Chapter 3 - The Secret Daniel Never KnewThe next morning, I woke to the sound of rain.
For the first time in months, I slept eight hours.
No meetings.
No alarms.
No assistants.
No waiting for Daniel to come home.
I walked downstairs to the bookstore.
Claire handed me coffee.
"Your phone."
I looked at it.
Twenty-three missed calls.
Thirty-seven messages.
I turned it off.
Claire raised an eyebrow.
"You okay?"
"I'm scared."
"Of what?"
"That I'll miss him."
She sat beside me.
"Missing someone doesn't mean you made the wrong choice."
I looked at the harbor.
"I spent seven years loving him."
"You can love someone and still leave them."
That sentence stayed with me.
Daniel spent the day at Harrison Freight Systems.
His assistant entered his office.
"Mr. Harrison?"
"What?"
"There's a woman asking to see you."
"Who?"
"Vanessa."
He closed his eyes.
"Tell her I'm busy."
She walked away.
Five minutes later, Vanessa entered anyway.
"I need to explain."
Daniel looked at her.
"You knew Amy was pregnant?"
"No."
"But you knew she didn't know about us."
Vanessa nodded.
"I didn't know you were married like this."
"What does that mean?"
"I thought you were separated."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"Separated?"
"You told me you were unhappy."
"I was."
"You said the marriage was over."
"I never filed for divorce."
"I thought you would."
Daniel stood.
"Why?"
"Because you said you were going to leave."
He stared at her.
"I said a lot of things."
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"Did you ever love me?"
Daniel didn't answer.
She nodded slowly.
"That's what I thought."
She placed a folder on his desk.
"I brought this."
"What is it?"
"Messages."
Daniel opened it.
There were conversations between Vanessa and Daniel.
Nothing criminal.
Nothing secret beyond the affair.
But one message made his stomach twist.
Amy deserves to know.
He had responded:
She doesn't need more stress.
Vanessa had written:
Then leave her.
He had answered:
I'll handle it.
Daniel closed the folder.
He remembered saying those words.
I'll handle it.
As though Amy's heart were another business problem.
Meanwhile, I sat in the office of a local obstetrician.
Dr. Elena Brooks smiled after examining the ultrasound.
"Everything looks healthy."
I exhaled.
"Thank God."
She studied me.
"Are you under a lot of stress?"
"Yes."
"Then you're going to need support."
I smiled.
"I have my friend."
"Good."
She looked at the chart.
"Is the father involved?"
I hesitated.
"Not currently."
She didn't judge me.
"Then we'll make sure you have everything you need."
I touched my stomach.
For the first time, I wasn't thinking about Daniel.
I was thinking about my baby.
May you like
And I knew one thing.
Whatever happened next, my child would never grow up believing they were an afterthought.
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