Secrets in the Dark
658 Words
After replying to Jason that night, Bertha told herself she still had control.
She convinced herself it was harmless.
Just texting.
Just conversation.
Nothing serious.
But secrets grow quickly in darkness.
And every hidden thing eventually demands a price.
The next few weeks became emotionally confusing for Bertha.
During the day, she still spoke with Kenneth.
Still told him she loved him.
Still smiled during video calls.
Still melted whenever he looked at her with genuine affection.
But at the same time…
Jason’s presence was becoming more frequent.
He listened carefully when she complained.
He gave her attention whenever Kenneth became busy.
He made her feel desired during moments she felt emotionally invisible.
And Bertha slowly became addicted to that feeling.
One afternoon, Jason invited her out for lunch.
She hesitated before agreeing.
Guilt already weighed heavily inside her chest.
But loneliness whispered louder.
The restaurant was quiet and elegant, with soft music floating through the air.
Jason smiled warmly the moment she arrived.
“You look beautiful.”
Bertha smiled politely.
“Thank you.”
Unlike Kenneth, Jason looked relaxed. Confident. Available.
No stress lines on his forehead.
No business calls interrupting conversations.
No emotional exhaustion.
And for a dangerous moment…
being around him felt easy.
“You think too much,” Jason said while watching her carefully.
Bertha looked up.
“What do you mean?”
“You look guilty for being happy.”
Those words hit directly.
Because guilt was exactly what she had been feeling.
Jason leaned closer slightly.
“You deserve attention too, Bertha.”
She looked away immediately.
“I have a boyfriend.”
“But is he really there for you?”
Bertha stayed silent.
And silence sometimes answers questions words refuse to touch.
Meanwhile, Kenneth was finally beginning to recover financially.
A new contract had just been approved.
Two delayed payments finally arrived.
For the first time in months, things were improving.
And the first person he wanted to celebrate with was Bertha.
He bought her favorite flowers on his way home, smiling to himself while imagining her excitement.
He wanted to apologize properly for the distance.
Wanted to make things right again.
Wanted them back.
That evening, Kenneth called her repeatedly.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
By the fourth call, anxiety began creeping into his chest.
Bertha rarely ignored him before all these recent problems started.
Finally, after almost an hour, she answered.
“Hello?”
Her voice sounded nervous.
Kenneth frowned slightly.
“Where are you?”
“With Anita.”
A lie.
Bertha hated how naturally it came out.
Kenneth remained quiet for a second.
“Okay. I wanted to see you tonight.”
“Oh…”
“I have good news.”
Bertha’s chest tightened with guilt instantly.
“What happened?”
“The business deal finally worked.”
For a moment, genuine happiness crossed her face.
“That’s amazing, Kenneth!”
“I know,” he laughed softly for the first time in weeks. “I wanted us to celebrate together.”
The joy in his voice made her feel horrible.
Because while he was trying to rebuild their happiness…
she was slowly helping destroy it.
Later that night, Bertha sat alone in her room unable to breathe peacefully.
Kenneth’s happiness echoed painfully inside her mind.
He still trusted her completely.
Still loved her sincerely.
Still believed they were fighting for each other.
Tears rolled down her face as she buried her head into her hands.
She never intended for things to go this far.
But emotional mistakes have a way of growing before people realize the damage they’re causing.
Her phone buzzed again.
Jason.
She stared at the message silently.
Then looked at a picture of Kenneth smiling beside her on her wallpaper.
Two worlds.
Two emotions.
Two versions of herself pulling in opposite directions.
And somewhere deep down…
Bertha already knew disaster was coming.
She just didn’t know how to stop it anymore.
- Writer
