Chapter Three — Sophie
Daniel wouldn't tell me who Sophie was.
That was the first thing I learned.
The second was that silence could hurt more than an admission.
He stood in our living room with his phone vibrating in his hand.
Sophie.
Again.
Again.
Again.
"Answer it," I said.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because there's nothing to discuss."
"Then answer it."
He didn't.
The call stopped.
A few seconds later, a message appeared.
I saw the preview.
Daniel, if you don't tell Claire, I will.
My heart sank.
"Give me the phone."
"No."
"Give it to me."
He stepped backward.
"Claire, this isn't what you think."
I almost laughed.
"Do you know how ridiculous that sentence sounds after you just admitted cheating on me?"
He looked ashamed.
Good.
He should.
But shame wasn't enough.
I wanted the truth.
Every ugly piece of it.
I spent the next three days investigating my own marriage.
I checked bank statements.
Hotel charges.
Restaurant receipts.
Calendar entries.
I discovered dates I hadn't questioned.
Gifts I had forgotten.
Late-night charges.
Cash withdrawals.
And then I found something that made my blood run cold.
A recurring payment.
Every Friday.
A luxury apartment.
The same building.
For seven months.
I had assumed Daniel was paying for a business property.
He wasn't.
I went there.
I sat across the street for nearly two hours.
Then a woman walked out.
Sophie.
I recognized her immediately.
She was younger than me.
Beautiful.
Pregnant.
I froze.
She looked around nervously before getting into a car.
I followed her.
She eventually stopped at a small clinic.
I parked across the street.
When she came out, she was crying.
I approached her.
"Sophie?"
She stopped.
Her eyes widened.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Claire."
She stared at me.
Then whispered,
"You're Daniel's wife."
"Yes."
Her face crumbled.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
She looked at my stomach.
Then back at me.
"I didn't know."
"Know what?"
She began crying.
"I didn't know he was married."
I felt the world tilt.
"How long?"
"Four months."
"Are you sleeping with him?"
She looked away.
"Not anymore."
"Why?"
She put a hand over her stomach.
"Because I'm pregnant."
I couldn't speak.
"Is it his?"
She nodded.
My knees went weak.
I sat on the bench beside her.
"Does Ava know?"
She frowned.
"Who?"
"Ava."
"No."
I looked at her.
"Then there are at least three of us."
She started crying harder.
"I thought he loved me."
I almost told her I understood.
But I didn't.
Because suddenly I wasn't sure Daniel loved anyone.
When I returned home, Daniel was waiting.
He saw my face.
"You found her."
"She's pregnant."
He closed his eyes.
"Claire—"
"How many?"
He didn't answer.
"How many women?"
"Claire."
"How many?"
He whispered,
"Three."
I laughed.
Three.
Ava.
Sophie.
And me.
Three women.
One husband.
One enormous lie.
But then Daniel said something I wasn't prepared for.
"Sophie isn't the third."
I stared at him.
"What?"
"There were others."
My heart stopped.
"Others?"
"Before Ava."
"How many?"
He couldn't look at me.
"Five."
I felt physically sick.
Five women.
Maybe more.
"Then why is Ava so certain you're going to marry her?"
"Because I told her I would."
"You lied to her too."
"Yes."
"Why?"
He finally looked at me.
"Because I was addicted to being wanted."
That answer disgusted me.
I walked upstairs.
I packed a suitcase.
I wasn't crying anymore.
I was finished crying.
I wanted out.
But before I could leave, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice whispered,
"Claire?"
"Who is this?"
"You don't know me."
"Then why are you calling?"
"Because Daniel isn't the only person you need to be afraid of."
My blood ran cold.
"Who are you?"
She hesitated.
Then said,
"I'm Ava's sister."
I frowned.
"What does that have to do with my husband?"
"Everything."
"What do you mean?"
She whispered,
"Ava didn't choose Daniel because she loved him."
I stared at the wall.
"Then why?"
"Because she wanted revenge."
My heart stopped.
"Revenge for what?"
There was silence.
Then she said,
"Your husband destroyed our family."
The call ended.
I stood there holding the phone.
Daniel walked into the room.
He looked at me.
"What happened?"
I stared at him.
"What did you do to Ava's family?"
His expression changed.
And this time, there was something in his eyes I had never seen before.
Not guilt.
Fear.
Real fear.
