CHAPTER 4:The envelope
849 Words
Serena's blood turned to ice.
The apartment door had opened.
Damien was home.
No...
He wasn't supposed to be home for another three hours.
Panic surged through her veins.
She looked from the brown envelope in her hands to the office door, then back again.
His footsteps echoed through the living room.
Steady.
Unhurried.
Getting closer.
Her heart pounded so loudly she was certain he could hear it.
Think, Serena. Think!
She quickly slid the envelope back into the drawer, locked it, and shoved the tiny silver key beneath the family portrait exactly where she'd found it.
The office door creaked open.
"There you are."
Damien smiled, though there was a strange sharpness in his eyes.
Serena forced herself to breathe normally.
"I... I was looking for a pen."
"A pen?"
"Yes. Mine ran out of ink."
He glanced at the desk.
Then at the drawers.
Then back at her.
For a split second, Serena thought he knew.
That he had caught her.
Instead, he smiled and walked toward her.
"You could've called me."
He wrapped an arm around her waist.
"I would've bought you a dozen pens."
She laughed awkwardly.
"I didn't want to bother you."
He gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You never bother me."
His words were warm.
His eyes...
Were not.
For the first time since they'd met, Serena noticed something unsettling.
Damien wasn't looking at her.
He was studying her.
As though trying to decide whether she knew something.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I forgot an important file."
He walked behind the desk and opened the top drawer.
Serena held her breath.
He reached beneath the family photograph.
Pulled out the silver key.
Unlocked the bottom drawer.
His movements stopped.
Silence filled the room.
He stared at the envelope for several seconds.
Then, slowly, he lifted it.
His thumb brushed the edge.
Had it moved?
Had he noticed?
Serena's palms grew damp.
Finally, he slipped the envelope into his briefcase.
"I'll need this for today's meeting."
Her stomach tightened.
Whatever was inside...
It was important enough that he no longer wanted to leave it at home.
"I'll see you tonight," he said before kissing her forehead.
The front door closed behind him.
Only then did Serena realize she had been holding her breath.
...
That evening...
She couldn't stop thinking about the envelope.
Damien had never hidden anything from her before.
Why start now?
Her thoughts were interrupted when Lily climbed onto her lap.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Are you sad?"
Serena forced a smile.
"No."
Lily touched her mother's cheek with tiny fingers.
"When I get scared..."
Serena looked at her.
"...I hold Bunny."
She held up her stuffed rabbit proudly.
"It makes me brave."
A tear escaped Serena's eye.
She hugged Lily tightly.
"I think Mommy needs Bunny tonight too."
Lily giggled before placing the stuffed rabbit into Serena's hands.
"You can borrow him."
Serena kissed her daughter's forehead.
"Thank you, my brave girl."
She had no idea those innocent words would haunt her forever.
...
The following morning...
Serena arrived at work earlier than usual.
Her assistant hurried toward her.
"Mrs. Hart, someone left this at reception."
"A package?"
The assistant nodded.
"There wasn't any name."
Inside was a small flash drive.
Nothing else.
No note.
No return address.
Confused, Serena carried it into her office.
She hesitated for a long moment before plugging it into her computer.
One folder appeared.
WATCH ME
A chill crawled down her spine.
She clicked it.
A video began to play.
At first, the camera showed the entrance of an expensive hotel.
People walked in and out.
Nothing unusual.
Then...
A familiar figure appeared.
Serena frowned.
"No..."
It couldn't be.
The man adjusted his sunglasses before stepping out of a black luxury sedan.
It was Damien.
He looked around cautiously.
A woman exited the passenger side.
Tall.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
She smiled as Damien reached for her hand.
The next second...
He kissed her.
Not a friendly kiss.
Not a mistake.
A passionate kiss.
The kind a husband should only share with his wife.
Serena couldn't breathe.
"No..."
The video continued.
Damien wrapped an arm around the woman's waist as they disappeared into the hotel together.
The recording ended.
Serena sat frozen.
The room spun around her.
Her fingers trembled violently.
She replayed the video.
Again.
And again.
Maybe she had seen it wrong.
Maybe it wasn't him.
But every replay destroyed another piece of her heart.
The wedding ring on his finger reflected the afternoon sun.
The same ring she had slipped onto his finger five years ago.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
Her assistant peeked inside.
"Mrs. Hart?"
Serena quickly closed the laptop.
"Yes?"
"Your husband is here."
Her heart stopped.
"What?"
"He's waiting outside your office with flowers."
Serena stared at the closed door.
Flowers.
After spending the night with another woman?
Was he mocking her?
Or...
Did he know someone had sent her the video?
She slowly looked toward the flash drive still resting on her desk.
Then...
The office doorknob began to turn.
Damien was walking in.
- Writer
