was supposed to convince him.""
"By hugging you?""
"By making it look real.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Well, congratulations. It looked real.""
She looked down.
"I never wanted to hurt you.""
I wanted to believe her.
That was the worst part.
A part of me still loved her.
Still wanted her explanation to be enough.
Then my phone rang.
This time, it was Michael.
I answered.
"Hello?""
His voice came through.
"David, I heard you found out.""
My blood went cold.
"What did you say?""
A pause.
Then he laughed softly.
"Emma finally told you?""
I stood up.
"Michael, what is going on?""
His voice became calm.
Too calm.
"Your wife has been lying to you for months.""
I looked at Emma.
She looked terrified.
Michael continued.
"But she didn't tell you the biggest secret.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"What secret?""
And then my brother said something that made Emma cover her mouth in shock.
"David, your wife wasn't investigating me.""
May you like
A pause.
"She was investigating you.""
