MY HUSBAND'S SECRET SIDE CHICK

THE KEY

My mother's name was the last thing Ethan said to me before I walked out of the bedroom. For years, I trusted her without question. Now just one sentence had turn every memory upside down. I couldn't stay in that house, not with Ethan watching me like he was afraid of what I might do next.

Not with Mia standing there looking like she already knew how this story ended.

I grabbed my handbag.

"Where are you going?" Ethan asked.

"To find out why everyone seems to know something about my life except me."

"Laura, wait."

I stopped at the doorway, he came closer. "Let me come with you."

"No."

His expression fell.

"I don't want another argument."

"Neither do I."

"Then let me explain."

"You've had three months to explain."

He went quiet, I looked at him.

"I need answers Ethan. Real ones not half truths."

"I know."

"And if you love me like you keep saying you do, stop deciding what I'm allowed to know."

His eyes softened. "I do love you."

For a second, the anger inside me weakened. That was the problem with Ethan.

Even when I wanted to hate him, one look from him could remind me why I'd loved him in the first place.

I looked away.

"Then prove it." Then I walked out.

My mother opened the door with a smile. "Laura?"

The smile disappeared when she saw my face.

"What happened?"

I walked inside. "Did you know Natalie came back?"

Her entire body stiffened. That was all the answer I needed. She knew.

"You knew."

"Laura..."

"You knew Natalie was back." She closed the door slowly behind her.

"Who told you?"

I stared at her, that isn't the question.

"It matters."

"No mom, what matters is why you lied to me.

She looked away, my heart started pounding.

"Mum, why did Natalie disappear?"

She didn't answer.

"Why?"

"Somethings are better left in the past."

I almost laughed. "That's exactly what Ethan said."

Her eyes snapped toward me.

"Ethan told you?"

"He told me enough."

She sat down while I remained standing. "Did you make Natalie leave?"

Her face changed.

"That's not what happened."

"Then tell me what happened."

She looked exhausted. "Your father was the one who made that decision."

I froze.

"My father?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I can't explain everything."

I shook my head.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Because you're not ready."

"I'm twenty-eight."

"I know."

"And I'm married."

"I know that too."

"Mom, I think my husband's been hiding things from me for months."

Her eyes filled with worry.

"And you still think I'm not ready?"

She looked down, the silence hurt.

"What did dad do?"

Before she could answer, her phone rang, she glanced at the screen. Her expression changed instantly.

"Who is it?"

She ignored the call, then the phone rang again. This time, she stood up.

"It's your father."

My heart skipped. "Answer it."

She hesitated.

"Please mom."

Then she answered.

"Hello?"

I watched her face, she said nothing for several seconds. Then her eyes met mine.

"She's here."

My stomach tightened. She ended the call.

"Your father wants to speak to you."

"Where?"

"At his office."

I grabbed my bag. "Then I'm going."

My mother stood.

"Laura, please."

"I've spent years accepting silence from everyone."

I headed for the door.

"I'm done."

---

My father's office was twenty minutes away. I barely remembered the drive. My mother's words kept repeating in my head.

Your father made that decision.

What decision?

Why Natalie?

And why had Ethan known?

When I got to the building, I didn't call ahead. I walked straight inside. My father looked up when I entered.

For several seconds, neither of us said a word. Then he slowly stood up.

"Laura."

I folded my arms.

"Tell me about Natalie."

His face went pale. That reaction was becoming familiar.

"Who told you?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that."

I stepped closer.

"I'm asking you now."

He sat down, I remained standing.

Why did she disappear?"

He rubbed his forehead.

"Your mother should never have told you."

My stomach dropped.

"So it's true."

He looked at me.

"What exactly did Ethan tell you?"

"That you forced Natalie to leave."

He closed his eyes.

"It wasn't that simple."

"Then make it simple."

He looked at me for a long moment.

"Natalie discovered something."

"What?"

He didn't answer.

"What did she discover?"

"She discovered something about your family."

I felt a chill.

"What's that?"

He stood up and walked towards a cabinet and unlocked it. My heart pounded, he pulled out a small box.

"This belonged to Natalie."

I stared at it.

"Why do you have that?"

"Because she left it here."

"Why?"

He handed it to me.

"Because she was afraid."

I opened the box and inside was a photograph.

Natalie, me and my father.

But that wasn't what shocked me. On the back of the photograph was a date.

A date from fifteen years ago. I stared at it, then I noticed the handwriting. I knew it. I had seen it all my childhood, it was Natalie's handwriting. There was only one sentence written beneath the date.

LAURA MUST NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT.

My fingers went numb, I looked at my father.

"What happened that night?"

He didn't answer.

"Dad, tell me."

His eyes filled with regret. Then his phone rang, he glanced at the screen. And for the first time since I walked into the office, genuine fear crossed his face.

I looked at the caller's name.

Ethan.

My heart stopped. Why could my husband be calling my father?

My father answered.

"Hello?"

He listened, then his face drained of color. I stepped closer.

"What did Ethan say?"

My father slowly lowered the phone.

"He knows."

I swallowed.

"Knows what?

He looked at me.

"The truth about Natalie."

My heart pounded.

"And he's on his way hear."