The Wife He Replaced

Chapter16

Chapter 16: The First Crack

Victor's POV

Something felt off.

I had this feeling in the back of my mind for days. At first it was easy to ignore.. Tonight it wouldn't go away.

It kept pushing. Getting sharper. I had to think about it. I sat back in my chair. Tapped my fingers on my desk. I stared out the window at the city lights.

Rita. Just thinking about her felt... Weird now.

"Shes hiding something " I said to myself.

I knew it. I just didn't know what. Then I heard a knock. The door opened.

"Sir?" someone said. I didn't turn around. I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "What is it Daniel?"

Daniel came in with some files. "The files you requested sir." I looked at them for a second. They were Rita's records.

Her work history. Travel logs. Business connections. Everything looked clean.

Too clean. I let out a breath. "Leave it."

Daniel hesitated. "Do you need anything "

I thought for a moment.

"If someone disappears for five years what do you expect to find?" I asked. There was silence.

"People don't just disappear sir " Daniel said carefully. "They start another life elsewhere."

That was right. "Find out where she started, " I said. Daniel nodded. "Yes, sir."

The door closed behind him. I leaned forward. I looked at the files again.

Dubai. That was the real clue. Five years ago there was nothing. Suddenly she was back. New job. New name. New life.

Like her past was erased. My fingers clenched.

"That's not normal, " I said to myself.

It didn't feel right. Not with the woman I knew. I kept looking through the files.

She got promotions. She did well. She thrived. A strange feeling started in my chest. It wasn't pride.

"She didn't need me, " I muttered. That realization hit me hard. I sat back. Rubbed my face. Then my phone buzzed. It was Kate. I answered.

"What?" I said. "You didn't call me back, " she said, sounding annoyed. "Are you avoiding me?"

"I'm working, " I said. "You always are, " she said lightly. Then she softened her tone. "Victor, what's going on?"

I didn't answer immediately. I didn't know what to say. "Have you seen Rita recently?" I asked. There was a pause.

It was too long. "Why would I be seeing her?" Kate asked.. I heard something in her voice.

"I'm just asking, " I said. "No, " Kate said finally. ". I don't plan to." I wasn't convinced.

"You should stay away from her, " Kate said quickly. That made me curious. "Why?" I asked.

"She's trouble Victor, " Kate said. Her voice got tight. "You remember how she was. Manipulative. Quiet. Always pretending.."

"That's enough, " I said. My tone stopped her. Silence followed.

Then Kate said quietly "I'm just saying, people don't change that much." I leaned forward.

"No, " I said slowly. ". Sometimes we never really knew them to begin with."

Kate didn't respond. I ended the call. The silence felt heavier. That conversation confirmed it. There was something they weren't saying.

I was done being in the dark. I picked up my phone. Dialed.

Daniel answered immediately "Yes, sir?"

"I want everything, " I said.

"Everything, sir?". "Everything " I repeated. My voice was steady but cold. "I want her records in Dubai. Her workplace. Her friends. Her medical history. Travel records. Financial movements."

There was silence. Then Daniel said, "Understood."

"And Daniel, " I said. "Yes, sir?" "If there's anything even slightly.. "I'll report it to you, " Daniel said. "Immediately " I said. The call ended.

I put the phone down. I looked at the files.

My fingers tapped on them. Then I stopped. A memory came back. Sharp. Clear. Unexpectedly. My grip tightened.

That night. Her voice. That call. "Mummy?"

My chest stopped. I knew I hadn't imagined it. I sat up straight.

My jaw got tight. It didn't make sense. The thought was already there.

Growing. Spreading. Refusing to go

I pushed the files away. I stood up. I paced across the room. "Think," I said to myself.

I went through everything again. Her disappearance. Her reappearance. Her behavior. The way she looked at me.

Like I was nothing. Like I had never mattered. My chest got tight.

Then I remembered that voice. Small.

Soft. "Mummy..." I stopped walking.

A slow dangerous realization started to form. "If she left... Pregnant..." I didn't let myself say it. It would make it real. I wasn't ready for that. Not yet. I rubbed my hair.

"No. That's a stretch, " I said. It didn't feel like one. It felt possible. Too possible.

I turned back to my desk. My gaze hardened. "Find out the truth, " I muttered.

One thing was certain. Rita didn't just leave. She took something with her. She had gone to great lengths to hide it.

I picked up the files again. This wasn't curiosity anymore. This wasn't business.

This was something deeper.

More dangerous. More personal. My eyes got darker.

"Let's see how long you can keep your secrets, " I said quietly.

I was done guessing. Done assu

ming.

Done being played. I was going to find out whatever she was hiding.

No matter what it took.