Chapter 3 - Vanessa's SecretThat night, the hospital became strangely quiet.
Noah slept on a small couch in the corner.
Lila sat beside him.
I stared at the ceiling.
Then my phone buzzed.
Daniel.
She's been arrested.
Another message.
She's going away for a long time.
Then:
I love you. You and the baby. Always.
I didn't respond.
A few minutes later, he came into the room.
He sat beside me.
"Vanessa is claiming I ordered her to hurt you."
"Did you?"
"No."
His answer was immediate.
Almost too immediate.
"She has no proof."
"What about Noah?"
Daniel's face changed.
"What about him?"
"He saw her."
"Sarah, he's ten."
"He saw what you did."
Daniel leaned closer.
"We can't drag Noah into this."
I stared at him.
"Are you protecting him?"
"Of course."
"Or yourself?"
For the first time, anger flashed in his eyes.
Then it disappeared.
He became the loving husband again.
"I want us to go home. Have our baby. Forget Vanessa."
I studied his face.
"Did you ever love her?"
He didn't blink.
"I never loved anyone but you."
The conviction in his voice was terrifying.
May you like
Because I knew something now.
A person who could lie without hesitation could lie about anything.
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